The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-26

We have heard before that New York
was = wicked city, but the sketch that fol
lows makes US. more cOnten, than ever,
TO live QUITO il:
..Sixteen murders have been perpetrated
in this city since the lst of April, about
which time Mayor Wood began TO dsyelopc
his nrocramme of violent resistance TO the
laws. and the whole army of grog-sellers
babe defiance TO any legal interference with
their desplatiny traffic. There have been %
least sixteen attempts ut murder, beside yio-
lent assaults and rum hole fights without
pre,slent. Ten thousand hardened and
homeless, females Outcasts swain tho streets
NJ ni,ht. two thousand children, under the
disguise Of pedlers, from the ages OF ten 10
sixteen, penetrate every public building,
store and office in the city, 10 beg, steal, spy
for burglars, and ON their own account To
practice those vices which cannot be named
respectable language; five thousand great
and small gamblers prey upon the credulous
and the infatuated, standing all day at the
doors of their dens in Broadway, as well
known in person and profession rs the May
or himself ten thousand lazy, drunken,
thieyish, short boys, swill boys, killers,
rouges, and rowdies of other names, lounge
ON the rum cursed corners OF the streets,
making day disgusting. night hideous, and
street dangerous to all who can be suspected
o(haying respectability ormoney thousands
of emigrants svindlers, mock auctioner,
lottery dealers, policy hackers, pick-pockeet.
. hall thieves, burglars, wharf rats, area,
sneaks, pimps vampires, practice their
knayeries as openly and with as little fear OF
punishment as though they were engaged IN
the most yirtuOus and legitimate OF human
pursuits. The swell mob of London, ny-
ing from the argus eyes of real police, and
the unIndurabc fslOns Of San Francisco,
cGpatriated by the bullet and the hemp OF
the Vigilance Cqurado y :. are received here
with open arms, Nv TO- our streets under no.
only the liberation but the protection and
personal Friendship Of the police, carry our
primary elections, and fill high places on our
nominating committees. On every hand
We have vice and crime and splendor crime,
vice. ruin and beggary. Here, in the most
fashionable iaubOurg. is tho Crockiord's OF
New York there, between the. palatial resi-,
dences Of millionaire ard a divine, is the
maison de iOic' Of woman, whose dress is
the most brilliant. whose equipage the most
costly, whose appearance is the most sun
ming, as any of the gay butterflies, yirtuous
or vicious, whose beauty and wealth add
glitter to the opera or sunshine in the prom
cnade. Within bOw-shot Of these palaces,
is the other side Of the world for brOcade
rags; for diamonds, dirt; for Johannlsberser,
whiskcy for millionaires, besgars for di-
vines, devils for Aspasias, drabs with her,
and there some poor, starving wretch, pain
fully enacting the "SOng Of the Shirt" hoi
be.icged virtue glimmering in the misery OF
this tangible he'll, like the tabled jewel in O
dunghill. And, over ali. We have set OF
men called rulers. wrangling like hungry
dogs for the public purse, lying and cheat
ing for 4 iyanccment plotting to overthrow
all law ,tat they may rob the people and,
in there influence upon our vast criminal
population. reckless ilaring their incendia'
ny torches in our moral powder house."