The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-26

tionably emboldened that class, aud impressed
y them with the idea that the law and the forms of
our courts were mere mocke,ies; but the course
of our City Judge is beginning TO convince them
that they have been somewhat in error, and We
doubt not that the good effects will be mani
tested BY q reduction Of crime, and better order
Of things generally in The condition of the me-
tropoiis.
TnE UrrEg AND LowER STRATA or RELIGIOUS
LIFB IN NV Religious life and the
modes of religious worship in New York have
recently assumed new and somewhat curious
phase. During the financial crisis, and succeed
ing IT, 4 religious revival so far affected all
classes of our citizens that prayer meetings pub
Lie confessions O. rcpentant sinners. from Wall
street, from the prize ring and from the stage,
| were matters Of daily and nightly occur ne all
over the city. not alone in the churches, but in
| warehouses aud Easements, aud everywhere
that a congregation could he accommodated
But now the inspiration of religious ieryor
has fallen upon the lyric aud dramatic
stage; and where tie divine compositions
OF Meyerbeer and Verdi and Roas;ui de-
lighted the upper crust Of our population during
| the week, or the loye-and-murdcr Efforts of tar
| sensation d,amatst '.spiit the ears OF The
ground!ings in 3 minor theatre, soaGs n
| praise and words Of holiness are echoed
every Sunday evening. The uP2cy stratum
| of religious life eyudcs is super-ahundant
feelings Of pieiy with respectable and
| decoious bearing ii the fashionable and elegant
| Academy Of Music while the lower stratum does
| the same with cheers, cat-cuiis and stamping Of
| e. in The National theatre on Chatham street,
! The crowd which docks to both houses is i'm
| nen,e. Al the Academy hundre i arr tg-nci
away for want 81 room. every Sunday cyeaing:
| the doors are locked when the house Is full.
and al who arrive too late aic compelled
,thcl 10 adopt the out-oi-ia .aion prac.
| tee Of going to church, or to reserve
| their icrvor for another Sabbath Diff
cult thing 10 do in this impulsiye city.
/ Al the Chatham street theatre The Attendance
| 50 large that the doorkeepers are obliged 10
select the audience admitting The well clad and
excluding humble piety in secdy garments; a
posse Of police is required 20 keep orter at the
doors: and the audience express their hmpaticnce
al the non-ariivai Of the preacher. I'll Fhe i nal
theatrical fashion, by stamping and whisiling
hail Lis appearance by storm of ciapping, and
compliment the salient points Of his discourse
with loud applause. Religious ceremonies are
| again to take place at these theatres to light.
| II anime the Churc Is are aft n with .lhn
| attnt ance and il looks Is If the clergy. to pr.
| serve their popularity, would have 10 abladon
| tue pulpit for the stage. Time was when such
| descent would have shocked the religious
sentiment o the countrj,: aud even nov. what
ever is left Of the strict old Puritans mu ( move
| uneasily in their graves at the spectacle. One
! consolation, however. is that those who advocate
| the claims Of the stage to he cons dcyed moral
| instructor have now the satisfac a Of behold
| ing practical illustration Of their theory.
TUX Cr8,N QUESTION N lsl6.--Thc letter Of
Gen. Jcsup written in 1916. to President M,nr G,
when that gentleman was Secretary Of State
| upon the military relations of Cuba { IL eat
Mississippi valley, the intrigues + IL, British
and Spanish agents among our Southern Indians,
and The determination of General Jesup. with
the appreciation of General Jackson. to take that
island by a comp De man in the event u certain
contingencies. which we publish in another
column, will throw some new light upon this
momentous question to 4 grea, many Of our
, readers.
Il viii he seen that The great principles IN
yoyed in our national progress. SO clearly laid
down by Gen. Jesup more than forty years ago.
have been abUndantly horne out 10y the dcvc-
| lopemcnis Of time. What was then of compare
| lively easy accomplishment has now become
| more difficult, while the necessity Of acquiring
| that island as portion Of our national dcfenccs
| has grown with the growth OF our population
and their interests in the Mississippi valley. The
! same continued Development must attend the
| Cuba question in the future thai has accompa-
! nicd II IN the past and the difficulties now in
| the way viii increase With the increase Of our
| needs i new impulse i also given 70 il by the
/ opening OF our Pacific empire: aud the day i
! not far distant when the lines Of onr domestic
trade and travcsio the Pacific will rs completely
| cncircle Cuba a. do those Of our Southern trade
wrap its northern shore.
Congress should act al an early day in this
matter. Although our statesmen have long seen
1 lllc HtCtrrity ~ tupd pttvhihk IucHibti "
| Union. and the public mind of the country is
fully alive to II, the representative voice Of the
| people has never found uitcrancc. and even now
il i question which every politician takes up
or lays aside, he thinks may suit his individual
interests. The action Of Congress would make
| the question national one, and give il an i'm
pulse which Il will ever after obey We hope
that body will reject all personal aims in this
great question. and authorize the purchase of the
island, whenever IL can be made. The letter Of
General Jesup brings wildly TO view bow much
We have lost by not acting with foresight years
ago We shall repeat this loss to the country