The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-07

The CHARTER ELECTION To-DaY.-Tbe cleo.
ton for city officers. which takes place to-day,
might under different circumstances, prove the
turning point towards Improvement in the ma
nagement of our city government; but, as il is,
the result, whoever may be elected, will only
set the seal upon the record Of infamy which our
municipal affairs have heretofore presented. No
disinterested voter who scans the tickets offered
TO him at the polls to-day can fail TO observe
worst hands into which it has ever fallen. and
We doubt not that many feel themselves In di-
lemma M TO who they shall vote for, or whether
they shall vote at all. And II Is no wonder
for in truth, II they were TO take the list Of oc.
cupants in Blackwell's Island or Sing Sing. and
select thereirom the best conducted convicts In
either establishment for candidates, they would
have about "A good ticket n the names Of most
Of the present candidates can furnish
II may seem harsh, but il Ii not unjust to say.
that II the majority Of the aspirants for seats In
the Common Council got their deserts, their des-
iination would be the States prison rather than
the Council Chamber. A more incompetent,
hungry and miserable set of Office seekers never
solicited the votes Of decent community.
The PIccoLosrI BESEFu.-To-night Mile.
Piccolomini takes her benefit at the Academy of
Music. The event will be more than usually
interesting one, as illustrating the triumph Of
public opinion over artistic and newspaper
cabals When this admirable artist arrived
here, q certain clique, composed Of disappointed
musicians and half starved critics, sought 10
throw obstacles in the way Of her success. Every
article was rcsortcd to TO depreciate her merits
and TO forestall the judgment Of the public. She
triumphcd over all the efforts Of her detr,c.ors;
and now, at the end Of a season, more prosperous
than any on record, and confcssedly rendered so
by Der popularity, she appeals to the New York
audiences TO aAix their Cat 10 The Judgment which
she has won in the face Of so many difficulties.
The success Of Mile. Piccolomini il easily 10
be accounted for. Unlike every other artist
that has preceded her, she owes her triumphs not
10 any one cxcellcncc, but to n combination Of
qualities, rarely found united In the same per-
son. Excellent singer admirable actress, and
Intellectually and physically charming, she
may be considered n little Cricbton in petit
coats She may not sing like one great lyrical
model, nor act like another but she does a
greater number Of things better than any Of the
operate celebrities with whom we have been
famliarized. But, above all, she possesses the
faculty Of establishing sympathetic intelligence
with her audiences, which enables them 10 compre-
bonJ bor fnetiprtivplv In advanco NJ tho iud0-
ment Of the critics and in spite of the frgid tech
ncalities Of art. Everywhere that we have seen
her-in Italy, in England and hcre--the same
magnetic influence has been observable. Every
where has the same wonderful success attended
her efforts and marked her AZ a prodigy mex
plicable to al who are unable to appreciate the
eclacticism Of art.
II il not surprising that under such circum-
stances, the character Of tonight's ovation should