The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-09

.$26 ,lbl ,479
If we could have brought into this calculation
the early receipts of some of these societies
which have been omitted for want of reliable
data, it would be found that in place Of the
total therein set down the aggregate would
amount to over thirty millions of dollars. And
what it will be asked, have been the labors
in which these bodies have been engaged?-what
the results they have effected for this enor-
nous outlay? For in but few instances do we find
balance remaining to the treasurer's account
at the end Of the year Looking back over their
past transactions we cannot but admire their YER
satility of objects. AT one time they draw upon
us for the conversion Of the heather; at another
for the amelioration of the condition of the
Jews; next for the abolition OF slavery; after
wards for temperance reforms; then for revivals
and lastly for woman's rights. We do not think
it necessary to allude to the thousand other
minor objects which indirectly embraced in
their programmes
Now what has been the progress made
in the working out Of ali these religious and
philanthropic schemes? At Hawaii and other
islands in the Pacific we have seen the primitive
amusements and enjoyments of the natives, con-
ducive as they were to high state Of physical
perfection, give place to the outward observance
of the austere habits prescribed by the missiona-
ries, and, curious to say, to concurrent depra-
witty of morals, such as had not been previously
known. In how much has the condition Of the
Jews been improved by the costly efforts made
for its amelioration? The only return that we
have seen for them has been the flooding of the
book market with missionary diaries, filled with
the reoapitulation of stale typographical notices
and foregone conclusions as 10 Biblical rites.
What has the abolition crusade effected? It has
merely afforded pretext to political intriguers,
like Seward, to disturb the irrepressible harmony
which exists between the material, moral and
social interests of the North and South. In the
same way the temperance movement has only
served to rrtate the suscepiblities and to arouse
the anger of the great body of our people, and to
defeat the very objects which these clerical agita
tors pretended to have in view. We do not know
Of any benefit that the revivals have conferred
upon us except to contribute to the spread of by
pocyisy and Phariseeism, vices already too CON-
mon, and which invariably serve as cloak to
knavery and rascality.
For such results it will be admitted that an
annual tax Of nearly two millions of dollars is
sadly disproportioned No one would grumble
at the amount if fair return was obtained for
it. Why don't the societies, for instance, try
their hands at converting our white heathens
and savages at home? There is an ample field
for their exertions amongst the bulies, the
prize-fghters and the rowdies, whose acts of
violence and Of bloodshed exercise such fatal
influence over the hot-headed youth of our large
cities. There is also goodly fruit to be gathered
amongst the weak-minded and credulous of the
Trailer sex, who are exposed to the arts of
the seducer and the demoralizing influences of
other associations. Amongst the swindlers and
peculators who fatten upon the spoils OF our
public Offices the Congressman aud lobby agents
who barter the interests of the country against
their own miserable necessities, and even amongst
the black sheep Of their own order, there is
many brand that might be snatched from the
burning. Ifthey would grid up their loins to
works like these, and show us some fruits for
their labors it is not two but five millions a year
which our people would be willing to sub
scribe to their operations In an economical
point OF view there would be nothing lost to US
by the arrangement
Let the anniversaries bear these suggestions in
mind during their weeks session. In the dearth
ofresults which they will have to present they
will require fresh fields of enterprise to stimulate
the zeal and pecuniary Incidence of the faithful
CBEyA1IER WIsoFF TO THE Four HUNGRY
PoLrTio1ANs.-In our impression of to-day the
Chevalier Wikoa has paid his respects in
riquant letter to cle patriotic Heiss, the poetic
Bryant, the eloquent Forney and the oleaginous