Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-15
OUR SPY IN BOSTON.
BosroS, Jan. II, 1859.


dore Parker's Illness 1t is feared he is
doomed man. He inherits family predispo
sition to consumption, the incipient stages O.
which have already fastened their alarming
grip upon him. He is to cease public labors
for year or more, his society cheerfully con
tinuing his salary, and as much more as vii
enable him, first, to visit the West Indies t.
| spend the winter, and in the spring to vis
Europe. The report in some of the Bostor
papers, that the society has disbanded, is un
true. Nothing of the sort is proposed. Music
Hall is to be given up, but the organization
will remain intact. 1t will hold its regular
sessions for business and other purposes, and
the members are to meet often, socially, as
they always have. There is no religious soci
ETY. in Boston in which the social element is SC
strong. Pastor and people are in admirable
unison. After Mr.. Parker's attack of bleed
ing at the lungs on Sunday, it was at first
thought that the services would be continued
as before, providing the aid of Rev. Mr.. Hig-
ginson and Wendell Phillips could be had
This was not found feasible and, on second
thought, not deemed advisable. The fact is,
Mr. Parkers place cannot be filed. He is
sui generis. His shoes fit no other mans feet.
His people are Parkerites. So they win anx-
iously wait for a year, to see what quiet, cline,
and travel will do for him.
| There was smart brush in the Senate, yes
| terday, between Mr. Branning of Berkshire
and your Worcester Parker, on the subject of
giving house-rent to Maj. Stevens, ex-Ser-
sey, the new incumbent of the Office Mr.
Branning went against, and Mr. Parker for
the measure. Mr.. B. got into a passion, and
Mr.. 2. went into hitalutin. l think, on the
whole, that Mr.. Parker had the bestof it. He
is evidently enough" for Branning, who has
more age than GOODNESS.
There is report current, that the Ledger is
to be merged into the Traveller, q circum-
stance which seems to gain the more credence,
from the fact that the same parties, to some
extent, are employed for both papers, Most
of the local matter is slipped from the col
umns of one paper to the other This is con-
yenient to readers, in one particular, at least
if one paper is lost, the contents are to be
found in the other. This friendly Interchange
OF labor and sentiment can hardly, with safe
ty, be extended to the editorial columns, as the
two papers do not in all respects agree The
fiery temperance procliyities of the Traveller
can hardly hug the rum" doctrines of the
Ledger; while the "religious " element of the
former can hardly coalesce with the hereses of
the latter. The Ledger was started to head
Off, or at least to share, the patronage and cir
cuation of the Herald, but in this particular
it has not succeeded The Herald has its 40
900 circulation daily, and the Ledger-has
not. Hence its inclination to travel towards
and melt into the Traveller.
The bit of scandal of which wrote you in
my last, is spreading. Having broken the
shell of the thing and let in little daylight,
the local papers have followed, and the Boston
people are beginning to find out what is 60
ing on in their midst. The Custom House of
ticer to whom l referred is one of the leading
stump-orators of the Democratic party, and
the pet boy " of the Custom House clique.
His gallantries have by no means been conin-
ed to the young woman who suffers mother
hood i'll this case, but extend, Don Juan-like,
to quite circle of the fair sex, among whom
he haa been vastly popular. If the secrets of
popular hotel in this city could be whispered,
they would tell tales of the gay Lotharo, at
which fond mammas, unsuspecting papas, and
pOO1Dlopnnt hI1sh an1c
Matters are coming to a crisis. Two raging
fathers and one comfortless husband fear,
will be too much for the eloquent orator of the
Custom House. Nevertheless, his silvery
tongue and good looks may save him. Mira
Giles shave been performed before this; why should
not they be again? We shall see Our gosspers
are feasting to gluttony on these auriterous
luxuries.
The lecture season in Boston has proved
failure, with one exception-that of the Frater-
nifty Course. The latter, now concluded, has
just paid its way. The lecturers have been
handsomely remunerated Mr.. Parker receiv-
ed SIPS each, for his four; Henry Ward Beech
er, 500 for his one and none have been paid
less than $50. They have averaged $780,
These terms have commanded, of course, the
very best talent The Mercantile Library
course will not meet its expenses by 500, and
the Mechanic Apprentices by $500. The de-
felt in the latter will be made up by the friends
of the institution but the Mercantile will suf-
fer from its own vitals. Lectures, like other
entertainments, have their run This season.
in Boston at least, they have run dozen.
Among the new wrinkles before our CITY
Council, is one to employ an official reporter
of the proceedings of both branches, for
publication in one or more of the public
prints. Some of the members, those more
particularly of the Board of Aldermen,
complain that the reports, as made, do
them injustice in many cases. The real
offence, | suppose, is, that the long talker
are reported in a short way The project orig
mated with ex-Alderman Wightman, who for
two years consumed more than half of every
session with his interminable twaddle. Should
an official reporter be employed, it is supposed
the journal will be selected as the organ The
reports will appear in from one to three DAYS
after the meetings, and will cost the city about
$4,000 per year. These figures, however, will
but poorly remunerate the Journal for an aver
age of five columns per week. Its regular
rates for advertising would bring in no less
than $4,000. Probably the journal is the
only paper that could afford to sacrifice $1,000
to crafty the sixty gentlemen who have official
seats in the City Hall New York customs do