Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-07-21

PAYING FOR THEIR wHIsrLE.-Since the de-
Parture of the japanese from New York for their
home, the taxpayers of that city have been In
stew over what proves to have been the cost of
their visit In all-chief signataries, Off Gals Of
lower rank, and servans-the embassy num-
bered seventy souls; the servants outnumberinp
the rest Of its components at least two to one
The city entertained them for thirteen days and
previous to their arrival, the councils appropria
ted S30, 900 to that end; a sum- we apprehend
more than sufficient to have paid literally for
their entertainment for the length Of time they
were In New York, at the rate their entertain
ment here cost the national treasury Not so in
Gotham, however for 1t turns out that the bills
rendered against the New York Corporation on
Their account amount to an aggregate Of not less
than $3.50 900, or about sl65 per diem for each
japanese, the servants of the embassy included
vi course there was wholesale and shameless rob-
berry involved in the presentation of such bills /;
Tor all OF which the grog-shopmade "city fathers"
who had the affair directly in charge are respon-
sible to public opinion-the only responsibility
resting on New York city officials, who, one and
all, owe their places and their opportunities for
thieving to our system Of municipal government,
which is based upon the theory that free men can
and will, under no circumstances, abuse their
privileges and all that sort Of thing.
One item Of these bills is said to be a charge of
81, 100 for flowers used to ornament the table at
the great festival given by the Corporation to the
Embassy! Another 10 said TO be a bill for seven
dozens OF yellow kid gloves for each, ordered by
the redoubtable committee for their own use
While having the Embassy in charge; which
Were purchased, according to the New York
Times, with the understanding that the indiyid-
uals composing the said committee might ex-
change such Of them as they did not USE after the
affair was over, for ladies' white kid gloves
The wine bill amounts to more than $40 600
though the japanese themselves were VIGOROUSLY
the most abstemious strangers ever officially or
tremendously visiting this country; I've of Kos
suth's nevsr-to be forgotten guzzlng suite. being
capable of drinking more costly wines at a ST ngle
sitting, than the seventy japanese could or did
drink during their whole stay here The New
YORK Tunes accounts for the extent of the wine
bill by explaining that in addition 10 the amount
actually drank by the Embassy and the invited
New Workers Of both sexes, an immense quantity
was deliberately handed out of the windows by
servants and other attendants and openly retaiIed
among the crowd on the sidewalks at from 25 TO
Oh cehu per bottle for costly champagnes These
facts illustrate, forcibly, how the money went
We submit, that the history Of this shameless
and reckless robbery, when added to the thousand
other notorious shortcomings of society there
the multitude of other similar city-treasury-plun-
derlng exploits so well known-the Burdell- Gun
bingham and Walton aud Mathews murders. &c.
&c.-the New York Legislatures shameless grid
Iron railroad robberies, &c, &C. prove that If
there exists population in the world unfit for
self government, it is the population of New
York city. We do not believe that there can be
an honest and well-nfOrmed American citizen.
however much he may be attached to the vene
rated principle of American institutions. who
does not in his heart admit that the experiment of
sff government has been a lamentable failure
there, If nowhere else
The truth Is, II was designed for a very differ
ent population than the houseless homeless name
less, goddess throng, with no other thought In
their minds than to procure the davis necessary
eating and drinking, and with no higher concen.
ton Of the obligation and privilege of the electoral
franchise than as being the means of getting them
free drinks for the nOnce, by the use of whom the
scoundrellV sharpers of all degrees who govern
New York city, are able to obtain their places and
perPetuate Immunity for such practices as theirs.
In the city's government. The problem of how
long those who pay the piper will submit to the
utter prostitution of law justice, principle. and
right involved In the rule of the mob there is a
very Interesting one and though it has not as vet
attracted due attention this side Of the Atlantic
II Is being freely discussed upon the other side Of
the water, where the world has had far more e1-
Pefience With such populations than we of this
country have had.