The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-10-16
The Princ<'s Bali Once More.


continues to be the chief topic Of discussion in
the press and private circles. The full particu-
lars of the affair have been presented to the
public. Everybody knows that the manage
ment Of the ball was monopolized by clique
OF very respectable, and, at the same time,
venerable people that young New York was
generally excluded-that the Chamber OF Com.
merce predominated and that the Prince was
treated in most edifying and fatherly manner.
II is generally conceded that Notwithstanding
The very liberal expenditure and the very
elaborate preliminary arrangements, the ball
was, on the whole, failure. 1t was not, in the
real sense of the term, bail. 1t was rather
sexagenarian reception, mouldy soiree, sort
of exhibition OF costly antiques.
The Princes ball is our second attempt, dur
ing this year, to entertain the guests of the ma
ton with a saltatory exhibition. The first was
the Japanese ball at Niblo's Garden-an affair
which created quite as much excitement IS the
demonstration at the Academy on last Friday
night. The Japanese ball was gotten up by the
committee of the Common Council charged
with the arrangements for the reception Of
the Tycoon's representatives. This commit
tee attempted to do the thing upon
grand scale. They went to great expense in
the decorations, and gave carte blanche for the
supper. They made some stupid blunders,
however, sent out too many tickets, and invited
too many Of that peculiar class vulgarly but
graphically denominated the roughs. In con-
sequence of this latter circumstance the ia
panese ball, between the hours OF eleven and
two, was a vulgar jam. After the crowd had
thinred out somewhat the real business of the
night commemorative young folks had an op-
portunity to dance, and the affair ended in
much more pleasant way than it commenced.
The Japanese ball was distinctly popu-
lar gathering. The people appeared on
that occasion. They made some errors
they did not wear white cravats, as a rule, and
the dress coat was not de rige,w. For these
reasons the Japanese ball was set down as a
failure, and the Aldermen who got it up were
literally mathematical. When the question as
to the reception of the Prince of Wales came
up it was decided among the merchants that
the affair should not be left in the hands of the
Common Council. Wall and Beaver and Front
streets-particularly Front street-resolved to
do the thing handsomely, and give the Alder
men lesson. Accordingly large and respecta-
BILE committee was constituted, unlimited funds
were placed at the disposal of the active men,
bers Of the body, and very fine display was ma
turally expected. The company at the ball was
very carefully selected. The upper ten thou
sand were reduced two-thirds in numbers.
The whole affair was painfully select
Now we come to the grand result. That was
an assemblage of venerable individuals Of both
sexes, actuated by only one desire in the
world-to monopolize the attention OF the guest
of the evening. The programme was cut and
dried beforehand, like Thurlow Weeds slate
for q republican convention. The Pewter
Stick in-Waiting gave the Prince his partners,
dictated all the particulars Of the ball, and
made it exclusively a family affair. Accord
ing to precedent, both in England and the
provinces, the Prince should have opened the
ball with the daughter of the Mayor. That
honor was given TO the wife Of the Governor
This would have been excusable had Mise
Wood been afforded, subsequently, an oppor-
tunity to dance with the Prince. The omission
was not supple d. and the Floor COMMITTEES were
either very ignorant and excessively stupid, or
else they were guilty of most unwarrantable
stretch Of the power placed IN their hands
The management Of the ball altogether was
marked by series Of outrageous and mex.
cusable bunders The "best society In New
York; behaved very badly. The people crowd
ed around the Prince set in the most impolte
way. They were even worse than the friends Of
the Aldermen at the japanese ball, because the
latter made no especial pretensions to superior
cultivation, while the Academy people claim
that they belong to the first circles. There was
ample room at the Academy for everybody to
see the Prince yet such was the vulgar curiosi-
" OF some Of the beau monde that the vicinity
Of bis set was the scene Of the most disagreed.
Bile contests, souvenirs Of which, in the shape
OF fragments OF ladies' dresses. were found
upon the floor the morning after the fray. Ga
the whole the Prince of Wales ball was not
much better than that given by the Aldermen
to the japanese. Perhaps II may be safe TO
conclude that neither the members Of the
Chamber OF Commerce nor of the Boards Of
Aldermen and Councilmen are exactly the pro
per persons to be charged with the arrangement
OF the details Of court ball. On the whole
we are inclined 20 believe that young men and
women are, according TO the eternal fitness OF
thirgs, the proper devotees Of Terpsichore and
that when a man or woman has reached the age
Of three score years, be or she IL quite old
enough to know better than TO attempt to
manage the details Of q ball. As for the
Academy affair, the cliqueism apparent 10 It's
direction was quite az offensive, and much
more culpable, than the blunders Of the Alder
men at the japanese ball. The sooner these
things are reformed the better II will be for
the fair fame Of the city.