New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-12


they replsnshed the good mans basket and store
Was not the late lamented Brooks rewarded with q
forest of sticks in recognition of bis patriotic ex.
psnditure of one on Senator Sumner Hath not
even Mir. Edmundson received one such for his
maenanimous roncontre with the gigantic Hck-
man
We are clad to see that cur Athens ia not behind
hand in these gifts Of gratitude. But the other
day We recorded the legislative liberality Of the
General Court, as the Collective Wisdom of the
Bay State hath been entitled from The days of its
first Charter Happy are the men whom that Ly-
curean BODY delights to hon0r--for 1t is collective
not only as to Wisdom, but as TO Cash. And Dis
tributiye, as well, of the one as of the other. No
empty votes of thanks mock the souls Of the for
tunate favorites of the Solons of Massachusetts,.
Emptiness of praise is replaced by solidity OF pud-
ding, and the dull particuarities of resolutions are
well set of by the glittering generalities Of plate
A gold watch rewarded the Speaker for bis patient
endurance of the martyrdom Of his Office, silver
pitcher rejoiced the heart Of the Clerk, while tho
Sergeant-at Arms, happier yet bore away silver
tea-set as the trophy of his campaign. Argent
offerings we're showered also on the door-keepers
who found their Office indeed better thing than to
dwell in the tents of wickedness while silver but
ter.knife was the recompense of the devoted man
who had cried aloud for the Previous Question, and
spared not. DOLE it strikes US, painfully incom-
meDsurate with the magnitude Of the service. In
tie Senate, too, mostsweet guerdons were bestowed
hn eda hu
the opposite virtues of being the Oldest and youngest
of the band We do not know the degrees of old
age and of inexperence which were thought to
merit this distnction; but we infer that they must
be both extreme, inasmuch it is stated that the
benefciaries are both Of them Democrats.
But it is not only legislative merit that calls down
Argentiferous blessings on lucky heads in those
liberal ATTITUDES. AS the Athenians of old were
fond of seeking after some new thing, so do those
of our time; and seeking, they are apt to find it.
| Last week they certainly hit on new thing under
the sun, and lighted on a virtuous man of fresh
type, upon whom to lavish their gifts. MIR. Nixon,
who has been witching that world with noble
horsemanship for FIVE weeks past, and who assures
our readers that the tremendous excitement she
"there created" was without parallel in the
"history of the arena" was encouraged TO 80 on
in the paths Of glory hs was treadng, by the pre-
"sentaton OF an elegant testimonial" consisting
of sslyer, pitcher, and two goblets, with
suitable inscriptions! Two generals, three
colonies, one major, six honorables, with a
long list of simple esquires, including several
editors, united in thus giving vent to the emo
tions Of which their hearts were full, in view of
lis surprising merits and eminent services.
For we must accept the authentic names of these
gentlemen as evidence that this serviceof plate
not paid for by the recipient himself, as Boz tells
us was the case with the embossed cOal.scuttle
presented to the Hon. Samuel Flunkey, by his CRATE
full constituents The merits Of this benefactOr of
Boston, by which he had merited this need, are
undeniaby great. Making rough calculation of
the expenses of Mr. Nixon from the facts furnished
TO US from an authentic source, ard by us to our
readers the other day, the inhabitants of Boston
and vicinity must have paid into bis fisc sum
not less than thirty thousand dollars, and perhaps
nearer forty thousand, to have afforded him Salts
factory profit This, surely, is a sufficient reason
for this testimonial. For to him that hath shall be
given.
We are not inclined to indulge in any reflections
On this rededication of the Boston Academy of
Music to the Equestrian Muse. For we know that
horse racing and ot-driying made part of the
Olympic games Of old Greece, as well as the recita-
tons of Hero dotus and of Sopbocles, and why not
Of modern Athens The sports and exercises of the
arena are harmless, if not an elevated entertain
ment, and worthy Of the price set upon admission to
behold them. Whether they are of nature to
deserve especial marks of intelligent appreciation,
other than the just receipts is for their admirers
and supporters to say-and, if they please, to pay
But it seems to us if these responsive gentlemen
might have taken lessen from the legislative ex-
ample just set forth. Why bestow all their graft
tude ON Mr.. Nixon1 Was not Mademoiselle
Zoyara worthy of pitcher as well as he ESQ,
they might have bad
Their sweet girl their friend and pitcher"
in happy unison, as the old song gOes-if indeed,
girl she be- Was not Mr.. Joseph Pentland the
Court Jester, worthy of encouragement for having
risen to that eminence from the rank of Joe Pent-
land, the Clown But we forbear. II is not ours
to criticise-Only to record and to admire. We be-
lieye that, if it rained pitchers, the handle of
none would come within our grippe. We believe
our case as desperate as Sancho thought his would
be in a shower of miters. So we have no personal
feeling in the matter. But we would congratulate
our lellow-citizens whose faith in their own good
luck is more than ours, on this extension of the
sphere Of testimonial tributes. Who may not hope
for such remuneration now7 Unless, indeed, the
bnsiness hath been done 10 death and il in danger