Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-29

The municipality of New York gave ball
TO the Japanese Embassy, which the papers
estimate will cost more than the whole ap-
preparation of $4,000 made for their enter
tainment Now, the Japanese do not dance.
Dancing in their country is only done by
persons hired TO do 80 for the amusement of
those who are able to pay. Nor do they
desire to mingle in ladies' society; the per-
sons Of rank in the Embassy have used every
means consistent with politeuess to show
their distaste for it, and for all public gather
ings. They had to be forced to attend the
opera matinee which, at the suggestion of
the Herald the Council had provided among
the municipal entertainments, and one of
them called for pistol TO resist this pleasure.
Why then should so large sum be devoted
to an entertainment which they will avoid
if possible; which is contrary to their tastes
and customs, and which can only result in
discomfort and violation of their sense of
propriety2
This question arises from q narrow view of
the subject. As Judge Monkey observed, in
the case of the cats, about the cheese, "just-
ice is due to the Court as well as to the par
ties" so municipal hospitality is due to the
city officers and their friends, as well as to
the Japanese; and it is amatter of the slight
est consequence whether they get any hos
pitality at all.
It is stated by the New York papers that
ten thousand invitations were issued for the
ball to the Japanese. Ten thousand persons
were to be entertained at the cost of the
city with wines, liquors, cigars and the most
costly refreshments, without limit. The dis
tribution of these tickets for free plunder
was controlled by the City Council, and ex-
cept a small proportion to official guests at
home and abroad, were at their free disposal
The character of the members of the New
York City Council is rather notorious. They
are not such men as one would trust with
uncounted gold, nor such as one would like
to meet among their comrades in q dark
night. A gang of pirates would be just about
as proper persons to be entrusted with public
money for entertaining civilized people as
they. OF course, while but few of the tickets
were to be found among those who pay the
taxes, they abounded among the ward pol
iticians, and were sold freely on the street, at
prices ranging up to $25. Why not 2 Hos
pitality is due to the Council, as well as to
strangers, and Councilmen have to support
ward politicians. Doubtless the short-haired
fraternity were largely favored. Why should
they not be ? They are just as good as the
Aldermen. In fact some of them are Alder
men.
Another feature of this municipal hospi-
tality is a room at the Metropolitan Hotel,
fitted up for the municipal officers, with wines,
liquors, cigars and other refreshments, in
constant supply during the whole stay of the
Japanese.
We have mentioned this as a specimen, on
a large scale of all municipal and State hos
pitalities. 1t is to the uninitiated surprising
that members of City Councils should be
such clever, hospitable fellows should
have such an ardent desire to embrace and
fraternize with all guests of the city. Even
they who are not given to prodigal enter
tanning in their private capacity, honor the
hospitality of the city by their liberal and
cordial entertainments. But the initiated
will find that this public hospitality to
strangers always begin at home; and that, as
in the case of the ball to the Japanese, these
occasions are chiefly to furnish opportunities
for gang at home to gorge and guzzle at the
public expense. 1t would be well to profit
by the more glaring example which New
York furnishes of the tendency of the thing.
to establish the rule, that like the laws Of
the Medes and Persians, it change not that
when our municipal Council travels, it shall
pay its own footing and incur no obliga-
ton; and when it exercises hospitality it
shall be at its own private expense. This
will be wholesome and sufficient check
on extravagant entertainments, and on
temptations to incorporate indulgence.