Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-07-17
scouNpRFLIsM IN NEW YORK

1t is not surprising that scoundrelism has
such sway in the city of New York. Nothing
else in that city is so presuming and nothing
else appears to be so influential. 1t reigns in
the municipal government; it walks the
streets without the slightest fear of law its
unhindered ascendancy gives the city most
unenviable reputation. Every day we hear
from New York reports of robberies Standings
shootings, murders, or something else TO star
tie the public and everybody knows very
well that some of those who hold re-
sponsbe offices there ought to be in
the state prison. One of them has just
been arrested mot punishedl for highway
robbery and this man has leng been notorious
Tor his crimes Scoundrelism is able TO- rule
New York in this way because it has been
petted and fattered, and taught to consider
itself a respectable institution. No one can
read the New York papers very long without
perceiving how respectful they are to all the
brutal bullies and villains who figure in that
city, and how carefully they record all their
movements, giving them as much prominence
and importance as if they were eminent per-
sonages whom the public should know and
admire. Why should they be astonished to
see these creatures accept the position assigned
them
Important occurrences that make much
noise and become the chiei topics for time,
are easily forgotten the world hurries on.
But most of us still remember the murder of
Bill Poole He was MORALLY wounded during
a grogshop fight in which number of the
principal DULLES of the city participated. He
was leader of one rowdy faction, a course
fhgting fellow, and, we believe, there was
conspiracy to take his life. While he lay suf-
fering from his wound, the New York
press gave him as much attention as if
he had been the mayor of the city, Gen
eral Scott, the president, or some other
parsonage, eminent by his personal greatness
or his public position. Some of the most re-
spectacle of the dailies kept reporters regular
ly employed on his case, it being their duty to
prepare daily bulletin describing his condi.
ton, reporting his talk, and communicating all
the gossip about him that could be picked up
in the streets; and when he died, he had
public funeral, which was for New York some
thing like what bringing from ST. Helena the
remains Of the great Napoleon was for Paris.
Vulgar, brutal rowdyism, all hot and
rocking from one of its bloodiest grogshop
fights, was glorifed, endorsed as respec-
table, and invited to enjoy the free
dom of the city. His fleeing murderer
was caught and brought back to the city;
but, being distinguished rowdy, he was not
punished. The New York daily papers are
largely responsible for the matchless audacity
and almost overwhelming influence of rowdy- |
ism in their city. They have made these
DULLES and villains important and raised them
so far above the ordinary and natural condition
of such creatures, by these fulSome batteries
and records. Why do our New York con-
temporaries ever express surprise at reaping
what they have sowed? If they will lend
themselves to this bad business of giving
scoundrelism an apotheosis, they should accept
the consequences without murmur.
Our New York .neighbors are just now in
the midst Of one of these depraving glorifica-
tons Heenan, the pugilist, has come back
from England, and all New York appears to
be in motion to do him honor. At any rate,
the daily papers that come to us from that
city give him large space in their columns;
and they will doubtless continue their record
until the present sensation is exhausted.
This Heenan is a professional bully and
fighter, selfimportaAt,' quarrelsome rowdy,
and little or no hing else. 1t is nowise likely
that he will ever be of any use to the world.
His whole in1uence,-so far as he has lnfu-
ence, or may get it by means Of the importance
given him by the press,-goes to promote
coarseness and brutality. He has great
amount of muscle, and so has bull or griz-
ely bear but he has not, and probably never
will have, any of those graces Of enobling
manhood which justify admiration and bring
a blessing wherever they are felt. To glo-
rify the Henan is TO glorify the worst kind
of rowdyism and our New York friends who
do it, are not doing their best to redeem that
city from its greatest curse.