The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-20
A Southern Picture of Life at the
North.

n southern Picture Of Life at tn,
North.
Inc charleston Coa-fs- contains very interest
Ing letter, which has gotten through the bloc kade
giving description CT the present style of life II
.ae Yankee States and vouehes for the reiiabilii,
OF the writer. The letter comes direct from Mon
t'ea', dated the 25:h ult. X Is very Int resting
and we take the following extracts from 1t: 49,.
THE CHANGE IN LIECoIN's DEspoTIsM T,
NEW YORK.
The conservative: masses, I am satisfied now
were always opposed TO the wal A reign Of ter
Tor existed for above year. People were dragged
from thei. beds AT nigh. and thrown into prisoa -
Newspapers were suppressed, and the AGministra
uaitl The election Of Seymour as Governor o! New
York broke the chains. Since 'hcn the partisans
Of peace have unioosed their tongues. ValIandig
ham. m aVowed peace man, received the iarges,
vote ever thrown TO. Democrat in Ohio-isl 900
lie was beaten by the soldiers vote and 4 series OF
outrageous frauds. In November last, Gunther, Ut
open and decided peace man, swept the city ni
New York for Mayor. The New York BCy B0oE
furious opponent of the war, has near a hun
cred thousand circulation. The New York Newc
Ben. Woods paper, is avowedly for peace. A
prominent Democrat whom met, and who had
just returned from siumpng New Hampshire, as
serted TO me that eight out of every ten Democrats
in that State were opposed TO the war, and the
stronger he talked peace, the more he delighted
his hearers. 1t is wen known that the Admi inis-
t.ation carries the State elections by permitting
those soldiers, and only those, who agree 10 vOtG
the Abolition ticket, to go home on lurIOush al
election time.
DESCRIPTION or LIFE IN NEW YORK CITY.
At present New York holds high carnival. The
enormously inflated currency gives an apparent
gliding 10 everything Every man has more money
(greenbacky) in his pockets than ever he had be-
fore. 1t comes easiy-theretnre he spends ii law
ishiy Ketail trade is stimulated to extravagan,
degree. Never before was there such glitter an i
show, and hustle, and pleasure seeking in New
York. Mansions outvieing the magrifcence OF
European palaces are going up on Fifth Avenue. -
Five thousand snowy equp2ges stream through
the broad pathways OF Central PARK every alter
moan. The great thoroughtare. Broadway, Is a
aEl OF Omnibuses, carriages, and wagons; the
sidewalks are confused c!u.h OF pedestrians; the
shop windows dazzle with their sp!endcr. A dozen
theatres, score Of lesser shows, and host of IN
detground ccncert and pretty waiter sir' saloons,
are cran.med 10 suffocal-9a. Grand balls fellow
each other nightly, where, well as the Italian
Opera House, the ladies blaze with diamonds and
pIetious stones, and arc gorgeous in silks, and
tuiie, and lace, and moi,e antique. Deimonico's
three restaurants, and Il new paata eating house,
with gded windows and doors on l4tli street,
called the 'Maison Dorco,' are filled with peopI,:
at hours, gGTsing themselves with rich food aud
getting merry over expensive wines. John Moi
rissey has huge gambling den Oh the most pubic
part of Broadway. where srecnbacks are shOye!ed
around by the bnshei The country people swarm
iato towa 10 get rid Of their money and join In the
fTe1zied dance arGGud the altar ot pleasure TIE
hotels tuyn away hundreds daily. Sometimes tray
c.ers ride from hotel to hotel for hours in a ii.
sPairi3. search for accommodation. Houses are
alHGs; impossible 20 procure, aud rent. are enoT-
EiJus.
TIE Stock Exchange is the scerc OF the widest
excitement Six sessions of the Stock Board are
held daily, ar. as those aye not enough 10 satisfy
the passion for gambling, two more have besn com
menced tn! evenings, at the Fifth zvenuc Hc.Cl -
dollars a Fs
daily and nightly, Half of thesc stocks are ac-
knC wletlged bubbles. Fortunes made in an
hour. have been told OF clerk who ventured
into the exchange with 80, and cleared the week
with one heudred thousand, every Ger, of which,
however, he inst in enc week more Vanderbilt,
and George Law, the stack kings, are Welithief
than the Astors. 1t has become Questionable 10
cavii al Il charge Ask any price and il will be
given. lady pays - 100 for piece OF broeade to
make dress; man sives Sl0 G0) 70: span Of car
riage horses, and thinks nothing of II; another
spends co. on dinner parry; another pays $50 for
q choice seat at the opera; another pays $40 00J q
year rent for three story house Oh Fifth Avenue
G know these figures will hardly look large 10 the
eyes OF the Confederate readers, but il E!usf be
remembered that go is AT premium OF only Ga per
cent. i'll New York city at presently ind thus
everybody is taking part in the satnrHa'ia. Even
the tiers receive from Si0O TO 81 00J bounty for
re fnlisiag aud contribute TO the general jo!iifica
t6u This picture Is not oVe.drawn. | doubt II
The w0riis history ever knew CT similar era of
popular deii.ium. Some Gf III. newspapers are
alarmed, and cry out loudly against the outrageous
extravaganza of :ha hour. TIE Abolition organ,
the N. Times, entreats tie people to go back ia
cntrenched expeHs IS and private economy, or
make up their minds TO. financial ruin. The fac,
is, almost every one regards the Federal currency
eventually worthless tut ''we have got Into tie
scraDe, and it's TOO late to help It new" ''lhe
country is bound to 60 TO the devil ANYHOW ;" and
1--WE might as well have good time while the uI
lasts"
New York is not alone the abode of matmen
Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, and
Washington display the same fe lures, though 10
more moderate extent But the disease is d M
tiona! one, end it will be discovered prevailing
among the land specaators in the iatero. OF Michi
gan as well as among the merchants and stoch
gamblers of the empire city, Foremost Of thOs.
VINO have thrivcn by the war are The Government
contractors. Thousands have risen from compare
tive poverty TO great Giuence through theif deal
ings with the Wash nston authorities. So many
of this class, vulgar and i:cratc, but shrewd aIl
INSCRIPTIONS nen, with their wives and families
have pr0spered, that q new order has been created
iu society-tie 'fshoddy Arisiocracy,' so called
They spend money with uREoanded extravaganza
aad may readily be recognized by their lmpuden
assumptions OF "tOn,' and u ridiculous display o
jeweiiy net one of these people In Montreal
few days ago, who assured me that he had mad
half million of dollars since the war commenced
aad, added be with chackl,, "everything sci
to the Government, make one hundred Per cent
on"
1t would not require the wisdnH of q prophet I.
foresee where this will lead the Yankees to It
one OF The most hopeful signs OF our ultimate iri
Imph that our enemies are wasting their strength
ana substance In fiotOus living,
A PICTURE OF THE STREET LIFE.
1t was the custom OF our people, before they be
came separate confederation, To spend their sum
mers at the North, and presume that to nine ou
Of ten OF your readers Broadway has cen aimos
as familiar as any street in Charleston OF Rich
mond. Perhaps il will interest them to knov
whether it has changed In its appearance ,hes
last three years. Many new and magnifcen
stores have arisen. Stewart has marble palace
1T the corner of 10 street. 1t Is finer than an
sore have seen in London or Paris. Wallack
theatre is in a new building on the block mex. 4
lath street There s Il splendid hotel, with n mar
D'e front, on The corner OF 26h street, called th
.Jt. James," and another OF equal magniiiccnc'
lower doWa called thu s'Abem RE-" Nearly al
OF Broadway, below Bfeoae street, is occup;e;
with wholesale stores The fashionable part of tn,
street now extends as high up rs 3ith- street !
horse railway runs through the upper part Of Broad
way. Madison square is becoming The centre O
the city II Is faced by several fashionable hotels
new theatre fs projected there, and the local au
thorities talk Of building new City Hall liz tht
Park. The lower part of broadway preserves III
o.den features. There Is the same apparently In
extricable jam Of omniSuses opposite Barhum'
huscam, and the Battery c,iDgs TO its latter d 4,
characteristics OF dirt aud uasav0riness. The Cit,
Hall FaIk is covered with unsighiiv wooden bar
racks for snitters. You remember the story o
III: c0un!Fyman who got up ON the SIPS OF the
astSr House fo wait 'funti the procession passet
BY" There j. the same eternal procession passing
up and down the sidewalks. A fair proportion ns,
so diers, but the uniform appears much less IRE
auent than In our ciHes. To Southern eye there
Is something very odd looking in the crowds @
smanly dressed men, In hroadclo,h coats an.
stow. pipe" hats, who pass by. Up town me IL
dies trip along, arrayed in all the haes Of the rain
DO ~ and rejoicing In carefully displayed Ba'nora
skirts and coal skutiie b0nue,s, trln,mcd poiuseil
with artificial flowers.
On the street corners Eewsb0ys yell In your ear
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