The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-11

ATA ~ .A05A al IIS : +,
HEKALD, SATURDAY. !:
T1s1ssss and A,ssiag Pod 70 the fortunes Of
Llnoola may soon 'bs changed into ths most
violent opposition - the oauldron begins to
boil and bubble. Lot ~ wsteA Ne political
oauldron; for Il = full Of explosive com-
bustibles. 40 .sEef e TrT 9sAsgg
The Great Bnlaara HstoA-Aauss~sHss
anA the WaN M
In spite Of the general interest In the for
tunes Of the war, the people nsgleot no oppor-
tunity Of being amused The theatres and the
numberless minor places Of Amusement In this
city are crowded every evening, and yet we
have thousands Of pleasure seekers TO spare 70
New Jersey to attend the Paterson races. On
Thursday evening the champion billiard match
between Kavanagh and Goldthwait, % the Hip
potheatron, attracted an immense number Of
spectators, and showed conclusively that this
game ID becoming 20 popular that Il must
henceforth take rank among our standard
pastimes
It Is not 30 very long ago that tho game OF
billiards lay under clerical BAN Indeed, ell
/ games of chance and skill, or Of chance and
skill combined, were formerly frowned upon
by pious people. But the world grows little
wiser a. 10 grows older. Base ball ID now
national game, everywhere patronized through
out the country. We have almost naturalized
cricket, and have had the English Eleven here,
and Toasted and feted them. Now these gentle
men are playing ball In Australia, having gone
around the world, like the knights Of old, to
seek some rivals to conquer. In the same CHI
valric way we sent out Morphy, who revived
the Juror for chess and beat the best players Of
the world blindfold, as II he had been new
automaton ohessplayer making moves BY ma
chinery. Being presented with set Of gold
| and silver chessmeR, MIR. Morphy disappeared
| from view at about the outbreak Of the rebel
! lion, and NJ Berger came over, with bis won
derful n,asse shots, and joined Phelan in
creating billiard revival.
1t is singular fact that o rage for one game
succeeds the rage for another with men, just as
tops, kites, marbles and hoops have their regu-
lar seasons with boys. But, without enlarging
upon this feature lot us proceed to say that this
billiard revival superseded chess clubs. and
eventually resulted in billiard tournament q
champion Of billiards and champions cue, Of
| gold Mr. Kavanagh won the cue aud the
championship, and has since held them against
all corners. When Mr.. Goldthwait, who is com.
paratively q boy, challenged Kayanhgh fol
these honors, the sensation in billiard circles
| was very great. In fact, as almost every New
Yorker plays billiards nova days, and every
we'll appointed house contains billiard table
and Puritanical cergymen, like Bescher ant
Cuyler, frequent billiard saloons. the sensation
may be justly described as general. Thousand
| Of dollars were staked upon the event. In re
gard to the match we need only add to the ad
mirable account given by our reporter ycster
day that Mr.. Kavanagh won, altar closet.
! ---.--i-1 st~-rola. and that the play is de
-erihed BY experts as more brilliant than an,
popularity forshis city before. An Increase,
consequence Of this great ssesnhaA'- l. y,
The excitement about prize fights, abou
horse races, about chess playing and about BIZ
liards Is Characteristic Of the excitabilisy
the American people. They work very bar
, even at their play In the city, after q day
|, hard labor, they refresh themselves with gan
Of ball, and then adjourn to q saloon to pla
billiards. In the cn.saaIry IL is wrestlin
! match and then checkers at the store. Fe
! Will deny: however, thss It would be mue
better for us il such aihisenients could peuv--
so popular as to diminish the taste for pugilis
, tic matches, about which ::;7asTy,pody Is anxiou
70 read and which many are anxious to see.
was better to send England Morphy than
Heenan. and II would have been better TO sen
her Kavanagh than Coburn. Billiards e.
ercisc both body and mind and in thi
respect, at least, are preferable to athleti
sports, which only exercise the body. and /
chess and whist which only employ the mind
for the majority OF our business mcn and thei
families. All such games have lost their mos
reliable patrons. however, by the secession O
the South; for Northern men play afte
work, while Southern men used to play all Thu
time. But now we hear no more OF games a
the South. The game Of war has abrorbe,
them all Cannon balls not billiard balls Of
ten pin balls, are In vogue there. Races from
our victorious troops are substituted for hors,
races "A moments reflection will convince
The reader that this change iu the manners and
customs OF the rebels, while our own remain
as before the war, is striking proof OF how
much more damage we have done them than
they can ever hope TO do us. :
4
! The CHrvALRr.-lt Is q remarkable fact tina.
the chivalry, the best blood of the South, The
direct descendants Of Engand's nobility IN.
mixed with baser matter, will, spite of these
/ great advantages, condescend to what. By the