The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-18

mittee TO an understanding with the Safe De-
partment in reference to Mexican affairs. The
House is ready for action; but Mr.. Seward may
desire little extension of time, and thisobject
will probably be gained through this coldden-
tial dinner to the House committee.
Pieces OF Plate for Oily Gamma. sAd
Joyce Heth in Breeches.
That Oily Gammon's unsuccessful season o.
the Academy catacombs should close with
final exhibition of foolish and pretentious hun-
bug was most appropriate. A good manager.
like good captain, needs no complimentary
resolutions and votes of thanks to recommend
HIM to the public, nor does he require to have
the old, exploded, transparent dodge of . pro-
sentation of silver plate revived for his benefit.
The passengers in q first class steamer take
their arrival at their destined port as matter
of course; but when the steamer is old and
lealy, the cabins uncomfortable, the stater0oms
dirty and the officers ignorant and uncivil, then
look out for vote of thanks towards the end
of the voyage. Some friend or agent of tho
captain starts the idea; the passenger most
anxious to curry favor draws up the paper;
the nice, civil people, who would not refuse
anybody anything. lead Oh with their names;
the people who are only too happy TO be In tho
fashion then follow; the grumblers are won
over by little persuasion, or dash of their
signatures by way Of grim joke, and at last
the complimentary resolutions are complete.
and are duly published in the leading journals,
whose shrewd readers rightly interpret them
as an expression of thankfulness that the dreary
voyage is over and that things have been no
worse. The paper presented to Oily Cannon
at the close of his operatic voyage, the other
evening, is precisely of this character. One OF
Oily Gammon's newspaper organs contributed
no less than four Of the names with which it is
signed; the Academy stockholders mustered
in full force to endorse their tenant, SO as TO
help him pay the rent; the clever fellows, who
are ready to- sign anything, from note Of
hand to call for a political meeting, were
well represented, and few Wall street
brokers, anxious to obtain their "leetle per-
shentage" on moneys loaned, filed out the
laughable list. We don't suppose, in this case.
that the silver plate displayed belonged to the
gentleman of this city who owns an immense
watch, generally used upon such occasions,
which, as he says, has been presented to over
one hundred people, only two of whom ever
had the impudence to attempt to keep 1t. We
hope that Oily Cannon will be able to hold
on to this plate, now that the ceremonies are
over, and not have it 60 the rounds of this
famous watch.
The card which contains the vote Of thanks
to Oily Cannon is a very curious document.
It begins by asserting that the various virtues
of this estimable person have been apparent TO
the public for twenty years; but 1t does not
explain why the gentlemen whose nSnes arc
| appended never thought OF acknowledging his
| merits before. 1t il certainly . singular dir
cumstance that these persons should observe
| this extraordinarily virtuous man with calm
and quiet indifference for twenty years, and
then, at the end of that long period, rush at him
with letter and piece Of plate, without the
slightest reasonable excuse for offering him
either. The machinery which caused this
startling eruption Of gratitude is even
more evident than that which moves
| the ship in The African. II our appeals
| for operate and theatrical reforms have
already reduced Oily Cannon to such ex-
tremities that he is forced to resort to what Is
technically called I" the presentation gag" in
order to keep up appearances, then we have
been more speedily successful than we could
have hoped. But It is utterly useless for the
Academy humbug to try to answer operate
criticisms by publishing card signed by peo-
pie who only know enough about art to dis
tinguish the difference between . banknote and
note Of music. Ridiculously enough, the card,
which is intended to be complimentary, aptly
expresses the cast Of mind of the persons who
signed it, and Internationally touches upon
Oily Gammon's sorest points. 1t has very
little TO say about art but it speaks bluntly OF
Oily Gammon's difficulties" Of his response
bilities and Of his embarrassments." Con-
corning some of these difficulties, responsible
ties and embarrassments, several Of the persons
who figured in this presentation business doubt
less have most tender recollections; but we
cannot admit the propriety Of this public refer
ence to them upon an occasion when the donors
are expected to be as polished as the plate,
and to play their parts as nicely. To take such
an opportunity to remind Oily Cannon of his
pecuniary affairs, and Of the suits for libel
which he has been obliged to bring TO vindi-
cate the reputation of an establishment which
ought not to need vindcation, and Of other
little matters of this sort, seems TO us the very
refinement of cruelty. There is certain saw
age humor about the joke but 1t does little
| credit IN the heads and hearts of those who
concocted It and made Oily Cannon and his
friends their victims.
Now that the opera season is over, and Oily