The Portland daily press., 1867-12-05

Month TO Come. iia-n DO -l .f-ilI'
NEw York, Dec. 2, 1867.
TO the Editar Of the Press 4. r...f 5rft q ''ia
We have passed through Evacuation Day
and Thanksgiving. The first was celebrated
ON Monday last. 1t is never allowed TO get
the "go-by'-rain or shine, the anniversary
of the evacuation Of New York by the Brit
ish troops 1T the close OF the Revolutionary
War, is sure to get due annual observance
and celebration. This time the National
Guards were out in full feather, represented
by over twenty regiments, which were review
ed by Gov. Fenton.) The British soldiers in
New York were cruel and rapacious, and
their officers edeminate and dissipated. The
people of the whole country were tired of
them, and the loyal people of New York long
ed for the time to come when they should be
driven out or ordered out That day came
at last. The treaty OF peace was signed on
the Sd OF September, and on the 25th of No
vember, 1888, the last British transport ships
had passed through the Narrows.
Thanksgiving day was very extensively
celebrated, ,and is getting to be almost as
much of an institution as Christmas and
New Years day. The stores were closed
anu business generally was given up. In the
churches eloquent sermons were preached !:
the theatres offered their choicest entertain
ments, and the whole population, notwith-
standing the damp atmosphere and muddy
streets, had good dinner One of the hest
features OF Thanksgiving day in New York is
the general interest manifested in charitable
institutions, Thousands OF the poor and un-
fortunate have one good day and one good
dinner For instance, at the Five Points
House of Industry dinner was provided for
1900 Of the outside poor, :men, women and
children. At the st. Barnabas House, an in
stitution for the reformation Of the poor out
cast women, dinner was given to 400. A
sumptuOus repast was also furnished at the
Home for the Friendless; also to the ''Little
Wanderers" of the Howard Mission; the chit
dren of the Colored Orphan Asylum; to all
interested In the Girls Lodging House; to
the hundred $ of boys on Randalrs Island and
the unfortunate population of Blackwelrs
Island. Four bundled newsboys sat down
to'a rich dinner at the Newsboys J,odeine
House, and filled up the ti.ne with smart
speeches. There are some bright geniuses
among these little fellows. Over $4,000 of
their earnings have been saved to them
by the Lodging House since it started.
and much of it placed in savings banks.--
About $4,000 boys have been provided with
beds by this institution In ten years. Even
the inmates of that old Egyptian bastiIe
known as the Tombs had day of rejoicing.
We had another Fenian demonstration in the
shape Of a Fenian funeral in honor Of the
three Fenians recently hanged in England.
Hearses of the most costly description, three
In number, appeared in the procession, each
drawn by six black horses. Some 20, 1000 peo-
pie were engaged in this feature of Thanks
ing day. The observance was general not
only in New York, but in Brooklyn and all
the neighboring places, which goes to show
that this old Yankee Festival is fast becomiSh
popular national institution. a1gH
Probably no country IN the world gives so
liberal q welcome to foreign immigrants as
does this country. Considering the cireum-
stances OF poverty under which so many I'M
migrants come to New York, and the liberal
means put forward BY the people of this rcfty
TO better sneir condition, no city in the world
can claim competition with the commercial
emporium of America. According TO a re-
cent report of the "Society for Improving the
Condition of the Poor" the native born pop
ulation Of this city, which is a little more
than one half OF the whole population,
constitute about 23 per cent. of the city
poor; while the foreign-born, Including
those aided by the Commissions of Emiora-
tion, amount to u per cent--thus giving
nearly four imported paupers In Ne,o York
to one American. About $50, 600 have been
disbursed to the poor by this society in the
past year, and over 5000 families relieved.
This relief is furnished irrespective of coun-
try Or race. Another fact Indicative of Amer
lean liberality is afforded by the institutions
OF the Commissions of Emigration ON Wards
Island. Here are the Emigrant Hospital
Ly;ne-in Asylum, Insane Asy lum, and schools |
for inyaids and disabled immigrants. This |
Is creditable 10 our country; and such benei- !
icence il one OF the agencies abroad that has |
given us popularity as 74 11 o |
"The Land of the Free and the Home of the
Brave" iiM .11 -r.Hifrt
OF course, cannot give you the result OF
the municipal election to take place. Nor
will prophesy the result. Suffice it to say
that taking into view the excitement of cleo
ton following on Thanksgiving, and ap
preaching Christmas and New Years Day,
business is to be secondary, and pleasure
rampant in New York for a month to come. |
NASSAU.