The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-09-23
CURRENT TOPICS.


I'M. THE MORTALITY report OF Kings County, for the
past week, says the New York Times, we find the
following item "Dlcd OF MlfdSmnS, H.. All, or
nearly all of these nineteen victims were young
children, for the most part under year Old How
MANY of our readers ever consider that ''maras-
mus" means, in nearly all these instances simple
starvation? The word signifies literally, vast
ing away, and in nearly all these cases of which we
speak the wasting sway is from simple lack OF
sufficient and proper nutritiye food How many
hundreds of children born in our d.rty streets,
and in filthy holes and corners, find every year
a speedy death because the mothers, compelled TO
live ON coarsest vands themselves, cannot iurhisn
that natural food on which alone newborn paocs
can live and thrive, no living man can ten. anu
when the natural mothers cannot WIFI HI '"e'i
anxious care save their own Children what eau 10
expected of the strange woman to whose 6f"us'nH
service are extended those hapless 1ounuiihsS
who are the City's charge. There are very
many neH-born children who, being CITY pau
,ors ora oiven over to the Aims House au-
tbor;+ias and are necessarily by them put out
,r+h hired nurses. Many of these women make
O. living by thus taking care (?) OF Manhattans
babv wa ifs, some Of them seldom being without
two. three or more at time. Is it strange that
not one in twenty of these children lives to see
dozen years; but that the greater part Of them
die Of marasmus, or insufficient nutrition, result
ing in death by slow starvation. We don't know
in what way the Amshouse authorities can now
at present dispose Of these babies, otherwise than
to turn them over to these nurses, but there
should certainly be some institution IN the nature
Of founding hospital where the just born ana
then instantly deserted babes could be properly
looked after. The way the system OF lack OF sys-
tenn is now carried on leaves those hired, ignorant
nurses almost wholly irresponsible. No physician
or other competent person exercises any strict ana
regular oversight over these women who speculate
| in baby lives, and they might starve to death
score Of children and the public be none the wiser.
visit tc few of the professional nurses will
convince any person of the outrageous neglect, II
| nothing worse, with which many Of the Almshouse
| babies are treated; and yet, when they die, there
is no Coroner, bnt only d pine coffin, Potters
Field burial, and the play is played out
The PAIL MALL GAzETRE gives the following
account of a recent festival Sunday at st. baftho
| lomew's Church. Moor Lane, London: At 'he
| morning service antiphons were sung before anu
after each of the psalms ofhe day and also tefore
and after the cantcles. The lessons were read py
| a youne lavman, vested in 4 blue merino dress
with long train, and girde OF the same mate
| rial round his wcst, over which he wore SNORT
surplice OF very light fabric, thus enabling the
colors OF the cassock or gown to show through.
At the conclusion of mathis this young man re-
raaDD6ar6Q Qly69t-
cd of his robes, and, wearing black cassock anu
differently shaped surplice proceeded with the
clergy to the altar, where he ofciated as sub-dea-
con and sang the episte. The Rev. A. SoUIB, GU
rate in charge, preached the sermon, which lasted
only six minutes. At the evening service the altar
was very tastefully decorated with flowers ana
candles The service commenced at seven O'CLOCK
and finished at quarter to ten. This was partly
accounted for by the length of some OF the
hymns, and the introductions Of antiphons, DC.
One of the HYMNS consisted Of twenty-sl1 verses.
The sermon was preached by Father IdNATius,
from the words Comfort ye, comfort ye my peo-
pie, saith the Lord. Afte raR explanation OF the
text. the preacher proceeded in his manner to re-
bnke the worldlinesD of the prosent age. de GOULD
not speak comfortably to his hearers. How could
he speak comfortably to those who went to thea
tres. balls and casinos He believed that more
than half of the people who had that morning re-
ceiyed the holy communion, if they were to die be-
fore next Sunday would 60 straight to hel-fre.
They we're told to hate the world, but how could
people be said to hate the world who frequented
such places The sermon lasted about an hour
and half.
THE NEW YORK TIMES is not complimentary to
the patriot-poet OF Antietam 1t says: SIN fu-
ture edition of his Humorous Poetry Of the Eng
lish Language Mr. PARTON must surely give
prominent place to the poem pronounced at Antie-
tam the other day. Having already given this
production in full, we would not now mar it by
extracts to show its high claim for tho place we
bespeak for it; but the work of art, as whole, Is
certainly 'fearfully if not wonderfully made We
may regard this 'poem'-or, let us more correctly
say, this metrical production'-as fair exhibit
of what can be achieved when free field is opened
for the newspaper bards Of the country. Once in
;, hundred times (as if TO prove the rule) an ex-
ception like lisa CRAIa's beautiful poem on BURNS
comes from such competitive co ntcsts.' But the
result in general is such we have here. Pegasus
is horse that kicks at being mounted by COM
petitive people Of this sort. The man who wrote
this poem, though not poet, may obviously claim
to be 'poick Of the highest order. His effusion
certainly has amused the country more than any |
thing since the 'Bigelow Papers. We trace part
Of it's merits to the fact that the Committee re-
ouested in advance that 200 lines should be the |
minimum length OF the poem. In lack OF inspira-
tion, therefore, the poet was compelled to invoke
the muse Of history, and gives very imaginative |
description of the combat. In fine, we know not |
whom most to congratulate poet OH his |
genius, or tho Committee on their poetical taste,
as shown by their selection"
The ANTIErAM CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS have |
agreed upon design for the monument. There |
were six competitors. The award was given to MIR.
J. G.. PATTERSON, Of Hartford, Conn.,, who furnish
ed the designs for the Gettysburg Monument and
the Worth Monument. The height of the monu-
ment will be forty-fve feet and it will cost $50 0OO
1t will be Of Westerly granite, which is light
gray, and at distance resembles marble AT the
base it will be twenty-five feet square, only one
foot less than the Gettysburg monument. 1t will
be composed of blocks weighing from six to fifteen
tons each. The lower base will be two feet high.
Above this there will be platform course two fact
high, and about seventeen feet square. This will
will be followed by massive moulded base, flank
ed at each anglo by heavy buttresses, their grace
full lines adding strength to the structure. Next
there will be an immense die, ten feet high and
nine feet square, surmounted by cap weighing
fifteen tons. The whole structure will he crowned
by colossal statue twenty feet high. The statue
will be that of private soldier standing as sent-
mel. 1t is to be cut out Of an immense block weigh
ing ninety tons. This will be the largest statue Of
modern times, and more unique and characteristic
than any ever erected in this country. 1t is be-
lieved that it will be attractive, and will give
q Of thatt al |