The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-10


appreciate the demands made upoh him will
disappear, and q Congress that has made
party football Of the nation will also be
deposed to give place to the best man Of the
countryside true conservative element Of
real craftsmanship.
Progress Of American Conic L,tsr..ur..
It would be wrong to predicate on the fail.
ure Of several comic journals which have been
started in this country the total absence Of
the comic element in our current literature
The failure Of these journals, Notwithstanding
the recognized talent Of many Of their contribu.
tors by pen and pencil, can easily be account.
ed for by variety Of reasons, not the least ~
which ID the fact that almost every one Of them
has been the organ Of clique--s fact fatal to
anything like catholicity in views Of either
persons or things. Moreover, d the HERALD
has often intmated, 1t is the habit NJ the Ameri-
can mino 70 look lot VIII ana nOmor, not in q
journal specially devoted to thsse enliyeninc
qualities, bat rather in some co.ner OF almost
every newspaper. Consequently according to
the grand law OF supply ana delaand, stories,
anecdotes and jokes are to be found in almost
every American newspaper, relieving agree
ably the driest details Of news End the drear.
lest dissertations on political, RELIGIONS or
scientific topics. The annual aggregate OF
wltucisms which are thus scattered throughout
the columns Of our daily newspaners far ex-
ceeds the "ffty-two jokes a-ysar.n which. &C.
cording to Emerson, are all hat can ha ar.
pected from Punch or Chariudri The lambent
play OF humor in the pages Of Washington
Irving, the keen wit of Oliver Wendell Holmes.
"a fellow of infinite jest"-brefly, the charac.
teristics Of each Of long list o. humorists, from
Jack Downing" to the author OF the "Biplow
Papers," the author OF the Georgia Scenes"
to "Bill Arp" "Artemus Ward. - " Josh Bill.
lings," "Mrs Partington" ana Mark Twain"-
amply illustrate the claims Of American wit to
recognition for individuality, local coloring
and power, whatever objection may be made
to its proclivity to exaggeration. And It must
be conceded that Of late . great i'm
provement is manifest in the illustrations Of
some Of the profsssedly comic papers
which have retained an extensive circulation.
Poorly enough executed in comparison with
those Of some Of thu European journals Of .
similar class, they exhibit nevertheless, do
cided progress. They are far better th an for
merly in drawing, and they really attest greater
fertility Of invention than many Of their trans
atlantic model Moreover, they are, for the
most part, quit, up to the times in their selec-
tons Of topics and they respond promptly to
the vital interest of the American public In
political affair." In fact, they serve not inefi-
ciently the purposes Of the old mutilsted
statue that Used to stand at the end of the
Braschi Pala,e in Rome, and near the shop OF
the famous fossiping barber, Pasquin, whose
name was entered upon It This statue was
for long time covered with lampoons. or
pasquinode,, upon popes and cardinals and
other pers'ns in high station. The principal
illustrators OF four Of our comic journals for
this and tie following month consist Of pas
quinades, quite vigorous and sharp, upon the
President of the United States. Thus, the
Comic N nthly, with Its "New Fable" and its
"Game Chess y the Phunny Pheuo,o, with It's
"Great chief at Washington Putting on the
War PART Preparing to meet Congress-" and
with its Anticipated Tragedy at the Washing
ton The,tre !" the Budget Of Fun, with its "a.
j., his great Politico-T Theatrical Entertainment
for tb, Fall and Winter Season." and the
Hdnke Notions, with its "Big Chief Andy
Johns,na," all offer amusing variations of the
same theme. The Yanlse Notions also pre-
seuts clever caricature Of "Charles John
HunIman) Dickens Improved Readings in
America" 1t is not too much to say that, If
the execution of these caricatures were i'm
proved proportionately to the latest marvel
lous developments Of the art of wood engrav-
ing, they would compare favorably with those
OF European comic journals, and that in point
Of originality and wit some Of them are quite
superior to those which mark the gradual de.
cline Of Punch from its old standard of excel
lcnce.
The Citizens Association Of New York
an the Now Court IIOuse.