The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-31
CITY TOPICS

struggles and days OF peace, lts Gays OF Breos
evil and of bitter repentance its hours OF well
doing all too short; its smiles and tears, us
moaning and its laughter Is soon to be no more.
Soon there will remain but the memory OF its |
good to make MS better, but the recollection Of its
evil TO make us more humble, more watchful, and |
more strong. In looking back upon il, there are
few. we imagine. who can carry away much JOY
from the pection The lives of all of rs are
stained with crime, and its contemplation can but
make MS think thoughts full Of sorrow and deep hu'
initiation The past is q valley of Marah to us all,
and it is not till we turn to the future that the hills
of Beuah arise before US. But let rs not for that
refuse to look upon the past, or try to forgetHs
existence. Such sight is salutary, for IT teaches
Us what we need and often points out snares anu
pitfaIls which we can now avoid. Let Us then,
today all of us, give one long glance to the past
behind us, strive TO comprehend all us sin ana AL
its folv behold IL as a white marble table STAIN
ed with many stains, see what we have done win
the wealth of time which this time last year was
given us to use. and then bow our heads to the
dust with the only prayer which man can claim
right TO pray, "Lo.dl be merciful to rs sinners"
Did any one ever put in plea for the car drivers
Did YOU ever reflect, reader, that tine or weather,
OF nonoays, mako no difference 10 them? fou want
your car on Christmas-day or on Sunday, at mid
night OF Ut Daylight when 1t is raining pitchfVrks
or is cold or sultry-and there it Is, and there the
driver is with it. Long after you arc warmly tnck-
ed under the covers on one of these disagreeatls
winter nights. have you not heard the car rsttlng
by, and inwardly said, The driver must be having
good time of it, or waking up early in the NOR
ming and hearing the same old mule jogging By,
have you not quietly wondered how internally I'M
pleasant it must be to get up and take the reins at
that early hour, And when you get in, don't you
suppose he looks apxiously toward you IS you
approach the fare-box, to ascertain whether you
have nickel or ticket to deposit, or two dollar
bill to be changed. II the latter, see him fasten
his rens, pull of his mittens dive down into the
recesses of his pocket the folds of his belt, and
carefully thumb over the change before be gives
il to you. Then meanwhile, perhaps, some one
halfway down the square on side street signals
him to stop. The drivers mitten is In his mouth,
one hand holds the change, the other is on the
brake to stop the car. Now ell this is by no
means easy or pleasant. So, If you have to step
few feet beyond the crossing, be merciiul and
don't blame the driver.
The metropol.sns have again commenced to
play their antics before high heaven. Tne board,
in violation of solemn pledges hes again placed ne
upon the force They have even gone 30 far as
10 place negro captain over the IRENE district,
whose conduct has been outrageous. We won
der how long the people are going to quietly sub
nit to the degradation of being lorded over by
ignorant negroes, to be arrested by them and to
submit in every way to their authority Last
summer when matters reached q climax, the
people took things into their own hands
and promptly settled the difficulty. 1t
wvviS ---- 49,. 20 tirna wary mnch
like then, only a little worse, for then
the board had made no pledges to violate, but
now they place negroes upon the streets after
having solemnly promised not to do So This is a
serious matter. The life and property of every
nan in New Orleans are endangered by ths'exis-
teDce of such q police as that we now have.
Many of them are highway robbers; many are
negroes, and the rest are so few that they can do
no God. The city is infested with thieves who ply
their trade with impunity, while the policemen,
either fearing or brbed,' keep aloof from any
criminal. Such q body should no longer exist.
Every consideration of safety and expediency de-
mands the discontinuance Of it. The police and
police board must be abolished.
A brilliant reception, given on Tuesday even
ing, by Hon. Perry Fuller, collector of the port,
and his accomplished wife. at their residence,
corner of Felicity and Coliseum streets, was
| prominent among recent events in the fashion.
able world. The spacious apartments and halls
were for few hours, all too brief for the enjoy
ment which they brought, thronged with guests,
among whom were Major General Rousseau,
Governor warmoth, Mayor Conway, General
Steedman, Colonel ]. B. Walton, T. s. Macon,
| Esq, E. Solomon, ESQ.,, Assistant Alderman T. F.
Fisher. Judge Whitaker, and many other well
known citizens or officials. Mrs. Myra Clark
! Gaines was also among the guests. The dresses
worn by many of the ladies present were rich and
elegant in the extreme. Two in particular may
be mentioned, the one q white silk with lace over
skirt, looped with flowers, the other rich blue
| silk with white satin trimmings, and both OF them
attracting quite general admiration. 1t was NOT
| until the hour of 8 A. NJ. that the company re,
| tired.
II is exceedingly difficult for steamboats, to OBJ
tain negro iremen during the present week. Since
emancipation, the negroes have always beer
4 tickle and unreliable, lazy, exacting and sury
/ Any steamboat captain or mate will willingly de-
clare that one white man, used to labor in that
| business, Will 90 more WOrk IMAM TWO negroes; Is
more to be relied on, more honest and more will
ling. Why then don't steamboat captains and
clerks offer double wages to able bodied and ex
| perienced white laborers?
From the weather yesterday clear New Years
day may be anticipated. The rain will, we trust
cease to-day, so that to morrow the sun may shine
out bright and clear on the thousand gentlemen
who will be fitting from house to house in theiI
annual visitation.
some gemmen 90 Color neIu meeung rUrue,
night, to elect delegates to a &" national conven
ton. The entire list elected is composed of hon
CRADLES, as we 6nd in one of our evening con.
| temporaries, namely:
| Hon. c. G. Antoine Hon. A. X. Boree, Hon. p.
| l.. S. Pinchback. Hon. A. Z. Barber. Hon. Jas
| II. Ingrshsm. Lieut.. Gov. o. J. Dunn. Hon. J. Will
| lis Menard, Hon. B. +. Joubert, Hon. Henry Bon
| seigneur. Hon. Bernard Soulie, Hon. Aristide
Mary, Hon. A. Bertonneau.
| "For Brutus is an honorable man
| SO are they all, all honorable mem"
| Not one poor dishonorable esquire-all knights
of chvalrous renown. peers of Edward the Black