The Portland daily press., 1869-07-23

DGvs-Mussc ana our German Population
Health of the City Ste,ear's proposed Phi
lanthr0pies.
NEW YeRK, July II, 1869.
To the Editor Of the Press
have dallied and delayed so long about
writing to you-what with summer heats and
original lazinsss- that 1t is almost too late to
to tell you anything of the Reunion Of the
Army of the Potomac held last week. And
yet 1t was an occasion well worth remember
ing, and sight worth the seeirg-so many
men who had rendered us such priceless SER
vice in the hour of need. Yes, group of he
roes, honored too, in their own land and in
their own time was gathered ON the stage Of
Stienway Hall. Little Phil Sheridan smiling
and gracious, Meade with quiet, thoughtful
men, Burnside, modest as ever, and McClel-
Ian presiding with dignity over men whom he
had commanded with less success. And as a
Maine boy l was glad to see Chamberlain the
peer of them all-apt in word as in deed
for his grafton was worthy of the occasion as
of himself. One could not help noticing dur
ing the proceedings how little accustomed
were most Of these gallant Fighters 10 parla-
mentary usages. They could most of them
point of order, or motion for the previous
question. There was quite a contest over
the organization of the new society, which
plainly shows that the feuds which so long
disturbedI 1.-THE Army of the Potomac, are
not yet wholly laid. 1t was striking remind
er of the latest days of 1862, to see an anima-
ted contest as to whether Little Mac or some
later commander OF the Grand Army should
be its first President. Sheridan was the hero
of the day, both in the hall and ontof 1t, and
had that honor addedto his many others
Mcclellan ought certainly to feel satisfaction
in knowing that SO large proportion OF his
old officers still believe in him and honor
him.
SUMMER DAYS
are much sung by poets, and doubtless are
pleasant enough to those who can enjoy them
In rural shades, among the mountains or by
the seaside; but those whom harder fate
compels to remain within the heated walls of
the city, writing and toiling as usual, find
prosaic side to them. To be sure one can
stroll of an evening through the Parks, or
take run down to Long Branch, or spend
pleasant hour at one Of the Garden Concerts
of which l have before written you, and which
are becoming more and more feature ofNew
York life. The famous Dodworth has lately
turned great skating rink in Brooklyn into
concert garden, where his fiue orchestra
nightly draws crowds to listen 60 the music,
and enjoy themselves with a refreshing lack
Of "prunes and prisms." 1t shows how
strongly
THE GERMAN ELEMENT
of our population is beginning to make itself
felt in our cosmopolitan lite. Our stout heart
ed old Puritan fathers would perhaps, have
looked doubtingly upon sight which pleased
my eyes some days since. A long procession
of German musical societies on their way to
Baltimore to attend the Saengerfest; and
fancy few.Yankee girls would have been quite
so demonstrative in bidding good bye to their
brothers and sweethearts, as were the fair
haired Teutonie maidens who saluted the de-
parting ones as they marched past the City
Hall. These singing socities or Saengerbunds
are some of them very large, particularly the
Orion and the Liederkrauz, Numbering over
thousand members each believe, and send
ing picked choruses of seventy or more to
compete for the prizes. We are likely to get
other valuable ideas from our German friends.
They are deeply interested in the subject of
education, and believe that it means some
thing more than the three Rs which too many
narrow minded pseudo utiltarians of to-day
seem to think comprise il, and they believe that
the State should furnish this higher culture.
Success to them in their idea, If not in
all the details, some of which are little
whimsical. such as theState's furnishing uni
form for all the pupils in its common schools.
have wandered somewhat from the sum-
mer days which commenced to speak about,
and come back to them by saying that
among the delights of spending the season in
the country, is that Of coming book and find
ing that your house has been entered by
burglars, who are doing thriving business.
THE HEALTH OF THE CITY
is not the best at present and there are whis-
per that the cholera has made its appearance
we have become So accustomed to rely upon
the Board OF Health that we feel little appre-
hension, and, indeed, that body is exercising
very careful supervision over the city, and
having almost absolute power can certainly
effect much.
PRACTICAL BENEvoEENcE.
& have long thought the greatest philan-
thropist Is he who shows how beneyolence
and good deeds may be made profitable, for
then he win enlist all the seldshness Of man
kind on his side. Beaders and cynics agree
in estimating the immense power of that
function of human nature, and the one thing
desirable in our day is, take it, to develop
an enlightened seJishness and organize 1t for
action. All this moralIzing is opropos Of two
schemes of A. 7. Stewart, who seems bent
upon using his great fortune with the prsc-
tical wisdom whibh he has displayed iu ac-
quiring it, though don't mean to hint that
he has selfish views in what he proposes to
do-only that he goes to work with keen
common-sense. Il,>
First, he Is erecting huge iron building Of
many otoh iCo W SCI W - ASeC1 u Dot.At@tA-c
houre, for working girls-than whom no class
IN the city finds more difficulty in obtaining
decent-not to say comfortable shelter. 1t
is intended to be self-snstaiLing institution,
and yet to give comfortable abiding-place
and board at an exceedingly small cost
venture to say that this experiment win do
quite as much towards securing women in
their rights as at least three of Miss Antho-
ny's speeches; but then there is nothing
startling it.
And now comes another scheme Of the
great dry-goods merchant, of yet larger pro-
portions. Some twenty miles out OF the city,
on Long Island, lies the town OF Hampstead,
which in some curious sort has held Tor years
a common of some 5000 or 10000 acres
Probably In the first place it was not consid-
cred worth anyone's having, and then the
town had no authority to dispose OF 1t. Last
winter authority for that purpose was OBTAIN
ed from the Legislature, and now Mr. stew
art comes in and proposes to buy the whole
tract-paying handsome sum ior it-and
then 70 Law IL out in lots for persons Of mod
crate means. With his immense means, his
energy and business qualities, Mr.. Stewart
win undoubtedly cause city to spring up al
most in day, reimbursIng himself, and Civ
ino IN thollsanjs IN the eifv a chance to have