Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-10-25
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sAruRDA LETTER.

BLE-ooNDITIoN OF THINGS AFTER THE MONEY
TROUBLE REsuMPTIoN OF E. W. CLARKE q CO.
DEFENoEs OF TIE DELAwARE-GREAr LITERARY
sENsATIoN, ETC., BTo.
Special Correspondence Of ale Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. "a.
It is seldom you hear Of the failure of a Phil
adelphia charity. This city ia noted alike for
the humber and extent OF the operations of its
benevolent institutions, and equally for their
admirable management, which renders disaster
OF any sort an extremely rare occurrence. The
unlucky Home for Little Wanderers must be
admitted an exception to the rule. This enter
prise was definitely closed during the past week
and although the events connected with the
wind-up have not been made the theme OF COM
ment, there is considerable chagrin and disap-
pointment among large number of subscribers
and benevolent persons who had built high
hopes on the usefulness of the Home" The
case offers an impressive example of how a
thoroughly good scheme may be ruined by
badly chosen Superintendent. Some months
ago. detailed you some Of the Rev. Mr.. Phil
lips operations, his masking show Of the child
rem bis refusing to take proper care Of children
who could not sing and thus add to the attract
iveness Of his entertainments" etc. Such
incorporating and sham philanthropy has come
to it's appropriate end. The Home" was grad
ualIy abandoned and it being found impossible
to restore public confidence in it, the contnbu-
tors have made all the property at sth and Balm
bridge streets, over formerly to the Union
Chidren's Home. The Rev. Phillips has flown,
doubtless TO prey on the sympathies of some
other tender-hearted community.
| hope you are all coming to our Tea Party.
We are going to have such collation., at which
all oar prettiest girls will dispense the Gunpuw-
der and Yung Hyson and hand around the cake
AMI preserves. The young persons who have
vOluntee rcd to 'pOur out" arc not singing
"come and take tea in the Arbor," but "come
and take tea in the Academy ~ Yes, that is the
extent Of our Tea Party, aud We are proportion
ately proud OF it in advance l am not on the
Executive Committee but think may offer, on
behaf of the ladies, to invite you all There
will be plenty of toom, but it might be we'll to
secure your tea cup-I mean your seat. The
meaning of ii all il that the 10th of December
il the anniversary of the never-to he-fuTgOtten
Tea Party in Boston Harbor, whereat the Ame,i-
can Eagle tore the British Lion 30 consumedly
that he has never been the same beast since
Our girls (by which familiarity l allude to the
Women's Centennial Asaociation) thought it
would be rather neat thing TO observe this ho-
iday in large style this year, in order bothtto
raise funds for the carrying on of the war aud to
keep the great Exposition before the people. II
was happy thought and took the popular fancy
bic for each ward, presided over by local beauty
and prominence. There ought to be enough
"cbeer' there to help along little, ell
. Mr.. Wilkie, Collins unfortunate venture may
scarcely be called news at this date but there
some considerations related to the event
which deserve few words. Collins is too real
person TO be dismissed as We seem content to
dismiss him More than this, il is possible to
make him even yet real attraction Rs reader
Probably not standard attracton,-but enough
of 10 for a tl8 lie
an opportunity to zee and hear one OF the worlds
notorieties and to put money in the purse OF q
man who may be fairly said to deserve it. But
to make anything OF sue 3ess certain things
must be done. In the first place he must read
ia Hall of moderate dimensions. He haH nelth-
er the voice nor the manner for large auditor
inm. The Assembly Buildings, or the 18th st.
Theatre, would be proper places for his readings
here. Then particular attention should be given
to the programmes Great objection was made to
the character OF tue Stony read by him in Phil
Adelphia-"Fhe Dream Woman -as relating
to matters not talked about in good society. But
oven if no fault could be found with its proprie-
ty single long piece aud All unknown piece is
by no means the thing. There should be
various pieces on programme short and fami-
liar to the people, Dickens read things all knew
He was wise in that, and although the works of
Collins bear no comparison to those OF Dickens
III popularity yet judicous selections could hard
ly fail to attract and please. Such passages for
example as the private theatricals in No Ndnte
the description OF the race, with 'Geoffrey's'
discontinue, in Man and WIFE; the powerful
scene IN he Woman in White when 'Fosco" and
the Baronet are overheard in the balcony con-
cocting their plot; such things as these, which
recall as write, would certainly be attractive in
a smaller hail. delivered by their author num-
ber Of scenes wherein that nRsteny creation,
Count FoHcO," figures might be given with,good
effect 1t seems great pity, with all these pos
sbities.t to set the Collins season down as an lr-
retTievabe failure.
AltlOuUh off of t1a Danf0 nann0k ha
said to have entirely died away, yet confidence
il fairly restored and the future is bright. BUS
mess is astonshingly good considering the dis
advantage it has had to labor against. That it
should be brisk, is q standing marvel to US all,
and is certainly most encouraging sign. The
papers hove fully as much advertising as usual
at this time OF year. and the streets where the
principal wholesale trade Is done are pleasantly
animated Two items OF intelligence made
known to-day had good effect and we're the
subject of congratulation wherever mentioned.
One that Secretary Richardson had deter
mined upon partial resumption of specie pay
ments-as far relates to silver. This news
WAS received too late to produce much effect on
the money and stock market, but 1t created
| quite a ripple among the belated Bulls aud
Bears. Earlier in the afternoon, 1t had been
announced that the banking house OF Il. W.
CLARK IL 90. would assume its regular transac-
tiOn of business tomorrow. Facts like these
tell tile story pretty clearly. The action of Il,
W. Clark Il Co. shows that they simply suffered
from the unreahOnlnB lever OF tHo TeNulslOtllDu
| that they are as strong aud worthy OF confidence
as ever. So it will bel think, with all or nearly
ALL the other firms which aarmingly sue
cunbed few weeks sgo. We have weathered
the storm.
| The report on National Fortifications made by
| Genl. Humphreys to the Secretary OF War, has
| a number of unwonted illusions to Philadelphia,
which make us feel very warlike. 1t seems
that we are not protected at all as we should be,
/ and that il any evilly-disposed naval commander
/ so chose, he could sail right ap to Chestnut ST.
/ wharf, and disembark his troops preparatory to
marching up the street and gnolniniously seiz-
ing that palladium OF our liberties, Independence
/ Hall Genl. Humphreys tells us that Fort Della
ware is Of no account whatever, and that Fort,
YOU are aware, we have heretofore esteemed our
| sole dependence. SO you may see in what state
we find ourselves Fortunately something can
be done,-something eau always he done II we
l 20 to work right aud listen to good advice. 1t is
1 recommended that Fort Mitln be strengthened,
aud that a Battery be erected at Red Bank.
Another Battery will be erected at the Break
water, il Uncle Sam can be prevailed upon. Then
/ again. two defensive works are projected on q
lin with Fort Delaware, on opposite sides OF the
Il river These in conjunction with the Fort it is
/ thought will render US impregnable; but in case
/ the enemy should squeeze through, Red Bank
| will settle him They are so poor at Washington
| this winter thatit is rather doubtful II our house
| will be put in order just now i-none the lees 1t
should be. New York and Boston are vastly bet
/ ter taken care OF.
desire to attract your attention to very re-