New-York tribune., 1873-12-25


looking out of the small eyes the whole
Philosophy of Giving.
-
Apropos OF picklngs and stealineS Of which We
have had some illustrations in high places lately.
comes the report of debate in the Common Counch
of Hartford Conn. upon appropriation of $40 ID
10 nav for ths wine and cigars consumed by that
eminent body on it's recent excursion to Pouehkeep-
sic 20 witness the laying of the cornerstone Of ths
new bridge over the Hudson. Judge Barbour, who
il a Councilman, protested against tho payment.
and in the course of his remarks upon the question
took occasion 10 say that the condition of men on
the train and tho state Of the car in which tho
liquor was kept were shameful. He protested
against it on tho ground of economy, decency.
and legality. The reply to this was that
tho city paul no salaries to the able
statesmen in the Common Council. and it got off
pretty cheaply by paying five or ten dollars apiece
for their liquor bills when they went abroad to repre-
sent as they did on this occasion, the dignity and
respectabiity of the city. Judge Barbour voted
alone Hartford is said to be a town where people
of that SORT do usually vote alone so long as they
| stay The Common Council Of Hartford has spen,
thousands Of dollars in just such pickings and steal
! ngs in the past four or five years but it is a
financial center" and whoever should call this
lous The system of picking and stealing has firm
hold there Some of the first families have carried
it to the verge of Irregularities but they usually
| COMPROMISE matters without moving away.
There have been rum0rs Of Mr. Ruskin's intention
to visit the United States but for bis comfort at
least if not for own, it is to be hoped that he
will not come until we have reformed good deal Of
| architecture which could not fail to give the great
man paugs. Whenever he encounters anything Of
the building kind which he does not like he seems
TO lose all control over his tongue An instance of
| this lately occurred at Oxford. An ambitious
tadesman there had built himself fine shop with
granite pillars and floral designs carved in stone.
but its only effect upon Mr. Ruskin when he saw it
was to put him into a red-hot rage. He rushed to
his eotureroom at the University and relieved him
self Commenting upon the connection between
bad taste and bad morals, he said: Now in the High
street mentioning the poor sh0pkeeDer by namel
is villain. At time other he or the archi-
tect he employed, has committed some great crime.
It must be So" These oubursts are frequent in Mr.
Ruskins lectures. and people are beginning to say
that he is getting very peculiar" Yet this Is not
new foible of the great man. A good many years
ago he grieveda and greatly exaspersted his bearers
in Edinburgh by falling afoul of the architecture Of
that city and treating it metaphorically very much
as Samson did the pillars of the temple.
4 writer in Mr. Bergh's paper The Animal Kns-
dom, presents curious statistics of the cOnnec
tion between crime and cruelty. Out of 1000 con.
vcts of whom inquiry was made, only 13 admitted
that they left pets ut home. This is in accordance
with the experience of all visitors among the poor.
They will tell us that the owerpot in the window. the
canary hung in the sunshine the comfortable cat on
the hearth indications of the best house in
the district the quietest room in the tenement 1t
is going too far perhaps to claim that cruelty to ami
mails is the first step in crime. Crime and cruelty
are equally the results Of bad disposition and bad
training 1t is certain. however. that tenderness to
the brute creation does molfy and refine the tenn.
Der, and 80 it is from mere sentimental tender
ness that we applaud Mr.. Berghs noble efforts but
from conviction that they are indirectly doing
much good to men as to brutes.
II ia not all threatening and slaughter when
Spanisrds and Americans meet. While we have
been arming our fleet and looking after our sea-
| coast defenses, and thinking of gunpowder and
gore. number of Spanish ordnance officers. de-
| tailed to receive quantity of rifles manufactured
| for their Government by the Remington Arms Com
pany have been fascinating the inhabitants of lion
by brilliant reception given to the ladies' Of the
| town. Tomorrow the gentlemen of llion meant to
return the compliment by an entertainment In
honor Of the courteous strangers vIt will add to the
bjlarity of hosts and guests to know that those new
rifles win be used in defense Of Government which
has shown itself Just and honorable and fearless
IN the face of enormous difficulties the Republic
| Of CASTELAR,.
It is pleasant to know that this Christmas season
knows no abatement in anything that makes "
joyous, as compared with those which have gone
before 1t is possible that there has been less than
usual prodgality and wastefnlnes in present.
giving: but there has certainly been no falling on
in the great volume of trade which the shopkeepeu
always expect at this time. Our city reports show
that local charities and religious requirements were
not neglected. The day for generous deeds. express
sions Of goodwill to man, aud CHEEKY remembrance
of the gracious anniversary is not suffered to lose s
| significance and influence In ,hurch, parlor. and
tenement-house we believe. the people are keeping
Merry Christmas. "a III i.r..
dog in Chelsea, Mass. has distin gushcd him.
self in the iarcenous department of canine energy
He not only carried of large piece of hoiled meat
intended muce pies Of the season. but he stoe
tho big tin pan in which the meat had been placed
to cool. How the dog carried that pan with the
meat in il into distant yard, IL at present the lead
inc topic of discussion in Chelsea Common saus>
would seem to point to the assistance of coufsd-
crate, hut when did one dog ever take another int
nj, confidence upon so delicate an occassani 1,. e.
Hsbron. N. H., must be . most melancholy han-
let. marriage there the other day'was the 6rst
sspsr,mens Of the kind tried in Hebron for fftesn
yoarsl Those principally Interested thought .
|
snc""Ssfui, aa sairs at'.s e. /. s.s cow se.