davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
CHRISTMAS.

We were about to give our usual hearty
Christmas greeting to all the world. but where
would be the use? There are certain people
to whom hearty greetings and Christmas itself
seem as idle a noise this December morning
as the whisting of useless wind. There is
Sproat, the importer, for instance, going down
after q late breakfast to business he is sure
TO turn with contemptuOus "pishl" from
this article to the reports of the markets. lie is
in a surlier humor than usual, because it was
especially inconvenient for him that tho banks
should close to-day. 1t may be we'll enough
that women ard children should have this
annual pOthcr about Santa Claus, and gifts,
and the tradition Of religious birthday, but
that the banks and courts and rational secular
Journals should take cognizance of it, and
business actually be hampered 1t is clearly
not worth while to clap Sproat on the back
to-day with call to good humOr and good
company. There are, too, oddly enough, a
good many clcrgymcn who put on their
cbilliest wintry aspect this morning. The day
"is not observed in their communiOn;" it
"is of Papistical origin y it "tends to lessen
"the respect due to the Sabbath" We shall,
therefore, have to carry our congratulations
and cladness that Christ was born into the
world on this Cor some other day. on to the
next passer by ; they will have none of it.
There are also many miserable homes-alas,
how many filled to-day with unemployed men,
with hungry, half-naked women and children,
to whom, in this hard Winter, Christmas
cheer and good wishes seem but bitterest
mOckeIy.
Where shall we offer our Christmas greet
NJ
and few well-to-dO piOus people that eigh-
teen hundred years ago Christ was born in
Betlllclem7 Are science and business and
the need of daily bread getting the real ends
of life, which gradually shall push this old
mysterious story into the realms of poetry
and pathetic literature BY what right does
TIE TRIBUNE, pledged to furnish live news
and to present the changing ideas which urge
the world from day to day. preach a religious
sermon on this old text, more or less hack
ncycd or unreal, to its readersf Simply be-
cause We believe that Christmas and its pO-
tent significance undcrlic all the change and
traffic of the world that below its commerce
and politics, and even finance, is the great
motive of its Maker, the uplifting of
the nations to hghcrlevels of civilization by the
development of that universal brotherhood of
humanity, which Christ came to teach and
which has uttered itself more and more clearly
from age to age in justice, in fair dealing, in
the substitution of knowledge for ignorance,
and all higher finer aims of life for the more
base aud selfish. The wise men, following the
star to the wondrOus Birth in the stable, did
not find there alone each an atOnement for his
own shortcomings, or the first decisive utter
ancc OF the Immortality of the soul. but the
revelation of new idea to mankind-tiat Of
sclf-sacrice. Tue heroes of Greece and Rome
had long ago taught how sweet and proper n
thing it was to die for their country the pagan
priest showed how easy il was to die in torture
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
4 List EFFORi,

We have published in our advertising col
umns the reward offered by Christian *. Ross
for the recovery of his child II is noticeable
that this is the frat reward offered for the
restoration Of the boy alone, since i became
certain that he was abducted Tor the purpose
of ginning Il ransom. The sum of $4,000,
raised by the citizens Of Philale'phia, was for
the return of the boy and the capture OF his
kidnappcrs aud although it is stated that
five times that amount has been spent
bv the relatives of tho child in cf-
forts for his recovery. they have never
offered any, price f2r LIZ return which
price if paid would have been 70 maNe
tho scheme Of his abductOrs successful, and
to put a premium on crime 1t is owing simply
to thi, scf-dcnal on the part OF the parents
of the lost boy, that the business OF kdnap-
ping has received so prompt and decisive Il
check at its first opening in this country.
IIardly any criminal will ever be found daring
enough to face the anger and sympathy which
have moved the whole country in this matter,
or to risk the danger rup by MOscr during the
last six months.
Nothing remains but TO consider this final
pathetic appeal of the poor father who has
suffered not only from the loss of his child,
but from every Obloquy and slandcr which IN
INSCRIPTIONS press could heap upon him.
There is little doubt that if the child be lly-
ing, and held by suborlinatcS Of Mosicr's, he
will now be restored. rs immunity from
punishment is promised. We hope that every
man and woman in the country will act for
the time as special detective, il only for The
satisfaction Of knowing that the reward will
fall into innocent hands. If the boy is not
restored in two weeks, it would bo but rcasona-
bic to conclude that he is dead, or that
Mosicr, as has been limited, was only the
agent of Others In this case, the clcws already
in the hands of the police will probably enable
them to discover the guilty party. Tho case
rcsolvcs itself into 4 few plain facts. If
Mosicr WAS the principal, MOSicrs wife aud
confederatcs undoubtedly can give more in
formation than they have yet done. II, on
the contrary, as they assert, the child was
removed out of their cOgnzance Immediately
aft tr abduction, 1t is more than probable he
was but an agent, in which case his family
can probably afford clcw to the principals
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
NEJV- YORK aFLOII,

Christmas Weck-yes, Christmas Day itself
and look at the Canal-street crossing; or at
the Twenty -third-strcet crossing; or at the
whole length of Broadway; or any OF the
Parks. Mud indcscrbablc. Posh slosh, and
swash, unutterable. Floods unfathonablc! {!
Streets impossible! Sidewalks intolcrablc |!
And great and continuous lift and spread OF
spattcr wherever on this blessed island there
falls q hoof or whrls wheel. And this
tho week of good will to men, when every
body is abroad, running up aud down the
streets, crossing over and going back,
buying all sorts of things at all sorts of
placcs to give to all sorts of peo-
ple, and wishing everybody Il merry,
merry Christmas. Who can do il with the
streets in such condition Good will TO men,
indeed! Why, if we were not the most paticn;
and long suffering people that ever put their
hands behind them to be robbed, and then sub
mitted to have tho thieves throw mud on
them, we should not have, in the presence of
this visitation of one part Providence to ab, 1T
nineteen parts municipal incompetence and
legislative stupidity. any good will to anybody
Here, for five days whole city full-running
over full-in the holiday season at that-havo
been wading and swimming through rivers
and lakes of the muddiest pest and slime,
simply because there are not brains enough
or energy enough in the City Government to
devise means to make our great thoroughfarc
either fordablc, navgable, or penetrable.
And the City Govern ment- while lovely
woman stands at the street crossings with
gathered skirts, appalled, at tho breadth and
depth of the turbid tide and tho full grown
man wadcs through it with curse, and small
boys with bundles slip round and fall down
in it, and Newfoundland dogs plunge into it
from the sidewalks to rescue struggling hu-
manity or recover the lost hat OF tho pilgrim,
and slagc-drivcrs gather mp their rcins with q
wild barbaric whoop and charge down upon
the unwary amphibian who essays tho cross
ing, and the carriages whirl mud by the
bucketful. aud tho less ambitious coupe 6irts
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

past in rainbows, and everybody goes
frecklcd with the City's compliments OF the
season-while all this is in progress and the
survival of the fttcst bids fair to end in a
web footed generation, what docs the CITY
Government do9 Good gracious! 1t enter
tains King
Well, it might do worse. There are worse
Kings than King David Kalakaia. 1t occurs
to us that this monarch being an insnlar SOW
creign, it might have been deemed proper Dy
the authorities to show him the metropolis IN
"a moist a condition az possible, as Il dciica'e
reminder of his home in the Pacific. Even so
the BabylOnian monarch reminded his h0mc-
sick queen, by the wonderful hanging gar
dcns, Of the elevated groves upon the hiiS' OF
her native Ecbutana. We would not inter-
fcre with so delicate an attention, or Dy ah
unkind word mar such courtesy. But rcaily'
now that the King has seen 1t all, we takc
leave to say that the mud and slusll nave
survived their usefulness. May the mixture not
now be removed? Or is it to be kept on hand
in anticipation of visit from some noble |cne-
tian famiIy7 If so, let It's understand it and in
troducc eondolas in place of the mud-Scattcr-
ing omnibus. Last Winter, at time wheh
the streets were in very much such cohdl'ioh
AZ now, a Police Commissioner died. Broad
way and the streets through which the 1unerai
c0rtege wa, to pass were cleaned in night.
This is no precedent, of course. But no righI-
minded man can consider without shlludrr
the consequences which might cnsie IL thc
conviction should gain ground that the death
of a Police Commissioner would insure tie
cleaning of broadway. Assassination might
ocromnanv every snow storm. aud the first
falling flake wonld be signal to the uncm-
poycd to put in their applications at once ioi
the pending vacancy on tho roiice Do"'''
Let us hope it will not come to That.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
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New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
Nel,.2Dork Ds1ilu Gribu,te.
FOUNDED BY HORACE GREELEY
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1874.

Bya railway accident at Woodstock, in England,
thirty persons wero killed and fifty wounded. g
Additional survivors from the Japan have been brought
to Hong Kong - Senor CASTELAR, made speech in
regard to the progress Of the United States
The Congressional Committee to Investigate Alabama
sfairs has begun taking testimony. - On complaint
Of 8. Indian Agent Bingham that the Black Hills
reservation has been invaded by white miners, the
Secretary the Interior calls upon the Secretary OF
War to expel the intruders by force - The Louis
lana Returning Board adjourned, after declaring "a
Republicans and 50 Conservatives elected to the lower
house OF the Assembly and leaving four strong Con-
servatve parishes to be canvassed by the Legislature.
80 James Walker. d. D.. formerly President Of Har-
ward College, died at Cambridge.
Mayor Vance removed Commissioners Stern and Bowen
and appointed Isaac II. Bailey, Townsend Cox and Ed
ward L. Donnelly as the new Board OF Charities and
Correction. g. King Kalakaua visited the Normal
School, the Stock Exchange and the Grand
Opera House. t. Two detectives were suspended.
being charged with having concealed stolen property
E=z The argument q motion by John Kelly to
strike out part Of the Of Nelson j. Waterbury
TO bis complaint, was begun. 81 Miss Mansfield re-
covered about s25,00o from the Fisk estate. Their
momeer $50, Ioo, 9c' Gold, 11li 111s Gold value Of
the legaltender dollar, 80 $40 cents.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
Nmusements ano AIeetinss.


BOOTHS THEArER.-At 1850, "rhe Hero OF the HOUR
At 9: Macbeth" - .. a
RIRruh,s ROMAN HrpropRoxE.-Eve AFTERNOON "'
and evening sta
RRyIsT,s OrERA HoUsB.-Minstreh
D,,x,. FIFTH AVENUE THEATER.-At 1880 - NOUS
xInbonss" At 8: "a New Way to Pay Ola Dep's'
csIsp OPERA HoUsE.-"Thc Black trooK.
Iycnpn THEATER.-EnGsh Opera Boune: " lie eran"
Duchess Miss Emily SoIdcue.
OLyMrIc THEArER.-At and at 6: Varieties
NIBIo's TnHArER.-Roberts's PantOmime Troupe
PARK THrArER-At2 2 and at 8: "The Gilded Age
John I. Raymond.
SAN FRANCISCO MINsrEELs.-At and at 8: Erich anu
WembOld.
TERRAcR GARDEN THEATER.-Ncw-York CIrrns
UNION SQUARE TnEATER.-At l:jO aud at 8: "ade i"'
Orphans." . ~ ,,
wALLAcK's TWrArER-"The shaughraun." Dion Bouei-
cault.
RonNsox HNL.-At and at s; "Bccone Duh care
Mr. Maccarc.
srr,swAy HAII-Oratorio Society. "Messiah.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
TIE DEPARTMENT or JNDrSIEY.

Senator Window has written for Tie Chicago
Adrdnce long article i'll support of the bill
introduced ut the last session for the cstab-
lishment Of u Bureau of Commerce. lie gives
excellent reasons why the Government ought
to take greater pains for the collection of
statistics of our domestic trade than it now
sees fit to employ for that purpose; and If his
proposal went no further than his argument
there would be little serious oppositiop to it,
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

We are so in the habit of modestly considering
ourselves the youngest of peoples that we continu-
ally forget il ia o fault which we are every day out
growing. We have some towns which could claim
anywhere the honOrs duo to respectable maturity.
and one of these, Weymouth in Massachusetts,.
recently celebrated the Two Hundred and Fiftieth
anniversary Of its settlement Col. Charles Francis
Adams. IT,, made an admirable address on tho occa-
sion. giving interesting history of the place. La
his Introduction he referred to the towns cotem-
poraries placing it in worshipful company. When
the first European" he said, made bis home IN Old
Spain-when the earliest rude hut was framed on
yondcr north shore of Phillips Creek-the moderu
world in which We live was just assuming shape.
Few now realize how little of that which makes up
the vast accumulated store of human possessions
which We have inherited from our fathers-whch ~
s is as the air we breathc-had then existence. The
Reformation was then young-Luther and Calvin
and Erasmus were men of yesterday; the lifc-and-
death struggle with Catholicism still tortured East
crn Europe. The Thirty Years War in Germany
was lust commenced, and the youthful Gustavus
Adophus had yet to win his spurs. The blood Of
Saint Bartholomew was but half a century DID, and
the murder of Henry ". was rs near to tho Of
l,is, ;,s il that OF Abraham Lincoln t. U.s. The great
Cardinal Duke was then organizing modern France:
Charles l. In not yet asccnlcd the English throne;
llampdcn was young country gentleman ana
Cromwell an unpretending English squire While
men still believed that the sun moved round the
earth. taleo and Kcpler were gradually ascertain
ing those laws which guide the planets in theif
paths; Bacon was mcditating his philosophy; Don
Uaixoic was newly-published we < with local
reputation; aud Milton, not yet cambridge PEN
sioncr wts mixing his first essays ~ verse Shake
spcare had dcd but six years before and indeed the
lAt edition of his lays did not appear until the
very year in which Weymouth was settled"
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
YORK DAILY TRIBUNE, FRIDAY DECEMBER s5 1874

But if you give it away you will have the
worth of it always and tho truth OF this ls
confirmed by daily experience a. well az by
the teachings Of religion.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

Bishop Potter has advised the clergy of his diocese
to set apart Sunday every year for the collection
of money for st. Luke's IIOsDtal. There Is an
unfortunate impression In the community that
this admirable hospital is rich. On the contrary ID
spends more than its regular income, and depend:
upon the liberaity of the benevolent to make up
the annual deficit. For somc time its receipts have
been diminishing, and this year it finds itself con-
sidcrably embarrassed by tho enormous demands
upon it's charity. Shelterng the suffering Of every
creed and condition. 1t appeals to the generosity of
the whole city, and ia to be hoped that the ostAb
lishnleut of Hospital Sunday" will result Ia .
hsudseps addition 70 iss dselstsd funds.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

If the Pennsylvania Legislators in their search foe
a Senator could he brought 10 consider the candi.
dacy of any one not a committeeman nor Il lobbyist.
they would have no trouble in making &C.
lection which would do credit to them.
selves and the State. Several perfectly re-
spectacle names have already been mentioned,
among them that Of tho Hon. VIM. A. Gal
braith of Erie. We do not imagine there is much
prospect of his election. He is not wheelborse nor
a wholc-soulcd partisan, ard has never spent his
time and his coffee III tho manufacture OF voters
like his rivals. But if he could be chosen, he has
some qualities which would bo Of value iu the
Senate. Iris an hone st man. of good education. OF
bamclcss character with sufficient ability to rep
resent his state with credit and reputation enough
to make him careful of it. He would be good man
to choose 5ut unfortunately. that is not q very
strong recommended ion at Harrisburg,
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
bnsllless NoIlres

S4.-Gcntlcmen are invited to call, examine,
end SnoRs for So CAsrskLL "a Fouhye
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND ACCIDENT Pol
Ioxs WkTT&N Insurance. COsrAsv Hartford
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

So far, the evidence Of "Outrages" in Ala
bama before the Committee appointed at the
instance of Congressman lays must be rather
unsatisfactory to that gentleman. His wit
nesscs do not make much of story for that
side, and their admissions arc somewhat dam
aging. If the Committee does its duty faith
fully, it may lay bare Outrages enough, but
not of the Kind that were paradcd at Chat
tanOOga.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

Humanity, as we'll as good faith, requires us
to keen white intruders out of the Black Hills
region. The parties of miners who arc attempt
ing to invade it take their lives in their hands,
and cannot be protected by law. If they are
driven out by our troops, they may think
themselves fortunate in saving their scalps;
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

if the Indians arc permitted to undertake
their expulsion, thoy will not be handled 80
tcnderly.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

King Kalakaua comes at a fortunate time
for his own enjoyment, as there arc not many
days in the year when New Workers can de-
vote themselves to holiday pleasures. If not
a merry monarch, he has at least Il happy tenn
permanent; sleigh-rdes and sightseeing amu>c
him, and we may congratulate ourselves that
SO far at least our visitor is entertained with
out being bored.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

Even the grave cannot completely cover the
memory of James Fisk's dssolute life and
companions. Miss Mansfeld's suit against his
estate brought up yesterday in our courts some
inevitable references to the disgraceful story.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

There is hopeful tone about tic article,
translated by Havana correspondent, from
one of the journals of that city. When we
look back, however, at the efforts which the
Spaniards have made since the beginning of
the insurrection in Cuba, we are unable to
find any ground for these bright anticipatiOnS.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

very complete account Of the prepara-
tons for observing Christmas and OF tho SER
vices to-day in the different churches, will be
found on our first and second pages The
ceremonies of First Vespers and Midnight
Mass at St. Ignatius Church last night are
accurately described OH our second page
although elaborate, they are hardly consld-
cred as reaching what is now considered tho
extreme of ritualsm.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

Our London letter discusses the probability
of Mr.. Gadstonc's retirement from pubic life
and the social duties of members OF the
British Government. small cloud Is also
shown rising in the Anglican sky like that
blown up in this city by Bishop Tozer This
time also it is an African Bishop who figures
most prominently, but unlike the Jealous pre-
late of Zanzibar, Bishop COcnso only futtcrs
the dovc-cOtes when be breaches III regular
church. 1t was long ago said that the hood
| does not make monk, and there begins to
he variety even in the Episcopal lawn.
Mayor Vance. in his willingness to ObliSe the
ruling faction of the party which placed him
in power, has made serious mistake. Mr..
Isaac II. Bailey is the person who was lately
detected in discreditabe effort to gain the
votes of New-YOrk merchants on the pretensc
that he had been on their side in last Winter 5
moiety struggle when, in fact, in the very
hight of the contest, Us late as the last OF
February, he was writing letters for pubica-
ton, vehemently in the interest of the Jayne
Sanborn ring. lie even had tho vulgar lnso-
lcnce to seek the support of VIM. E. Dodge,
and parade that gentlcman's name among the
Vice Presidents at his meeting, when he was
on record, in a published letter but few
months before, declaring his belief that MIR.
Dodge had robbed the Government. This
person, who was overwhelmingly repudiatcd
by the people, running over nine hundred votes
behind his ticket, Mayor Vance has appointed
q Commissioner of Charities and Correction,
for five years IL lie is permitted to hold
Office five weeks, it will be great outrage.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

The arguments in the libel suit Of cx-Sherii
Kelly against ex-Judge Waterbury, brought
ont yesterday no additional facts to those
which have already been made public in tins
case. The strife is at present over motion
to strike out. as irrelevant and impertinent, part
Of the answer of the defense. Being of q
technical character and not discussing the
merits of the case, these proceedings have not
the popular interest which attached to Its
earlier features.
New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

AT last the Returning Board of Louisiana
has finished its labors. Its reports give ma
iority of two to the Republicans in the lower
house but the returns from four parishes well
known TO be Conservative are not DECIDED
and 90 for action to a Legislature thus made
Republican. Mr.. Arroyo, the Conservative
member of the Board, disgusted with Its un-
fairness. and dcspairing of any good to be
effected by remaining, sent in his resignation
before the Board adjourned.