New-York tribune., 1875-11-29

takes will be carried ont in tho most thorough,
conscientious, and intelligent manner, with
out vulgar pretenco sensational clap-trap
His own orchestra will of course form the nucleus
Of the band, and 10 will be increased to whatever
size may be necessary. He will have large chorus,
Philadelphia alone being already able to furnish
several hundred trained voices, and az many moro
will be forthcoming from other cities as he can MAKE
effective use OF. Theodore Thomas has dono 30
much for the cultivation Of music In America that
the honor conferred upon him by this appointment
to be only what he deserves. We rejoice at IT,
however not because 1t is fitting recognition OF
his labors the reward of individual merit not being
the proper object Of the Centennial but because 1t
will show our foreign visitors q proficiency in the
highest kind of music of which We may well DE
proud. Since we have one orchestra which compares
fayorably with the best in Europe, this is the time
of all times when ought to place it on exhibition.
In one respect at least Americans might mend
their manners-in the public exhibition of reverence
for the dead The passage Of funeral train through
our streets, whether OF great or an unknown man,
elcits from the stold spectators no further recogn
ton than stare. In Paris or anywhere In France
the presence of the mortal remains OF any feilo"-
being Is acknowledged even by the humblest artisan
with head barred and bowed, while in New-fork the
dead body Of Vice-President is carried through
miles of streets lined with people all with their
crowns covered. They take of their hats to the
living but never to the dead. There is no more
touching and graceful custom than this bit OF French
reverence and none which our people seem so SLOW
to adopt 1t is just these little knacks OF poteness
that the American gentleman. who fondly imagines
himself the finest gentleman in the world is in need
Of No doubt in this rs in many other things, he re-
4, f,rf ~ sentimental
In the case of so distinguished public officer as
Henry Wilson the rudeness of the omission was
almost brutal and tho very darkness that threw an
atmosphere Of gloom about his funeral progress
through the city seemed to be friendly shade
There was something appropriate besides III the
darkness. For lonely old man, dying almost with
out kith or kin fOroaken before his death by the
men who shsuld have respected his counsels, for
saken cfter death by his colleagues in Congress,
cad hastily seized upon by surgeons as a Subject"
almost before the body cold, it fitting PAIL
There is an unInistakable revolt against these
funeral pageants that wind their way from city to
city and prolong the obseques Of public man until
q careless and capricious public weary Of the men
ton OF his name Ill the newspapers. 1t seems like an
aifront TO genuine grief to make dead statesman
the focus Of staring crowds and withhold his worn
ont body from the resting-place which belongs 70 it,
There is too much unsuccessful striving after dis
play too little simplicity and sincerity, too much
local and official vanity too little genuine apprecia-
ton and feeling, about these mournful professions
not to cause one to feel that this is treating the dead
with indignity rather than with honor. Those who
would respect mans privacy when alive ought not
to insult it when dead man has right to be left
alone in his cofiin-hs last abode The State which
claims him can take him to herself and sorrow alone
States and communities which reverence him for his
services and his goodness give appropriate ex-
preston to their feelings in memorial meetings and
the Ike But as for the poor clay let that go to its
long home