Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-18

\ AheoAcs1uk oOsslp ABOUT WHAT II OO1nR ON
in New York.
/ THE COPYRIGHT LEAGUE JoLLrFIcATfoN RATHER
TAME AFFATR-aEv. DIR. BRIGGS HErERoDoxY
| "A POOR SPRING FOR HEALrH-TYPHUs FEVER
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. NOTES.
| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, April Is.
| THE QUALIFICATION MEETING OF THE
Il Copyright League and their friends at
Sherrys restaurant on Monday night was re-
markable more for the character of those
present than for the brilliancy Of the proceed
ings- There is floating proverb to the effect
that literary assemblages are always dull
While that may be a harsh maxim, it has q
large grain of truth in it. Everybody on Mon
day night was in the happiest temper and the
dinner was excellent, though rather late. The
speeches, however, were scarcely equal to the
occasion and to the orators. Mr.. Stedman pre-
! sided with grace, though he lacks a certain
auctioneer aggressiveness which should accom-
pany POSTMASTER at public dinner. Senator
Platt, who sat in the place of honor at his right
hand, gave an interesting and instructive
talk on the parliamentary adventures Of
the copyright and what the effect Of
the recent legislation might be. In the
| absence of Mr.. Simonds, Henry Cabot Lodge
made straightforward. manly speech that
woke up the meeting, though he spoke to a
constituency that has little sympathy with force
bills. Every one waited to hear George W.
Curtis, but he not called upon till mid
night. the clock striking out the hour Just as
he arose, and making solemn obligato to the
music of his voice. Mr. Curtis is easily among
the half dozen great speakers of our day, and
cannot fail to be charming, but on Monday
night-or rather on Tuesday morning-he
seemed to lack something of his accustomed
hre and finish. feature of his remarks was
some very interesting "reminiscences and criti-
cisms, in the style of the Easy Chair on Dickens
missionary visit to this country. He revived
one joke by Evarts that deserves a new circu-
lation. He said that at the great dinner to
Dickens in Boston a telegram received
from Evarts regarding his inability to attend
and saying that Dickens had had laurels on his
brows, and he hoped that soon he would browse
upon his laurels. The authors, who are under
stood tn be now about to do the browsing, ap-
plauded this vigorously.
DIR. BRIGGS HErERopoxY.
The New York presbytery Oh Monday took
important preliminary action in the case of Dr.
c. A. Briggs, the famous Union Theological
Seminary professor. whose recent utterances
have so agitated and alarmed the more conser-
vative element in the Presbyterian church.
The resolutions then adopted were couched in
the language of inquiry and seek information
simply; at the same time this is recognized by
all as merely "a reconnaissance in force" I'm
doubtedly the question of Prot Briggs ortho-
doXy will form one of the most exciting and
prominent features Of the coming general as
sembly Of the Presbyterian church. which holds
Its session In Detroit in the latter part OF May.
Prof. Briggs was not present at the meeting Of
the New York presbytery Oh Monday owing to
illness, but he is thoroughly alive to the nature
of the proceedings against him and is in a very
combative mood. He will be backed up more
over. Loyalty by the faculty of the seminary who
have ecently honored him by special promo
ton He has been very appropriately selected
as one of the delegates to tie general assembly
and so will be on hand to meet his critics in case
as now seemsinevitabe, there shall be debate at
the assembly. The most fundamental questions
are involved in the discussion, and many pres
byteries are very nervous over the prospect.
| No one is disposed to attack the learning or
the piety of DIR. Briggs, who is very widely
known and admired in the church. but GER
| tainly there is reasonable ground for question
| ing whether his attitude toward the accepted
Interpretation Of the Scriptures is compatible
with the Office OF an authoritative instructor in
a Presbyterian theological school. As it hap
pens, Prof. Briggs new professorship-that of
| biblical theology-is the one of all others where
unorthodox views would be regarded by most
people as dangerous.
A POOR SPRING FOR HEALTK.
Just now the city is rather anxious about its
health. The grip has proved to be a very seri-
Gus infection, and the totals keep up to an
alarming point in spite of the soft, bland at
mosphere Of the past few days. Even more
serious has been the outcropping in various
localities of the dreaded spotted typhus or ship
fever. So far as can be traced all these cases
originated IN Hamburg, which We judge must
be pretty dirty place. A number of cases have
been reported and the public have been ex-
posed to degree which makes general cpl
demlc possible; however, it is not thought that
the disease will get much of foothold The
grip itself seems to be developing more and
more acute symptoms in some cases. Not sat-
istied with inducing suicide, the latest report is
that IL led one man to murder his wife. Just
what a jury will make of the disease remains to
be seem
THE CRIME OF BEING KICKED DOWN STAIRS
When the indignant Mr.. Pickwick visited the
office Of Dobson Fogg, it will be remembered
that the distinguished savant had his temper
| considerably rutied by the speech and behavior
| of Mr.. Fogg, and went so far as to address to
him harsh and threatening language, where
upon the willy Fogg, after calling two clerks to
the bottom OF the stairs witnesses, proceeded
| in the most irritating manner to suggest to his
| angry visitor that perhaps he would like to
abuse him further, call him a thief and use
actual violence; and we are told that Mr.. Pick
| wick might have resorted to this extremity but
| for the prudence of Mr.. Weller, who saved him
from himself. No doubt Dobson 4 Fogg could
/ nave maue their Nlsllor pay dearly Tor any hos
tile demonstration be might have made, but we do
things very differently sometimes in New York
| One day this week an angry individual kicked
a man down stairs. and instead of the victim
getting heavy damages the man who assaulted
/ his visitor had him arrested and heavily fined
for disorderly conduct
METROPOLITAN NOTES
Blaine's correspondence with Rudini meets
with universal approval here 1t is thought to
be Enthusiastically shrewd and apt There is
some wonder expressed as to what Italy will do,
but no apprehension is felt at the future
| Secretary Foster 6 visit here il closely watched
| by politicians and merchants and is generally
| thought to be Of an important bearing on GUS
tom house and banking arrangements.
| New Workers breathed a sigh of relief on
learning that the state legislature is to adjourn
on the 30th Of this month. 1t is amusing, or
would be If it were not so humiliating, what
| terror decent people feel for our lawmakers at
Albany. This year they have been more than
usually obstreperous, and but for prompt and
| vigorous action they would have passed num-
| Der of infamous measures.
| Stanleys departure for Europe was in strik-
| ing contrast, for spectacular effects, with his
entry. He took away with him SllO goo in
good American legal tender. but it cannot be
said that he departs with added reputation
| He swung around the circle as a lecturer. ac-
| cordlng to program, but he was a sad disap-
pointment as a speaker, though the box-office
receipts held up very well to the end. He has
not been at all well, and has, perhaps from
1 Ea,,