The New York Herald Newspaper, February 9, 1875, Page 3

OPENING THE BALL ceiescnene Gimcenennionns Governor Tilden Leads Out Mr. Bryant for the First Democratic “Set.” ALBANY ABLAZE Threescore in Politics to Four- score in Poesy. MINERVA AND THE MUSES. Politics Placed on a Higher Plane--Quail on Toast. A SILVER HAIR FESTIVAL. Platonic Apotheosis of the Bard of ‘“‘Thanatopsis.” ARCADIA COMING AGAIN. Beauty and Manliness at the Heli- conian Fount. WHAT DOES IT MEANP The reception by Governor Tilden and his sister, Mrs. Pelton, in honor of William Cullen Bryant was given last night, and was a great succes: Albany seemed ior a little while to forget its wbaracter as the remote, unfriendly, meian- sholy, slow home of a dull Dutch civil- ization, and- the lamps shone oa fair women and brave men as brilliantly as they might Rave done in capitals more esteemed for gayety hod social splendor, From eight o’clock till the midnight nour tne arge parlors ana rooms, halls na stairways of the Governor’s mansion were thronged with distinguished guests, Music arose with the usual swell,and the dainty preparations of @ superior cuisine aroused many varied sensations, 4 DISTINGUISHED GATHERING, Altogether Albany has not had an occasion so Batisiactory this long time. Many of those Present were persons from distant points And the poet has pecnilar reason to take pride in the honor thus done him by the Governor and bis guests. Hundreas Df the invited sent regrets, but the attendance was suficiently general and varied to make the bathering representative of nearly all the better Nements of American Ife, Beauty never fails at spy gathering in an American city, and, next to whe great metropolis itself, Albany may boast of the charms of its daughters, who on this occasion came to assert tne sympathy of their sex with the elder favorite of the Muses. Law, commerce, education, but, Qbove all, politics, came to honor tho bard. One class of invited guests was con- spicuous by its absence and to this ovation toan sdaitor, few editors came. Perhaps tne editors, ke many others, did not come because they did fot exactly comprehend the purport ot the occa- Mon; they did not know what it meant. WHAT IT MEANT—THEORIES, Speculative people were greatly bothered to Bake out exactly what this event might mean, [tis strange with what persistent impertinence men wilt attribute motives in cases of tnis sort. People wanting in the ordinary graces of human- \ty find 1t dimicult to comprehend so plain a fact ts tnat two gentlemen of the old echool should | take pleasure in meeting one another, and not bo ‘bo selfish a3 to keep it to themselves, but gene- fous enough to call in some gentlemen ofthe new | School, toexhibit to them the instructive spec- sacle that thrifty virtue grows old and wise and fticn and honorable, whatever happens; whether Dne adheres to the same party through many ad- Verses or goes readily over to the otner out of sympathy with the pubiic and its opinions, Unsatisfied with so simple a solution the ingent- ous made a mystery of the case, implied motives and constructed theories, Some said the reception was to celebrate ‘the latest arrival of the venerable poet at the bourne of his earlier political fancies—democracy. This is not the bourne from which no traveller returns, but none will probably return between tnis and the next Presidential election., On tne contrary, many arrivals are looked for, and the tide of po- litical rapid transit is that way. Thereiore, said these theorists, it was thought well to get up a de- Monstration of welcome to one of the highly dis- hngutshed of the early arrivals to encourage others, as the laudlord of a hotel in a once famous Watering place might celebrate returning custom i! @ much-wandering public should come to him again alter years of neglect. Iu this view our bland and gental old Governor was to welcome one of the framers of public opinion with a pigeon Wing and in his soit but sonorous voice give this melody t= Sing a son; ot succet A bottle wil ot rve, platiorins allthe party Knoe! io} jocratic daint! Secured by “siriking lle. ROUSING RIP VAN WINKLE, Another theory was that His Excellency woula Dake a joyous noise on timbrels and harps and irumpets and otuer quasi oosolete instruments to waken with tamiiiar music the much slumbering Rip Van Winkie of this Datch town; to stir Albany Society to remembrance of the good o!d days when & brilliant society inhabite1 these now dull sheds of houses. Hts Excellency is a philosopher, and knows as weil as any man that the Qifference between democracy and its op- ponents 13 not a thin differenca of po» fitical theories, but that whon democracy's foverniug power Is in the hands of the great somservative body of the people whose home isin the Middie States, and that when the opponents bf democracy’s governing power ts In the hands of Witionaries or rozue3, the semi-lunatic dreamers and pediers of New England or the political Jeremy Diddiers of the crude prairie communities. For many years paat the greater part of the fun bas been in Massachusetts, and the Governors there have danced till the gnopowder ran out of the heels of their boots, All the rest has been in those sections of country Whose capitals are Omaha and Duluth. But with the revival of hon- @sty and the reign of @ sobered democracy the social widerness of our little Capital sali bios. som like @ rose, and another age may even forget Its Schuylers and Coldens, and Van Rensselacrs Aud Stayvesants, and the innumerable family of the Vans, POLITICS AND LITERATURE, There was ailsoa theory that the biand old Gov. Vernor, with his cultivared appreciation of litera. tare, had a dim /ancy that the political and the literary powers would move the world with more effect if they paliea together. Gibbon was a @mous censecting link between literature and the police, and why not give Bryant an equally Gistinguished relation to the salient points re- epectively o: literature and politica, Jt ls clear that hitherto literature has been ina great degree on the other mde. Certainiy all the more snowy Uterary elements wave had their heads turnou that way and bave written sentimental nonsense ia support of republicanis and u Tilden belleves that literature is worth ita salt ia tho interest of the democracy wo are monstrously glad to hear it. NONSENSE ADOUT THE PRESIDENCY. Bat the moat taking theory has been that Gov. | Orner Tidea bad conceived this reception as the | Presidency invite them ? NEW YORK HERALD, TUKSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1875.—rkKIPLE SHEET. firat move of a great social and political campaign for the Presidency. Tiss the only theory that we absolutely reject. It ts mere nonsense, Of this the ist of imvited guests 1s saficient ev!- dence, There are all the presidents of our great colleges, How could anybody witn designs on the | He might.better seru- pulousiy conceal that he knew them. There was | President Porter, of Yale; President Eliot, of Har- vara; President Barnard, of Columbia; Drs. Draper, of the University, and Hopkins, of Will- jams, I9it not evident thata man with bis eyes on | the Presidency would have done more wisely to invite any one keeper of a rumshop from a great city than all these men of learning and scholastic weight? Moreover, mone of these men were | there—and this is another evidence that the Presi- dency 1s not in the wind—for their influence is not less than their desire to have influence i» great; and their absence 19, therefore, a delinerate Pression of their several opinions that the Presie dency was not tn the balance, In fact, the Mstof the invited guests includes nearly ail tue good names in the community; and who has heard Jately of President making being in the hands of the wise or witty, the learned or up- right, or the men who are a credit to the age t Prominent in the list of invited guests were all the New York editors and a large number of those of the more respectavic villages, like Spring- fleld and Chicago. Then inthe number of the in- vited guests were David Dudiey Field and Oyrus Field, F. B, Blair and Montgomery Blair, Jeremiah Black, Charles Francis Adams, Dion Boucicauit aod John Brougham. None of these men are of the slightest possible consequence io any Prest- dential game, and the fact that they were invited is suMictent evidence of the rectitude and inno- concy of the Governor’s intentions, Even Mr. Baucrolt was invited. He sent the following re- Tite ite No. 1,623 H STREET, WASHINGTON, D. Cn} Feb. 6, 1875—10 A. M. My DEAR GOVERNOR TILDEN—Your most welcome invitation for Monday next has this moment reached me. It brings baek to my mind the happy days when | first became acquainted with you ana drew closer the ties of friendstup with Bryant. Temain true to the creed of that epoch, and though Icannot tielp you in receiving your guest at the time appointed, 1 shall rejoice in everything you are abie to do tO promote our early return to the only constitutional currency, and to returo the benefits of self-government to every State in the Union. Ever very faitniully, your friend of olden time, GEORGE BANCROFT. By whicn it may be seen that George 1s a demo- crat already, has nis opinions on the subject of Louisiana, and believes that the Guvernor and his guest have intentions in regard to the finances. An exceedingly large number of persons sent letters of regret. ABRIVAL OF MR, BRYANT IN ALBANY. The distinguished poet arrived in Albany Satur. day aiternoon. He was aged three months past eighty years, but the severe winter weather did not affect him, and he was seen next day walking the Streets of Albany, bis slender frame; straight, smallish figure; solid tread (as of one used to being and thinking much alone) ana large and bearded head, with keen eyes shining out of it, attracting attention, though few strangers identified this hale and wintry old gentleman with the poet of the seasons and of pantneiam. A general belief has existed, derived from his portraits and tne Mosaic, or rather Buonarotti, style of his large head, that Mr. Bryant is @ towering man, not under six feet— ———A man of giant frame, Amid the gathering maltitude, That shrank to hear nis name. Just the contrary was the feeling of many Alba nians, who bad seen less of Mr. Bryant than of any living New York editor of advanced years, He has not been in the habit of enforcing his editorial and political views by personal presence, being singularly iudiferent aud ccld to masses of men and fond of silence, abstraction, ana, sotto voce, selfcommunion. His liie haa been in great part passed in his own company, in country places or in acity residence little known to the crowds of men, and still he is not @ mere mirror of man, but at times a fervid opponent and commonplace ma- terialist, pertinacious jor a form of policy as jor a principle of action. Walking last Sunday afternoon in the frigid Albany air back from Dr. Upson’s church, where he had proceeded in a carriage, Mr. Bryant was chiefly recognized by his company. Everybody knew the smail, flexiole, ola-faced, boyish Gov- ernor and reasoned out Bryant from Tilden’s asso. ciation. Mr. Bryant was. accompanied to Albany by his daughter and niece. The Governor did not meet him at the depot, but sent Mr. W. H. Pelton to es- cort him tothe mansion on Eagle street. There arrangements were provided ior him to spend as much of this week as he cared to withdraw from bis usual duties. {t was a good way back to go tothe nativity of | this hoar, hale poet siace his birthday in Washing- ton’s second term of the Presidency. He wrote “yhanatopsis” in Madison’s administration, almost | by the light of the Gres of the second war | with England. Beginning life a Jeflersonian democrat, he stood by that party as it was under- stood in the North, until the defeat of his friend, Van Buren, in 1240, impelled all that wing of the democracy against the Calnoun school, and now he has apparently survived the career of the re- pubiican party, which he has generally supported. Free trade he has never abandoned—scarcely re- | laxed his hold upon it as the most important of political principles through his long life, And yet his imperturbaoility, the few persons he gave his confidence to, his rejection of personalities because he had so lew personal relations to illustrate, and bis nearly impersonal career ex- cept asa poetand an author, have brought him up almost to the centenniat year of ourindepen- dence as individual and almost as obscure as when he began the century. The Governor’s organ at the capital was atsome pains, this morning, to say why Mr. Bryant was thus exceptiopally honored. it was not merely a8 “the poet,” nor “as one edu- cated to the Jaw,” nor jor his “general culture,” bis “practical poilanthropy,” “genial, searching and joity philosophy,” acious political economy,” “comprehensive and upright states- Mansnip,’”’ and “impressive oratory,” nor for his “Journaism,’? nor ior the tradition that he with Silas Wright had been & guest at the fireside of Elam Tilden, the Governor’s father, it was for | luis pre-eminence in all these combined, the nobility of character thus concentrated. A POETICAL REMINISCENCE, Among the ladies of Aloany who was compli- mented by the poet’s appearance, and who made it the occasion of reviving @ bit of poetry on his four score, was one who boarded with his niece nearly thirty years ago, and assisted the niece to compose @ picture of Uncie Bryant sitting in his gown and slippers, and smoking his pipe. Ina part Of this littic sketch we can see the Bryant of the age of flity-tnree :— My uncie he sat tn chair ith his Sowing locks of showy hair; His Indian gown was ol richest hue, And his dveams—O, [ wien their spell T know; it and his pas coun his on ng Ineerse ‘Tis no wonder his dreains were fine ang ir For his pipe was of umber and froth of the Of the foaim of the se ale had Ant the sea bird's t Like the angei of sleep, 4 beg he jh waecr hi f nd Taaw, as the light of his eve grow aim, tive the ange: had tastened it+ Sion on him. He dia but, 'twas plain to sce, Was as cep by man couid bi Silent T watched, and Tthouvht hs dr And of pieasant things, Jor to me it se ‘That t saw aasmile o'er his features play, him tay, ‘Through the misty wreaths that arou Aynade no xound, and tmoved about isn eatlke tread tll yok Ing hed hi is pire iuuh eas With mu ; Jraself as he rabbed his even TUE RECEPTION, On the way tothe reception there was all the | excitement ofa winter's nignt, The streets were filled with Albany covered sleighs of all sizes, from the small Rockaway cutter to the great barouctie sleigh, and the jingiing belis ied th ‘anger out Of the thoroughia:e of the capitai to the quiet and suburban pare of the town, where, with his sister and ver Jamily, our bachelor Governor maintains an clegant republican home, The square, Old-lashioned edifice, jon in the rear, recentiy Modernized by the addition of a turee story bay running up to pavilions on the flanks, and oetween the mansion isa large | Porti.o aud porte-cochere, rivaling that of the | White House veranda, extendiug along bota | vides of the hou ‘vhe whole dwelling was | thrown open and brilliantiy liguted. A park of | young trees surrounding tne house redected | the lights upon a lawn of snow. Tne sleighs dashed up the side lawn, passed under the porte-cochere and dropped their | passengers at the side of the mansion, retiring by making a circuit of tne house. ‘The lower part of the house, consisting of two saloons, with an ex- tension dining room appended to one of them, and two large halls, were thrown together in the main hall, On the upper floor were stationea some picces of music. The repast was wet out im elegant style im the ex- tension room attached to tne saloon Where Mr. Bryant and party received. Tne author of “Thanatopsis” stood between Governor iden and his sister, Mrs, Pelton. Miss Bryant, the poet’s maiden daughter, and Miss Fairchild, bis | Miece, stood next, Mrs. Pelton was assisted by the ladies of the house—Miss * Dickerson, the afianced of the Governor’s nephew, Miss iilden and Miss McChain, The character of the reception was simple and unos- teptatious, as if Mr. Bryant himself had been consulted in the preparation of it, The walls were huog witn engravings and paintings proiusely, a3 the taste of the ordinary inmates of the house had Placed them, Nothing indicated an occasion of more consequence than a plain citizen party, ex- cept the richly-dreased staf officers in their uniform of blue and gold lace, with epaulets and swords. Mr. Bryant stood ali the evening and affably exchanged sententious remarks with the successive arrivals. Toone o! the earliest guests, who congratulated nim on his hale and goodly years, he repiied:— A CALM CAREER, “Yes, [have had a pretty long career, with no sorrow and very little work.” When the main saloons were crowded—the floral ornaments, elegant reireshment table, moving shoulders and heads, dres and soft chandelier iamps among the paintings—a spectacle was offered pleasimg and brilliant in uny association; and when coilected around the venerable beard and cool, intellectual head o1 Mr. Bryant, it sug- gested the celebrated theme for the painter of Franklin at the voluptuous court of Louis XVL. HOW THE POET LOOKED. Calm, penetrating, philosophic, thoughtful, any- thing but radiant, the poet who never knew pathos and spoke very little sentiment looked to be some quiet waytarer who had been brought into these Mluminated saloons under tne impression that he was a troubadour or abard. Mr. Bryant had a ready answer for every suggestion, but not a word more than made the answer. If anybody sug- gested a reminiscence to him he keenly inavired the time and place and was never off nis guard. REMINISCENCES, “Were yoo much in Albany in former days to aflect politics or look after she principles you ad- vooated?” asked one, “Not much,” said Mr. Bryant, ‘I recall one time Icame up to see Mr. Van Buren while he was Governor.” THE GOVERNOR, Governor Tilden has not been in very good health or spirits tor some time; he looked clean and chirpy, but he said very little, and was not lively at moving to and fro among the guests, Mr. Bryant leit nis position about ten o'clock and retired leas fatigued than his nosts, THE PRESS, Considering the literary character of the ben- eficiary very few of his own craft were present. None of the New York editors came totime. Mr. Purcell, of the Rochester Union; Mr. Warren, of the Buffalo Courier, and Mr. Barnes, of the Brooklyn Argus, were the only contem- porary proprietors visible. There were no professional nor learned men, except the Al- bany sculptor, Palmer, a notable looking gentle. man, accompanied by his daughter, and Professor Anderson, of the Rochester University. THE LADIES were often observed for beauty, and opinion differed among strangers as to whether Miss Evarts, daughter of the New York advocate, or the fine blonde daughter of the Speaker of the Assembly, McGuire, or the petite and bril- liant daughter of Judge Church carried off the award of comeliness, The dresses were almost uniformly tasteful, without. being, except in afew cases, very novel. The Spanish ladies Were most admired in their toilets, their importea ornaments and elaborateness making the Knicker- bocker belles look on with misery and envy. THE COLLATION was well served, and the dishes were in some cases richly dressed, but no allusion was made in the titles of any of them upon the bill of fare to the poet or his compositions, Tea, coffee, choco- late and punch were served. A temperance flavor Teignead in the saioon, and imparted an air of suave intellectuality to the com- pany. The Governor's cook was formerly cook to the Emperor of Brazil, and all the disnes were prepared in the house. The beauty of many of the effigies crowded the supper room before the eatables were partaken of; the large dishes were very iantastic, and olten ludic- rous in thelr arrangement of armed !obsters, Tiding a-tilt upon ice boats; standing cakes of dolphins of sugar were angled for by grifins of chocolate, and manya slender and unrapacious disciple of the poet regretted when the appetites of the more buxom patroon beiles cried havoc and let loose the dogs of war, there was nothing that became this supper like the eating of it, THE KNICKERBOCKER SPIRIT, Then, indeed, might be seen the spirit of Petras | Stuyvesant and the appetites of his progeny of warilors. The entire three pages of Van Sweasin- gens and Van Vechtens, Van Dams ana Vana Pelts, appeared to have walked out of the Albany Direc- tory and set down to besiege the diide farcie- saumon and quartier de chevreull, finer colleo- tion of pink complexions, biue eyes, rotund shoul- ders and stout arms have not been seen out of | the pages of Washtngton Irving. The dance had its attractions, bat tne lighted space wedged every body in some mysterious way back irto the dining room, and there tne laughter was | loudest and the conversation fondest, TRE GOVERNOR'S SATISFACTION, Governor Tilden sald, a few minutes after Mr. Bryant departed to his chamber:—‘ feel more than gratified with the manner my iriencs have responded to-night. Iowed this to Mr. Bryant, and he has been pleased to the bottom of his heart.’ Then turaing to Governor Seymour, Governor Tilden said:—‘Governor Seymour, you are better adapted for this social than I am. You ought to preside in this mansion to-night in- stead of me.” “No,” answered seymour, ‘I shall go on farming, Tilden.” Governor Seymour wore a Cardigan jacket an- der his vest, The entire number of persons who atrended the reception wis about five hundrod, THE PRESENTATION OF FLOWERS. The floral ornaments were elaborate, and were divectly presented to Mr, Bryant. Henry Rica- mond sent him @ superb pagoda of towers, A magnificent barp in immorteles was the ght of the Pelton amily, The flowers were bauxed up ander one of the mir- Tors, composed of proiu were twined sround the from tne trescoed ceiling. Mra Pelton, sister of the Governor, {8 @ midale-uged lady, with @ good de character and amiability in her face, She wore & dark velvet robe and stood with a bouquet in her hand, She bore a decided resemblance to Gov- ernor Tilden, Mr. Bryant's sister, Miss Bryant, 18 @ pleasant and engaging body, below the mediuw size, and in figure resem- bling the poet, her brother. She was dressed in white silk, and inquired of the Albanians uw the weather never grew warmer io these parts. The Governor's nieos, Mise Fatreniid, is a plump and boaming damsel, much coveted ior conversation by ali the gucats and dividing the consideration of the gailants with the fine, laughing blonde, Miss Dickerson, who as- sisted her. Miss Fairchild woro a wuite robe of satin; Miss Dickerson, @ tasteiul blue. CHARACTER OF THE ENTEATAINMENT. The very notable ieatures of this entertainment | were its simplicity and perfect benavior and so- | briety. Toe puaca, Roman puned, Tae tainment were timely, and long before Midnight thé RKxeoutive Mansion was dark 6 a nunnery, No distinction of politics was made. It was the pret and mov the polidcian «whe presided im spirit at this wioresaid, was mereiy houra of the @1 Jaurel and bay, which | pillars and = draped | the | of | gathering, an? the whole was in keeping with the proprieties of a@ provincial capital and the plain burgher iife of the ola Fort Orange folk, Nota touch of shoddy was palpable to the most censorious critic. THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND PARTY. Prominent at the reception was Lieutenant Gov- ernor Dorsheimer, of Buffalo, the handsome man of the administration. His large Anglo-Norman | Qgure, youtn, ox-eyes full of reflection and fun, and ripe colors were not reduced by tue prema- ture baldness of his large, square, easily poised head, in which there was something of a Decatur. Dorsheimer is littie rising forty years of age. He is @ marked man anywhere, from his carriage, natural pride, quick appreciation of the good in others and bonhomraie, He had a long spell of 1l- ness before he reappeared 1M politics, and this mel- lowed the nature which honors and responsibility could not tame. Since De Wit: Clinton there has been no more buoyant and agreeable figure in our State. He wears thin black side whiskers, a black mustache, biack hair and has massive shoulders, He 1s a good deal of a ladies’ mau, At mis side is his wile, formeriy Miss Patchen, the widow of a Buffalo banker, a sweet-faced, re- fined lady of medium height, recently purified by the.grief of losing their only child, a daughter. This little girl was a favorite at Carlsruhe from the family of the Grand Duke to the fancy of the way- side artists, whose partiality has preserved her portrait. Her loss has made our Lieutenant Gov- ernor @ childiess man, while the Governor is & bachelor, redundant in nephews and nieces. At the Lieutenant Governor's elbow we see Mrs. Sprague, of Butfalo, and Mr. Joseph Warren, the democratic manager of the western end of the State. There, also, is Harry Richmond, son of the great Dean Richmond, whose fondness for public life keeps him much of the time at Albany. The Lieutenant Governor is in an affable mood and iresh as a lark for one not a chicken in politics, HIC JACET LIB. REY. “This, Mr. Dorsheimer, 13 what remains of the liberal republican movement *” “Weil, yes,” said the Lieutenant Governor, good Maturedly. ‘The possibilities of the liberal repub- lican Movement of 1872 were allowed to go by. I think they logically led to the democratic party, and Governor Tilden gave his support to that theory.” autumn, and ne was nominated without concers of action to conciltate, the democrats of Western New York, Mr. Tilden readily concurring, “What is the political or other motive to this reception, sir’? “A general motive, I think,” said Mr. Dors- hemmer. ‘Governor Tilden is a very liberal demo- crat and an old friend of Mr. Bryant. He appre clates the good poet’s abnegation of office through a very long life, in the course of which he has been delicately tendered foreign missions and, indeed, might have had almost anything. It is proper tnat the State of New York should greet a great citigen’s jour score with this compliment. We want a@ tone for the democracy of the future, such as it had in the days when James Kirke Paulaing, George Bancroit, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Wash- ington Irving were honored by democratic Presi- dents with official position. The republicans, supported by the literary professors generally, bave not been slow to repel men like Motley and to go past men of intellect on almost every occa- sion jor the benefit of very common party ma- terial.” THE CENTURY CLUB. It may be saidtnat the Century Club of New York was particularly honored at this reception. Lientemant Governor Dorsheimer is a member of the club, end Mr, Bryant is its President. Itis said that no member of the club has previously had equal political and semi-political honors, “Do you know, Mr. Doreheimer, whetner any Legislature or oficial body in America has ever extended, without other occasion than length of years, areception in the capital toa literary man?” “I think not. Ihad made up my mind to refer to that fact im my address at the State Senate to- morrow. This event has no great significance. It 19 Mutual respect. At Washiiieton city the literary people and editors are let of the receptions, as we hear. Now Albany is at tne present time the national capital of the demucratic party, It suits the Governor, who is a man of cul- ture, to see Mr, Bryant honored by the Empire avov contemplation of a social pleasantry where the elected rulers honor tho best citizens.” ARCADIANISMS. Mr. Joseph Warren also expressed the idea that the reception of Bryant by Tilden was an invita- tion through Mr. Bryant's personality, to all the | people of the State to assist in litting up the plane | of politics from the mere resentment of issues to | appreciation of the best product of a republic, a | Righ-minded and useful citizen, who had succes- sively espoused two or three parties without aban- doning bis underlying political views. Mr. Dorsueimer also said:—“Governor Tilden favored admitting the liberal republicans to the democratic reunion when I was put on the ticket wita him. He now does equal courtesy to those republicans who would not accept Greeley, al- though republicans, and advocated Grant in- Btead.”” Senators A. P. Laning and John A. King, the two “end men” of the State Senate, representing re- spectively Montauk Point and Balfalo city, stalk around, dissimilar but homogeneous; they live 400 odd miles apart; the constituents of the one go to bed by Biock Island light, of the other by the roar of Niagara. THE BALL. A ball was given by the Young Men’s Association of Albany the nignt of tue reception, irrelevant to the poet’s reception at tne Governor’s mansion; but nevertheless very many of the merrier people leit the reception to attend tie dance, among them a part of the Governor's staff in uniform, The ball was at Martin’s Hall. It opened at nine o'clock and was at its life just aiter midnight. The day before Mr. Bryant arrived im Albany Governor Tilden restored a man to the citizenship | he bad forfeited and pardoned three others, GASTON’S OPPOSITION RECEPTION. Not to be behind Governor Tilden in pubiicity at this tmportant political juncture Governor Gas- reception at Abbey Lodge, the residence of Colo- nel Lathers, during the Saratoza season, and Gov- ernor Tilden 18 one of the invited guests. There are now entered for tne great Derby of 1876 Gov- ernors Tilden, Gaston, Hendricks, Allen and Bootn. Prosidential is the new method, THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD DIS- ASTER. Coroner Hicks, of Hempstead, yesterday held an inquest regarding the deaths of the railroad en- | ployés killed on the Hempstead brancn of the Southern Long Island Railroaa on Wednesday night last. He was assisted by District Attorney jamin W. Downing, who questioned the wit. t Superintende’ J. Barr, who was on t the time of the accident, narrated the Circumstances substantiaily as they have already been detailed in the HBRALD. He had taken | engine with one car aud a number of employés over the road from Vasey Stream to Hempstead, In consequence ol warnings tuat the track had beeu Wasned. He and Ihorpe, the roadmaster, waiked most of the way in advance Oo! tne trata, and found the trace apparently After reach+ | | ing Hem; ad the sanie train started to go back over the road to Valley Stream at 8:10, run ning very slow. The condnotor was just about top, When the Cur, whica was iu advance of tne pushing engine, sank with tne track at the for end. ‘The eogine tu turo sunk, and as tho fire struck the er the expio~ sion followed, Several witnesses testified that the food has been unprecedented for many years pulling the bell to past. Some declared they had alwavs considered the pipe which carried the rain water throu be- track too and Mr, Burr thought QO @ regular culvert built ough there Was no stream except aiter Hompstead, testified that the four killed died iu consequence of the explosion, Tue inquest was not concluded when the reporter loit Lempstead last evening, BUSINESS BLOOKADED BY ICE. MONTREAL, Canada, Feb, 8, 1875. ‘The river has fallen considerably, Tne foo in the | Lachine Canal touches bottom, tn consequence of | which 5,000 men re ee by of am ous Of employ | she stoppaa ag the canal show Dr. Frost, of men who we Mr. Dorsheimer ran anead of the ticket last | State. He hopes to raise the level of the party | ctional bickerings and old issues to the | ton, of Massachusetts, is announced to hold a | From the chair Guoernatorial to the chair | 1 | battle scenes were never presented. ; believed that tragedy addressed itself more to the | eye, the power of theses # AMUSEMENTS. THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC. Auber’s charmiug opera “Fra Diavola” at- tracted a large audience last night, and if there was Lo very boisterous exhibition of enthusiasm | there Was @ Constant and geneious approbation extended to the artists, It 18 evident that Eng- lish opera has a strong hold on the pubite, and Miss Kellogg and ner admirabiy organized compan! have done mach to render it popular. The rd: ol Zeriina is not perhaps the most suitable tor the exhibition of the best qualities of Miss Kel- logg’s singing, but her rendition of it last might presented pomts ol excelience very creditable to the American lyric Stage. Miss Kelloge’s method is very ood; her notes are iresh and pure, but thongh they have brillianey, they lack warmth, Her rendering of the song, “On Yonder Rock Kecliuing,”? Was extremely dramatic and effective, but without the sparkling humor with which other artists are stomed to invest it, Mr, Castie achieved qui Qattering success as Fra Diavato, receiving the bonor of a recall for lis singing of the serevade to the second act, “Young Agues, Lovely Flower.” The choruses and cou- certed pieces were well given, the company: de- monstrating clearly the advantages arising from vhe habit of working together, Miss Beaumont sang Very acceptably the dle of Lady Allcasn. “HENRY V.'' AT BOOTH'S THEATRE. The production of Shakespeare’s play of “Henry V."" by Messrs. Jarrett & Palmer, at Booth’s The atre last evening, is the marked event of the present dramatic season, and was weicomed by one of the largest audiences tnat has been seen in any New York theatre tnis season. In this respect it must be ranked with Mr. Boucicault's comedy of the “Shaugnraun,” now in the full tide of its extraordinary career. The “Shaughraun,” as an original comedy, 18 a contribation to our dra- matic literature, while “Henry V.” is @ contribu. tion to our Shakespearean literature, Any enterprise of this Kind deserves the highest en- | couragement, and Messrs. Jarrett & Palmer can- not be too warmly praised for their energy, liver- ality, and, we may say, courage, in presenting this noble playin the manner in which it was performed last evening. While “Henry V.” is among the most brillant of Shakespeare's plays it has never ranked with “King Lear,” “Hamlet,” “Macbeth” or “Othello.” Itisa thoroughly English play, written for an English audience, Its subject is the exaltation of the English name, All the oid prejudices on the part of Englishmen toward the French, the disparage- ment, misunderstanding, the pity and contempt, the singular misapprectation of the true points of Dational character, which marked English liter a- ture even down to the time of Napoleon, are shown by Shakespeare, the play. It is not an historical sketch, an impar- tial, calm estimate of the characters of the men who lived in the time, but a partisan eulogy of an English prince and a fervent appeal to the pride and vanity of nis countrymen. Therefore, what is im every respect a brilaant play, worthy of the author’s supreme and sacred genius, becomes narrowed and limited. This shows that even a shakespeare cannot give full measure to nis genius by partisanship or injustice. The Henry V- of this play is not the Henry V. of bistory. That Prince was a fair type of the later /euaal times— violent, merciless, iree minded, implacable, am- itious, living only for glory and conquest and war, with great ability ior command and ad- ministration, Me became King at twenty-four and died at thirty-lour. The ecéne of the play was mainly in his twenty-fifth year. Had he lived, his policy; in its splendor, might have anticipated taat of Frederick and Napoleon, for hig aim was to combine Engiand and France under one crown. Whatever may be said of this policy, the manner in which the King pursued it wanted every element of honor, international comity, and consideration jor the welfare of his own people and of mankind, Therefore, the Hen- ty V. of Shakespeare is not Aimply the exaltation ofa great king, buta@ deification of a prince who sacrificed to ambition and love of conquest the highest qualities of the ruler. “Henry V.” has many attractions as a dramatic work. Some of the scenes are as fine as any in the whole range of Shakespeare’s writings, for humoe a8 well as eloquence. The fourth act, ior instance, embracing the scene between Heury and the gol- diers, when, in disguise, vhe King discusses with them the features of the battle, and the addresa alterward to the army, on the eve of the contest, are among the noblest conceptions of Shakespsare’s genius. The fith act, embracing the wooing of the French Queen by the Knglish King 18 unsurpassed in the delicacy and brightness of itscomedy, This play is also remarkable for its variety of character. We have the remnants of Falstait's time in Nym, Bardolph and Pistol; we have Fiuellen, the Weisiiman, and Macmorris, the irishman, two of the i interesting characters in Shakespeare’s wor! and warriors, although upjnst to the last degre as llustrations of krench character, as portraits are {ull of brightness ant wit. ‘The play, a3 periormed lust evening, closely fol- lows Shakespeare, altnough it of course has been Their 19 nothing fair ia | : while his sketches of the French princes | | amended to suit the exigencies of the modern | stage. 4t Mora with a view to the spectacular and dra- matic points than to tne subtle philosophy o1 the text. The question sometimes has been consid- ered whether Shakespeare really is served vy these “revivals,” iu which the idea of the author 48 overloaded by the scenery and color, pageantry and variegated lignts. Mr, Booth ing his brie: but brilliant admu couid be done, even in the way ‘Hamlet, ‘Romeo and Juillet’? “Hamiet,” ag we remember it, was an extraor- dinary exhibition of the resources of the staxe. Bat this 1s among the plays that do not depend upon stage management. “Henry V.’’ wouia be nothing without pageantry. Its story is war from beginning to ead—war and the triumphs of war. ‘The dium veats from the rising to the tall of the curtain. The leading character 1s a soldier, in the tultliment of soldiecly duties. We have sieges, assaults, retreats aud cumbats in the field, Tnere was nothing im toe hero’s life but war. The question has sometimes arisen whether it iy auvisable to devoie the stage to scenes of actual combat. In the Greek tragedies ‘The Grecks of @ spectacle, with imagioatioa, and the grandeur of the old ideas ‘were so vast that they could not be exhibited on the boards of a mere play house. ‘I'ney addressed the imagination of the playgoer, This was the case in Sbakespeare’s time. ne first words of this play illustrate this:— Can this cockpit hold The vasty flelds of France? Ur may we cram Within this wooden © the very casques ‘That did adright the alr at Agincourt? ¥ Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them Printing their proud hoofs i the receivan hs For tis your thoughts that now must dec! AS @ most ingenious critic observes, “It 1s ce tainly laughable enough that @ handiul of mock Wavriors, in mock armor, wbo take especial cure not to do the slightest injury one to another, should decide the tate of migity kingdoms But the opposite extreme 18 stili much worse. if we in reality succeed in exhibiting the tumult of a great battle, the storming of a fort, and the like, @ manner in any way calculated to deceive the ible impressions 18 so that they render the spectatur incapable bestowing that attention which a poetical wor of art demands, aud thus the csyen ual is sacrificed to the accessory.” Cavalry combats ni succeeded on the siage, and when brought horses into the scene it was in solema isorder of a fight. nied Moearg. Jarrett “Henry V.,” as they present it, addresses not simply the imagination interested in the po Who e@X+ the bloody scenea of war, ‘he prep- aration jor the invasion of Franc xchanye of hostile messages aud the emoarkation of the of ort, pect to a | King and bia forces on bourd an English feet at | and discusses the tortunes | Soutnampton, Southampton Harbor, aod the ueer, quaint old ships which were intrusted with eury and jis tortapes, form the tableau of the firstact. In the second act the scene is changed 1o France, with Charles, the Well Beloved, ou the throne, and dismai days, indeed, iallen upon the Bouroons. ‘The second aot finds t English army at Marfleur, repulsed from tue at- tack Oc the iftrenchments, where the King rushes forward afd makes the famous address be- ginning :— Once more unto the breach, doar friends, once more; Ur close the Wall up with our Knglish dead! This 18 repeated in the fourin scene, showing the siege ol Harfleur and the surrender of the town, In the third act we nave tne bight scene in the Daaphin’s cent, with tne Frenchmen playing at dice and gaming, little dreaming of the morrow. ‘rhe second scene embraces that memorable dias logue, than which Suakesp where the King, in dtsgul @ elias with @ tableau, Or series of tableaux, 1n whit the King is represented fighting with the Fren Duke a’Alengon, The fourth act le episode, which does not belong to the text. It is based upon the narr of an early chronicler, who describes King back in Loodon, », a interior citizens LY an historical met and red . in colored hoods of red Teached the lower thore were inoumerabi: re ating @ 1 ja, urrayed in white, fide ao Bogie Messrs. Jarrett & Palmer have proauced | aowed us, dur- | stration, what | and “Othelio.” His | “There were & company of prophets of venerable holiness, dressed in golden coats and manties and with th-tr beads uncovered and wrapped in gold and crimson," who sung psaims. | also a chorus of “most beantilui virgin girls, eje- gantly attired in white,’ who crowned the king with jaurel, “and a multitude of both sexes along the bridge from one end to the other that scarcely the horsemen could ride through them.” The represenfation of this scene embraces the whole of the jourth act, and although n part of the play. 48 an historical episod» itis of great value. ‘he flith act contains the wooing scene aud tie espousal, with which tableau the play ends, Among Uhe features of the performa was the appearance of certain new actors, Henry, the King, was played by Mr. George Rignoid, Mr. Rignold comes to us from a suceessful career tn the | principal London theatres. He is a young mun witn pleasing leaiures. a iull, round Voice, siugu- Jar distinctness and accuracy in elocution, and will rank among our most cultivatea perforim- ers. 418 readering of the King was admirable in every Way. He never rauted, nor degraded the part by the temptations waich abound in a battle piece. Last evening ne was iaborimy under an iiiness which made tt impossible jor us to see hia real merit. But he achieved an honest aud grate ful success, and it Would not surprise us to see lim one of the most popular actors on the stage. Where be taved Was in the pnilo- sophical scenes, the fine rts of the piay, Pa where the interest rests wholly upon the reading or an expression of the actor. What we commend in Mr. Rignold is the exceeding good taste of his performance—tits geatieness and grace and royal dignity, We shail have to see him lu a more jn dividual part before we cin rate mm at nis true grade. Mr. Thorne made his first appearance as Fluellen, t Weishinan, ‘This minor part Was elevated into what, next to Mr. Rignold, was the success of the evening—an artistic, admirable performance, a revelation in its Way, as showlog tne capacities, of tue Welsh characte) jor comedy, Wuen Mr. Thorue appeared before the curtain in the hospi- talities that came with thefourth act, fe received @ lond, ringing hearty cheer, that stamped Mis success on the New York stage. Mr, Bracone was quaint in the small bit of Jamey, the Scotchman, watle Mr. Warde did ail that he could with Williams, the soldier, and was also called be- fore the curtaiy. Mr. Lattie, as the ser- vant boy, played bis small part neatiy, while Mr. Bishop was fall of bumor and exaggeration a3 = Pistol. Bardolpa, whe has little to do but show his nose and go and be hanged for robbing a church, was well done vy Mr. Leclercq. Of the other male characters there were none especially meritorious and none very bad, except Macmorris, the Irisaman—a most in- genious creation of the auchor, wich im the hands of a good actor could be snade a teature of tne play. Mr. Stuart was reasonably good a3 the Daupuin, but he certainly could do much better, whie Mr. Collier, a3 Mountjoy, the herald, lacked all necessary dignity and reserve, and seemed to tmnk that he was plays ing Macduff. Speaking generally tuese parts were tairiy done and gave a sinoorhness to the play which added !argely to its success, Mrs. Calvert, from Manchester, mate her frat appear. ance az Ruwor and was weil received, Miss Mary Wells, who is an excecdingiy ood actress, made nothtug of Dame Quickly, ana quite rumed by her low comedy, begro-minstrel reading tne exquisite passage describing the death of Fal Misa Henderson was queenty, stately and utitul as the Queen of France, whe Mile, Girardin, as the French princess was naive and winning. Altogether, the revival of “Henry V.” is worthy of the best days of the drama. Mr. Calvert, the maue ager or the Prince’s Theatre, Mane! brought the piay out in Engiand, 4s here superintending the performauce, was called before the curtain and made a neat speech, thanking his American iriends for their kindness. Mr. Palmer received @ similar sumnrons, aod, we presume, would bave made @ speech if the audience had stopped cheering. Asa revival of Shakespeare the play marks an era in the history of the New York stage. LYCEUM THEATRE—‘‘THE NEW MAGDALEN, Mr. Wilkie Collins wrote a very inveresting story, partly foundea on an episode in the Franco German war and partly on “La Dame aux Came. Mas’? of the younger Dumas. This storv has peep dramatized, and the heroine, tha modera Camille, was represented on the metropolitan boards nearly two years ugo by Miss Carlotta LeClercq. ‘This lady presented the same character at the Lyceum Theatre last night. The part calis for dramatic powers of a high order, as Mercy Mere rick 18 one of those stage creations which afford abundant opportunities ior emotioual power, and no actress can expect gain even partial success in it the display of such power. Yet thi important quality was absent last eve! impersonation of the title character b: Clercq. Mercy Merrick in ner hands pro an exceedingly uninteresting person, destitute o the slightest degree of dramatic interest. 1t wat the portraiture of a very comiortadle, unimpres sionadle, self-satisfied and very good looxing “New Magaalen,” who seemed to be the lastin tht world to Gonsent to e@ her luxurious quartert ‘or any Grace Roseberry. Julian Gray is a finely drawn picture ofa modern, Brovklyn-like preachet in the original work. Mr. George Clarke had a Peculiar idea of it last night. He evidently re garded the clerical profeasion as a masquerade and played the part as he would that of a rabye nosed monk at a Liederkranz ball, iss Met payee the part of Lady Jane admirably, and Mr, Valdron that of Horace Holmcroit execrably. Miss tislactory representation of Waldron was a Grace Roseberry. NIBLO'S—“‘SEA OF ICE.” After a considerable interregnum the “Sea of Ice” was reproduced last evening at this theatre. ‘The success of tnis sensational spectacular play in the past rested as wellon the exceptionally fine acentc and mechanical effects tntrodaced as on the acting. The ice had a realistic appearance very pleasant to gaze upon when the weather was warm. The sea was equally real, and the cake of ice on which the Captain’s child (Marie) was saved mizht have been brought up fresn irom the Bast River, 80 Much did it resemble the genaino article. A few of the scenes jast evening were good, especially the tropical one represeuting part of tne coast of Mexico. The tone of the sky wai tropical and the mountain scenery betrayed a toven of fidelity to nature. I'he principal char. a were undertaken by Mr. E. F. thorae ag Carlos, the adventurer, and as the Marquis del Monte (@ Mexican vodieman), and Miss Lily Mc Donald as Louise de Lascours and Ogarita, the w.id flower of Mexico, No very high order of acting was expected by the audience, and as they wio expect little are seldom disappointed, there was | nu cause of complaint. The scenery aims to be | eec \a impressive. The poimts @ critic would be apt to suggest to the stage manager, in order that this well intentioned piay should present no offence in its spectacular part to the artistic eye, are a sprinkling of tas stage with water, so that in the waving up and down of the blae-green cloths that make the heaving ocean no clouds of dust may arise to give @ notion of Harlem jane of a dry summer's aicer- noon, <A little more atiention tu the saape of the leaves on tne Mexican palm tree would destroy the patnfal iilusion that the trees are carriage mops siuck ina bank of green sind. No exces sive lavor is needed to make this “Sea of Ice" quite ag fine as its predecessor. Mr. Thorne actet with his usaal taste, and Mr. Louis Mestayer, a Barabas, the sailor, threw enough of spirit inv bis part to make it interesting. ‘Ine acting of tht rest of the company lacked vitality, and the onl) way of accounting lor it is, that the sea ot 1o2—% much ice ali at once-—threw a chill over the actors It will be Contioued this week. OLYMPIC THEATBE, Cold must be favorable to farcical appreciation fora colder and a more appreciative audieno than was assembled at the Ulympic Theatre las evening it has scarcely been our lot to see. it wa @ curious sight to see people with their overcoat buttonea up close in fits oflaughter at the side splitting comicalities which made up the bill Thi | best features of the entertainment were the Datel | songs of Mr. Gus Willicms ae Sol Smith Russet 1n big lecture upon woima: rigate, which wt commend to the iemale stud Bt of public speaking wisdom, Fredricks, ving ° “globe, revo! difficult fer A e her pretty “trick pony, most gracoiul Mtthe ture, that performed all suris Of dances 1D nt ring erected upon the jensatiou; but when it is considered that ¢1 reely More than a babe, and a very that, her precocious akill will appe: Tulasit is sstonishing. ople who go to te to laugh and be amused arc, nowever, no! jd to view these exhibitions of children froa Aumanitarian point of view, and hence litth Pauline was heartily encored. ‘The audience eu Joyed two and 4 halt noura’ pure fui d every ont who had aot caught @ cold left in tl ‘o1 bumol When the curtain deacended on the last farce. “VOYAGING AROUND THE WORLD.’ A very tatellectual and fasnionable audience as sembied in the lecture room of the courch, corner of Twenty-first street and Fifth avenue, last ever ing, to listen to the lecture of David Dudiey Field on his recent voyagings among strange nd jar of countries, but tne multitude of list rs had to adjourn to the churco. The im terest maniiested in tue eloquent and | give leo turer crowded the aisies after ali the seate were occupied, DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN CANADA, MONTREAL, Fob, 6, 1878, A large fire occurred at Coté St, Paul abont eight o'clock to-nigat, burning the Royal Canadt: | Flour Mills, and for @ time threatening the destruction of te entire ‘The viliage ie Ca 000 in the Royal Canadiaa, sonpen aay