The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR, -7-1 have abstained as long as possible from
obtruding the question of Signor Graziani's engage-
ment on the notice of the public. The time, how-
ever, has now arrived when I feel that my continued
silence might be misconstrued, and I should feel
very greatly obliged if you would permit the fol-
lowing correspondence to be inserted in your paper.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

FREDERICK G YE.

March 22.

Royal Italian Opera, Covent-garden, March 21
. _

" Sir, I see by 'your advertisements that you continue
to announce Signor Giaziani, the baritone singer, as being
engaged at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane.

" The written intimation which I sent you that Signor
Graziani was under contract to me, and the offer which I
made you at our recent interview to allow either yourself
or your legal adviser to inspect this contract, as well as every
document connected with it, ought, I think, to have pre-
vented your. repeating the announcement of Signor Gra-
ziani's name.

" It is my determination, if possible, to prevent the neces-
sity of having recourse to law proceedings, and, with this
view, I beg to make the following proposal :
" I propose that your claims to the services of Signor
Graziani, as well as my own, shall be submitted to arbitra-
tion.

" I will agree that the arbitrator shall be a Queen's coun-
sel, to be chosen by yourself.
"If you object to such an arbitrator, I suggest that we
should request any two of the following gentlemen to decide
between us—viz,, Mr. C. Kean, of the Princess's Theatre ;
Mr. W. Arnold, proprietor of the Lyceum ; Mr. Buckstone,
of the Haymarket ; or Mr. Webster, of the Adelphi ; which
two I will leave to your own choice.
" Should you not approve of either the above tribunals,
I am quite willing to leave the case to the decision of the
gentlemen forming .the committee of management of your
own theatre.

" I beg the favour of an immediate reply, as I conceive it
to be most improper that Signor Graziani's name should
day after day appear in the advertisements of both theatres
—I am, sir,•your, obedient servant,
" E. T. Smith, Esq."

" FREnERICK GYE."

" Theatre Royal, Drury-lane, March 22,

" Sir,—ln reply to yours of the 21st, .1 beg to say I do
not think yOu ought to feel any, surprise at the announce-
ment you complain of, since you well knew from Signor
Graziapi hiiriself that I am warranted in putting forth his
name.

" It is true that on our interview you offered me unre-
stricted inspection of his engagement with you, and which
I have no doubt was binding ; but he contends, and I think
with reason and justice (and, indeed, as I have no doubt
the public will), that your default in fulfilling the terms of
it released him from the further observance of it. Hence
his engagement with me.

" The reference of the matter which it is the object of
your letter to propose, although unobjectionable in point of
personal honour, I cannot accept ; for it is not so much a
question between you and me as between you and the
Signor.

" For my own part, but without the slightest ill-feeling,
I beg to say I shall continue the course I have begun, and
if you think it your interest to appeal to the law, and so in-
volve the consequent publicity of, the grounds which have
guided Signor Graziani in his conduct: towards me, you
must do so, for it is incumbent on me to keep faith with
the public. Hitherto I always have; and hope always shall
—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
" F. Gye, Esq."

" E. T. SMITH."

" Royal Italian Opera, Covent-garden, Marbh 22,

" Sir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your reply to
my letter of yesterday. Your refusal to submit the case of
Signor Graziani's engagement to such a: tribunal as either
of those I proposed to you needs no comment. It is neces-
sary, however, that I should inform you, and, in case you
might have been misled, I hereby give you notice that I
have made no default whatever in fulfilling Signor Gra-
ziani's engagement.

" As to publicity, I can have no objection to that.—
remain, sir, you obedient servant,

" FREDERICK GYE.
" E. T. Smith, Esq., Theatre Royal, Drury-lane."