Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1849-05-24
The Astor Place Riot.

Opera House, in New York. The pc
culiar elements which entered into the
causes of the outbreak may be learned
from the following
Although the direct cause Of the late
riot grew out of the quarrel between MIR.
Macready and Mr.. Forrest, yet we have
no doubt that the fact that Mr.. Macready
was to play at the Opera House, was an
additional faggot to the flame of revolt.
Forrest had long been the pet of the
bowery boys; his prize plays are suited
to their tastes; and the characters of
Cade, Spartacus, and Metaniora, are to
their minds, the beau ideals of what a
stage hero should be. In each of these
/ plays, Mr.. Forrest appears as the cham
pion Of the masses-as one who is Cypress
ed and ground down by the iron heel of
tyrany and despOtism. These are shades
of character which have ever found rep
resentatives upon the stage, and have ev-
er enlisted the sentiments-and justly
too-of the people in their favor. But
Mr.. Forests prize characters are tinged
with an agrarian spirit, in addition to this
the legitimate effect Of which is to engen
der hatred against the wealthy, instead
of arousing generous emotions and an ell
ovation of mind. His Shaksperian char
acters, however respectable, are not those
with which he is identified in the public
! mind. We have seen him play Macbeth
and Lear to half filed benches; while he
never plays Metamora or Spartacus but
to overlooking houses.
MIR. Macready, on the other hand, is
identified in the public mind as one who
has little sympathy with the masses. He
is an intellectual actor gentleman Of most
fastidious taste, who never plays to win
the applause of the unthinking. There
is frigidity and GOODNESS about his man
ner, which rather repels than courts SYM
pathy. Without following this matter
further, we have only to say, that in or
der to come to philosophical estimate Of
the cause of the late riot, these things
ought to be kept in view.
| We have noticed in the accounts given
of the riot that the cry of some of the
mob, on the night of the riot, was, "tear
down the Opera House. No one is ad-
mitted to that aristocratic concern, unless
he has on good clothes" Another said,
eyes, I bought ticket there once, and
they wouldn't let me in, because l hadn't
on white kids" These casual remarks
show, after all, what formed the chief ell
ement of the mob spirit in New York.
The quarrel between Macready and For
rest, Of itself, was not, in our opinion, suf-
6cient to create the mob. This is also
seen by the fact that Mr.. Macready play
ed very successful engagements in Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans
and other places, since the quarrel COM
menced. An attempt was made to put
him down in Philadelphia, but it proved
unsuccessful, although the mob elements
in that city are as strong as in eny city in
the Union.
| AS regards the city authorities of New
York, we think they are worthy of the
highest praise for their determined stand
in quelling the riot. Weknow that there
are those who will blame them, and who
thing that there was no necessity for the
effusion of blood. We do not believe
however, that the military were ordered
to fire until the turning point was reach
ed, whether the mob or the law were to
rule. When that point is reached there
should be no hesitation or holding back.
A show of fear or want of decision, at
such time, is fatal; and had either been
exhibited on the part of the authorities
who can tell what the result would have
been? If the mob had gained the ascen-
dancy, in their moments of triumph. ex-
cited by phrenzy and passion, many more
lives would in all probability, have been
sacrificed, and much property destroyed.
The arm Of the law would have been pal
sled, and this whole city might have fall
en- into the hands of lawless vagabonds,
headed by such fellows as Walsh and
Rynders. The authority had fearful
responsibility resting upon them, and for
one, we rejoice that they metit like men,
and did their duty like men; and it be-
| Al