The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-04
Correspondence Of the Republic.
BosroN, Aug. 81, Is4s.
PUBLIC ADJUSTMENTS.


BosroN, Aug 81, ls49.
PUBLIC ADJUSTMENTS.
A meeting was held in our city yesterday after
noon ''to consider the propriety of organizing an
association that shall have for is object to aid in
giving an elevatng direction TO the diversions of our
citizens generally and especially OF the young and
10 do what il can, occasion may offer, in the way
of liberazing public institutions, and of open
ing to children and Others easy terms, places of
improvement as Libraries, picture galleries,
gymnasiums, baths, and the like A number of
our most respectable clergymen, including repre-
sentatiyes Of the Episcopal, Unitarian Swedenbor-
| gian, and ''orthodox' churches, were in attend
ance at this meeting; and committee of three
persons was appointed to report, in detail, at an
adjourned meeting ON Wednesday next.
| The question to theatres coming up, it
commended that the regulation Of them Jay with the
audience; that if the intelligent and respectable
part of the community abandoned these "minor
schools of morality (for such they might be made,
if they not such already to the attendance of
the uneducated, the vicious, the careless, an in
strument of great moral power, for good or for
evil, was left in hands unworthy to WELD it. A
dangerous thing it is for the better classes to
NIT any such great source Of amusement and in
structon wholly chiefly to the less refined
classes.
The religious objection To amusements dis
posed of us contrary to experience, philosophy and
common "Let not think that the gra-
cious Being, who has made open hearted to
delight, looks with dissatisfaction at enjoy
ment, as hard task master might, who in the
glee of his slaves could only hndrance to their
profitable working. And, with reference to our in
dividual cultivation, may remember that we
not here TO promote incalculable quantities of lac,
physic, or manufactured goods, but TO become men;
not narrow pedants, but wide seeing, mind travelled
men,
1t is certainly time for all civilized communities
to look to the Importance of taking the regulation
of public amusements out of bad incompetent
hands, and placing them in good. 1t is an ausp-
cious fact, (pardon the conceit of the observa-
tion,) that Boston has taken the initiative in this
enterprise, she generally does thoroughly what
she ventures upon. If some one of our wealthy
men, who dying off every month or two and
leaving liberal requests for college. endowments
and such-like objects, would appropriate hand
some sum for the establishment and efficient
duct, under proper restrictions, of good theatre,
which should surpass in its offer OF wholesome and
attractive entertainments, at a cheaper rate, the
vicious and demoralizing dramatic establishments
of large cities, he would do incaculable benefit
to his fellow men by mode hitherto neglected or
summed The theatre, like the press, is potent
either for good for evil. Happy would it be for
communities if both might be exclusively confided
| to worthy hands!
Let it not be inferred, from my remarks, that
Boston is deficient in we'll conducted theatrical
adjustments. II is the only city in the Union,
believe, which vigorously excludes, by municipal
regulations, the nuisance of third tier Ii has four
theatres, which, under the names of the National
Theatre he Roston Museun he Howard Athena
um, and the Beach-street Museum, cater various
ly for the public taste. But it has no one great,
commodious, well ventilated, generously appointed
and independently conducted theatre. Such de-
sideratum cannot be comprised in the way of pri-
vate speculation; for, TO be independent, il must
force the public taste, long perverted into its legt
innate channels. And hope that the next great
bequest that we have here will be " Boston no
tom in behalf of such an establishment as have
suggested.
WAKES AND FUNERALS.
The Irish practice of ,oakng the dead has attract
ed public attention of late, in consequence Of the
pernicous effects exhibited in cholera Many
| instances are named wherein the quick and the
| dead have been made companions, through
the ndulgcnces attendant upon the demoralizing
and semi barbarous custom. The intelligent Irish
are making vigorous effort to induce their coun-
trymen TO reform in this respect; and Father Ma
| thew has, believe lent his influence to the good
cause Another silly custom, against which he
protests, that of expensive funerals, for which the
| Irish notorious. Hardly day passes that
streets not blocked up by long trains of car
riages which the osentation of funeral parade has
brought together. The money annually expended
| unnecessarily in this way would support all the
Irish pauperism in New England. The annoysnces
| produced by these nterminable and constantly re-
curing funerals, in own narrow streets, are
such to produce very irrevercnt frame of mind
among the resident population. The practice is
encouraged by our stable keepers chiefly, whose
| dsinterestedness in the case may certainly be
questioned without any offence To charity.
| There was a little crowd around the Republic at
our Merchants Reading room, yesterday, to read
your very thorough showing-up of the Union, for
its excupaton of Mr. Gillett, Solicitor of the Urea
sury, as standing 'beforc the world with honor UNI
stained and integrity unimpeached," because-be-
what because 1t did not appear that he had
furnished information, which he had no right To
withhold, respecting the dcfalcaton of Mr.. DENLY!
Il generally admitted that you had got the
Union into very tight place; and we arc very
anxious to sec how il will get out OF IL. 90