The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-16
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
ON rHR
Late Occurrences in Astor Place.
Statement of Mr.. M6acreadv.
Mr.. Macready to the Public.

Mr.. Macready to the Public.
II is due 70 the feelings OF Mr.. Macready who can
ot in MS person address the public, after the
hournful at New York that an authentic
katement should be made. from which every right.
hpded man will able judge HON far he respon-
for what has been done would have been prefera
e that such statement should emana re from
New ork well auanted with most the facts and
rho we doubt ut the proper time, would have been
eady to make just representati IN Of them to the
ublic but Mr. Macready has been compelled to leave
hat city, and he is necessarily short time
efore leaving the country, the undersigned have
bought that justice to him as Sell as the duty of hos
Stality, and due regard to public opinion require
hat some citizens of Boston should obtain from Mr.
dacready some particulars With view to their publ
alton The undersigned have accordingly done so,
md submit the following statement of what they be-
ieve to be the facts
Mr. Mscready arrived at New York on Friday, the
nth of April with view Of taking there his farewell
II the American sthge On the evening Of the same
lay, he concluded an engagement with Messrs Hackett
Ind Nibo TO act mt the Astor Place Opera House for
our weeks. crmmc ncing Monday evening, the 7th
f May; and the fact Of his having made this engage
ment was immediately announced in the newspapers,
Ind afterw rds pacarded through the city The space
f days therefore, INTERVIEWED between the public
rennr sof his first p.rformance In this Interval from
Qaareer whatever, and by no channel public or pr
Eate I'D Mr. Macready living at one of the most public
hotels in the city of New York receive any ntimation
hat his reception likely to be unriendly that
ny disturbance would be created at the theatre until
upon the stage in the character OF Macbeth
Monday evening, the 7th Of May.
Mr. George L. Curtis, Of this city, friend of Mr..
acready was ut New iork from the morning of Thurs
day the third Of May until the Of Saturday
he fifth and states that he neither heard from
Alr Macready, with whom he had much conversation
Respecting his professional reception in the country,
nor from any other person, the slightest intimaton
that any disturbance was apprehended AS the APP
plause, however, which greeted Mr. Macready's first
appearance that occasion subsidized his struck
by sounds of another character. which gave him the
irst warning he had received that his reception
ikey to be Ia any respect different from what it had
been at New Orleans or Richmond or Baltimore or at
New York in the month OF October last What followed
lis well known, and requires no repetition.
On the morning of Tuesday, Mr.. Macready informed
lIr Hackett that he considered himself absoved from
Amy engagement, and should not appear again at the
Opera House. and immediately sent to the steamship
merica to have passage taken for England; but he
also took mmcfate measures to print the documents
which he has since published in hope that all excite
ment in the city might be aIlayed.
On the evening Of Tuesday, the sth, the letter Of
persons deeply interested in preserving the Of
the city any persons can be- was presented to Mr.
|mcnt He found on wednesday morning the state of
public opinion to be entirely the side of order, and
|ton Of his assaants he told by persons of the
highest responsibility, in and out Of official station
that there would be no disturbance on second APP
pearance which he ought to regard, or which could
not be checked by the police in its ordinary action
and the press Of the city, almost without exception
severely Of the conduct of his assaants that
he reasoning from his experience of the manfes
tation power of public opinion in similar cases.
|felt at last that he ought to
appear II was his own opinion, however. that the
performance ought to be postponed to Friday
evening" to give time for all excitement to subsde and
with great unanmity, has declared disproved every
charge that has been brought against him.
In this he was overrued by the judgment of those
who to him. that the state Of public opinion
was so entirely the side of order, that delay
long Friday might a relaxation, and give op-
portuny to turbulent spirits again to attempt breaches
Of the peace Under these views Mr. Macready prcpar
ed his answer to MIR. Irving and his associates.
At the rehearsal on Thursday morning, appre-
Fhenson expressed by any to the of
the nights performance, and Mr. Macrcady went to
theatre at nty minutes before six o'clock In the
evening" believing that repetition Of the of
Monday night impossible He had previously
ceived offers from this city of engagements here of
which he could have Immediately availed himself had
he under the made to him. felt 1t
be indispensable duty to the citizens Of New York
to remain.
Mir. Macready did not either directly indirectly,
take any steps whatever to his friends to be pre-
sent at the theatre to encounter in the
position of those hostile to him. except by causing the
doc uments already referred to to be published. He
IMPLY submitted himself to the wishes Of his friends
in their letter. and to his the
duty he owed to the citizens of New York. and in
doing so, the public will judge whether he ought to
carry away with him from this country any other feel
ing than that which every humane man must have,
when he finds his name In any way connected with
dreadful occurrence, however innocent he may have
been. THOS. O. CARY,
CHARLES p. CURTIS,
CHARLES Ii. WARREN,
ROBERT RANTOUL Jr. q
WILLIAM II. PRESCOTT,
GEORGE HIDLIARD.
Bosroy, May IA, 1s40