Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-03-03

1 school in this city. which had been well attended
previous to the establishment of the Museum here,
had been deserted since. He asked if it did not
seem little incongruous that the city government
should take extraordinary pains to provide place
of instruction for our YOUTH und then license place
that offers strong temptations to them to desert it.
lit had been said that taverns and bowling alleys had
been deserted since this theatre had been licensed
no great recommendation to it, truly, but If bowling
alleys and averns evils, the board ought u sup
press them all. [Cheers.l II men home from
the theatre, as they did from some of our Lyceum
lectures, bored, and glad get TO bed, it would be
different, but such was not the fact. They came
home excited about darcer's legs, and full Of the
last obscene Jest that had been uttered.
He hoped he had said enough to show that the
renonstrants, though the minority in the meeting,
had the strongest grounds for the position they had
taken,
Mr.. DExTER BARKERrose to correct a mistake
which the gentleman had made in relation to What
he said about iaverns and bowling alleys He hid
not say they were deserted to fill the Museum, but
thathe effect Of s,ppressing places for the exhibition
Of the drama, would be to fill them. He said if the
drama was originated for ignorant men, ii well
known that the noblesl remnants of Greek literature
were her dramas; and that the pioudest efforts of
the English language, were Shakspere's plays. The
drama in Greece and Rome The terror oftyranis.
The oppressors Of those nations always took care TO
abolish the free drama, for fear the noble thoughts
expressed in the theatre, might incite the people 10
assert their freedom In our own day, the lyrant,
Louis Napoleon, dare not permit it to speak cut for
fear that ideas in opposition to his usurpation might
be uttered. The gentleman had alluded to the ex-
posure of dancers legs. He would bid him recolect
the old English motto,-" Evil to him who evil
thinks" [Cheers.l
A. D. FOSTER spoke in favor of the remoa
STRANGE. Ifnothng than shakspere's plays
could be always had there, he would 60 for granting
license, but ii was impossible to have it SO.
DR.. Hull said he would not have spoken on this
question. lest should have been inferred that his
prejudices induced HIM to do SO, if he had been
prepared with facts lay before the board. He had
always believed that pr, vincial theatres had an
immoral tendency, from the fact that they could hot
support the legitimate drauia but he did not wish to
speak without knowledge and experience. He had
been 10 Lowe and had inquired Of mill overseer,
Of physician, and minister at large, what was the
moral effect Of the theatre there, and they had all
declared it was pest At first it was tolerable but
now coarse jokes, and low obscene inuendoes were
uttered there so that refined people would not attend
it. Young girls who had been ruined, and found their
last resling-place in prison, declared the first step
of their ruin 10 have been their first visit to the
theatre.
DWIGHT FOSTER JR., said that it was nee
essary to bring this discussion from the wide
range it had taken, into somewhat narrower
compass. What was the question? A large
number Of respectable citizens come before the
board of Mayor and Aldermen, with petition,
that license be granted for the exhibition of d
certain kind of amusement, in which they fool
interested: and another -hals &c eitiHAns, enter
tanning different views, demonstrate agaia-4 l..
You know, gentlemen, that there can be no liv-
cry stable in this city without you license it.
There can be no tavern, no concert, no place Of
public resort where money is taken, without you
grant licenss to the same. Why have you this
authority? Is it that you may decide, upon your
| individual authority, what particular stable or
tavern, or place of public amusement, to license?
IT is not SO. II is that you may have the power,
| without the tedious process Of an Indictment of
suppressing all such places of amusement as be-
come public nuisances. The law presunes that
| you shall regulate, not suppress, such places.
| The man who applies for license for the Muse
um ought to be treated exactly like the man who
| asks 10 be licensed to give concert No remon-
strant has presumed to take the ground or WILL
am bold to say, take the ground, that this is a
matter necessarily and essentially evil. Then
why condemn 1t because of evils connected with
theatres that have taken place long ago, and far
away, and because it is possible that this too,
may degenerate here? Tried by such an ordeal,
nothing in this world could escape without cor
demnation. Even against the most venerable in
stiiuions, might similar charges be urged with
equal force Individually, and for those under
your guardianship, you may act as you please,
but in acting for the public, you must be governed
differently. The republican rule is the largest
| liberty for all, compatible with the safety of all,
and this is the rule, which in this case you are
called upon to abide by. The argument against
the theatre is exactly the same as that against
cardplaying and dancing. a large and respecta-
bic portion Of our community object to dancing,
and rice versa, but is that sufficient reason why
those who dance should be prevented from enjoy
ing themselves in this way? No, the republic
can rule is, let each take his own path. If there
is large portion ofour citizens who wish this
.n,,,nnnnnnt h., ,,,hat anthn., do M, ,dortnl..,