Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-10-28
Ahan, rhentrc..

advertisement, lilo presented papef,s
aud showed copy Of Yankee Robin
sons "Atheneum," a aor, OF one horse
psrambulatIng theatre. which has been
going through the country performing
plays and lottery drawings. II Is under
the control Of, sas tho published adyer-
,sement properly terms him. "the Noro'
RIoua Yankee Robinson" and designs
honorIng our County with series Of per-
iormances. We at once declined Inser-
ting the advertisement at any price,
We considered the whole tendency Of
such establishments as pernleous and
only evil, and no price could atone for
the crImlnallty Of giving them laid or
comfort" This Ia our doctrine. The
Editor or publisher Of paper Is not ex-
empt from the ordinary laws OF moral
ity. He cannot discover tho Editor
from the man, aud hence cannot with )ut
sin, favorably notice anything he be-
lieves TO be wrong. Others must decide
this question for themselves this Is our
opinion, and by il we will abide. We
will thereby lose some profitable jobs,
but we will retain calm conscience.
Now having demonstrated, that wo
are honest in our opposition, and virtu-
ally paying at advertising rates for ex-
pressing these views, will our readers
hear patiently our opinion of the NOR
atty Of such Establishments!
We are aware that the stage is claim
ed as teacher Of good morals. We
need not argue what il may in time to
come; il never has been. In the early
days of the drama women were interdc-
ted from attendance. And the ground Of
the interdict was that their morals were
endangered, their purity fearfully per-
riled by attending. The early French
drama was, il possible more proiane and
libidinous than the Greek. The dramas
of Lodelle and Hardi demonstrate this.
II is true there was some refinement UNI
der the reign Of Racine, Corneille Mo-
liere and Crebilou, but still the most Ii
centious sentiments have ever character
lied the French theatre.
In the early days Of the English Ora
ma, the bowl and dagger were the most
honored instruments. The taste cultiva-
ted may be shown by the following coup
let from the"courageous Turk"
"Ifthis first part ,genlles do like you we'll
The second part shall greater murthers tel"
Murder, seduction, drunkenness, riot
and suicide ruled in those days.
Shakespeare elevated the character of
the drama, but he never purged the play
house Of its po'luting and corrupting ac-
compartments. Never! In days
when the Greeks prohibited women from
attending the theatre; when Rotrou in
| troducei naked page in one of his scenes,
} and had him thus holding conversation
; with one of his heroines; when Hardi in :
troduced libidinous embraces on the
stage, then the theatre was immaculate
, purity compared with the theatre now.
1t is acknowledged by all veteran
= managers that the practice of adm lifting
prostitutes to the third tier, VIII ere they
, in unblushing effrontery, watch fol
E their victims, is necessary to the exis
tence of the theatre. Not merely profit.
: able, but NECESSARY. If the theatre
succeeds, the "third tier" must be there
: And the Theatre can not exist unles
the traffic in liquor is connected. Ther'
; must be the place of firing the system
$ with intoxicating draughts, and then the
e Harlot smiles as sweetly as everl
t Now if so virtuous, so pure, why
;, must facilities for two of the most de-
: grading vices which ever cursed human
{ ity or peopIed He'll, be added! Wher
n did virtue forsake the church and tn
l. school-room and place herself in tn
= custody OF Harlots and Whisky sellers
/. The steadfast testimony ofbusiness me
in our cities is, tha,whenever young ma
becomes an attendant oil the Theatre, hi
s ruin is near at hand. He forms vicious hal
# its, contracts debts, becomes dishonest, 1
1t soonventures into open crime. We coul
Is instance cases almost innumerable.-
le 1t needs not. While the adjuncts {
v, theatres are as they arc, ruin follows a
n. a matter of course.
= These strolling theatres have all III
n, evils, and none Of the redeeming qua
s. tiles of large establishments. They pc
at form low, slang pieces. They cater
De vulgar taste. They add, general.
lis Lotteries, dancing, negro songs of doub
5, full morality, and "model artists" e,
i. hibit the symmetry Of the human form.
x Does anybody suppose that perform
10 err of any merit will be connected viii
We one these afIairs' The idea is prepo
~ ferrous. The performer need not thus 3
VI over the land exhibiting his talents
"three dimes" The travelling act,
IL publishes himself as an actor who won
ur get place in theatre he could, b'
ne falling in that, has gone into hipp
~ drome or atheneum, and shows off
IL. 80 cents a sight! He proclaims himst
10 as bogus coin, and unblushingly as
nj people to take known counterfeit, whic
ID" in no sense, has the genuine ring!'
:, Churchill has painted such.
"Then came drum, trumpet, hautboy, 6de
flute,
ch Snuffer, sw eeper, shifter, soldier, mute,
lily Pantomime figures then, are brought
ey view,
&C. Fools hand In hand with fools, 60 two
va two"