New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-19


tune The very lives Of ouch citizens as were sufficiently m
fortunate to cal fonh bis snmadyersion
The GOES back 10 10 remote date tbsi to the gres,
o. mart NJ orr renders no doubt the name Of Mr Fry
,care a,yel ers vague recollection OF the As.o Place
Orera stu! a, that time there strong emo.ohS *
cted controversies and heroic struggle the par OF the
director while the side Of TIE HcraI there was fero
city without parallel which than once called forth
universal cry Of ind gnahon.
This in l7is The Aston place Opera orened under
the auspices Of Sanquco and Pa; proved failure before
the close ofthe fret theatrical Mr. Fry offered
derske the management which had been suddenly inter
rupted. lie accepted and to work with
gy until then Unknown among operadrectors OF the
qualifications % diverse which the ungraeful task de-
msnded he was perhaps deficient in but The prn
cpal lie possessed artistic taste, administrative
nness the respect Of the pabc and above all the
desire Of doing well sustained by experience This
more than at that time could have been demanded or
even expected IN New-iork.
From the Mt OF the season, il was the most
bient that had ever teen in heaters The pub
lie attracted by tie promises which they were sure
would be realised and retained by the payment Of absc
tons in advance that the representations were at once
fully attended Those were the most splendid evenings Of
Astor Place but they shone only with transient light and
were obscured by many clouds
Even before the curtain rose at The first opera Te Hr-
aid had taken position of declared hostility toward the
new management This hostility daily grew more enven-
omd until al length sweed into ferocous aud deadly
anmosy which seemed to gain fresh excitement by the
noise Of it's own attacks became daily assault not
only upon the conduct Of Mr. Fry director Of the opera
but UPON his past history bis reputation his good faith his
capacity his habits oflfe in word upon evoryhin whcl
med him in any degree The dsribes of Mr. Ben
nett passed from bis individual affairs to his surroundings
and then even to the audience the opera Nothing vas
spared or respe,to every morning bis overHoTing col
rained insult every body who dared to sustain the
Aston Iece Opera ether With his pen h influence or his
pure
Tie vindcivc spite which lir Bennett is in the habit Of
using in tic rorvicc Of bis bated IL well known So il his
system Of duly inceaut attacks those who have once
been the objects Of bis animclgo sion When say that
this sJio and this system wore never put in exercise with
more vchmonce and persitsDcy give sufficiently eH
act idoo e lie par taken Tie Hroi during the whole
seofon.
stil not content with blaionns the management, with
accusing Of filing the boxes with notorious characters
beth men and Mr. Bennett everywhere seeking fool
for h wrath made himself the ingaor Of trouble hind
the scenes Mr. Fry had found this in a state Of nsubordi
nation and complete disorder Benedict and ruh regne1
there a. absolute sovereigns they made and unmlde the
Irocramme at pleasure director in earnest could not
put up with such state f things a conflict ensued and
scenes took place. which, thanks to Tie Hsrqd were
noised abroad beyond the thear The public thus called
70 Judge Of tie spute at first justified the director Bat
they soon grew tired of finding sres and outrage where
tey had come for pleasure Their disgust succeeded
by want of confidence in Mr. Fry who was compelled al
last to ice ali his allies withdraw all his friends hesitate aud
all the purses closed before the unceasiug denuncaon of
Mr. Bennett He fell ruined convicted Of ncapacty. and
almost suspected Of fraudulent management
is too much for all this to pay $4,000 damages Thai
the future Of Mr. Fry and the discredi which necessarily
involved were the work Of The Herqd is matter OF CON
mon pooriety What doubt in regard to this can remain
after casting an eye the series Of arcesrn which
poisoned pen emitted on Mr. Fry ridcue od.un, and,
almost infamy, by turns
Asto the cause of this Unsuitable animosiy which did not
cease with the ruin of the so greatly deested manager
WAS mystery to no one before the trial which has
lust closed Mr. Fry had refused to submit TO the petty y
rant of Futonshe had carried his play bills aud pro
granmes to another printing oice-he had even dared to
carry lis Independence far as 10 declare that he would
have nothing TO do with Mr. Bennett Mr. Stslkosch the
p;anis. Soroovd hearing tis oudacious assertion
Mr. Bennett replied lie would soon finish him This ex
preston tells the whole story.
The Hcrad now attempts to connect its with that
Of the whole press 1t appeals to the outraged rights OF
oritioism-to the menacod independence Of joarnalam
But this vancouver viii deceive nobody gain any
It's side Criticism has nothing TO do with the aiarslE
less TO make common cause with defamation.
The most damaging part Of the case fol Mr. Bennett IS
that his condemnation comes not from Jury which he
can fling his old insult of Goldfish arisiocracy but from
jury decidedly mudeup from the people OF the twelve
persons who declared the verdict there were butchers
mikman, painter grocer merchants and2 mechanics
The Indictment consequently cannot be asorbedtO any feel
ing of personal malcei is the voice of the people that has
pronounced il ms II is also the voice of the people which
has ratified IT, The thus becomes more impressive
Mr. Bennett has 70 strongly felt the force of the blow
which has struck him that he has bent his back neither
more nor less than If he had been caned or spit upon
Never was ANYTHING more humble than the article N when
he records the fatal verdict But il is easy to see the
wounded pride and suppressed rage which this affected
humility coyers-he gall drops out from under the ase
honey of his words The snake pretonds to cover but his
venomous head is convusvey raised with siiied hssngs
There is one thing this artcleon which we may remark
in passing Mr. Bennett says that three Frenchmen were
gocured TO impeach the veracy of of the witnesses
on whom lie placed The greatest reliance We viii here give
the names of these three Frenchmonhey are NM Arpin
Iasse and Massoras The witness whose word they said
nust be taken with caution NJ Revolt Our reply
to the tricky and insulting expression OF Mr. Bennett to
mime the persons in question and let the public judge
which side were the witnesses that were procured.
Let no one finally, be nnder any Illusion. All who
have contributed more or less directly to the result OF toe
trial must hereafter expect the unreening hostility OF TIE
Herald The cause is far from being end nor vii! it
ever be So in fact while there remains TO Nh Bennett the
shadow of an appeal or an evasion
ttook four years of ncessan struggle and energy TO 90
tain the present verdict How long will yet take 10 como
TO tie final decision II of little importance after ALL
The cause before the public is gained without appeal That
omnirotence for evil which seemed destined to be the per
neual appanace ofMr James Gordon Bennett destroyed