Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-10
A WORK OF BEsEvoLEncE.


fore pleasant fires, in well-furnished apart
ments, arc too apt to reproach the poor with
the charge Of improvdence and vice but they
know little of the temptations surrounding this
class. The New York Post well remarks upon
this subject.
In country like this Astounding in food,
and Offering unlimited demand for labor, pau
perism 10 inexcusable, and there would be next
to none, were it not for intemperance; and one
OF the chief causes Of intemperanoe is the want
OF amusementa for the poor. No man will live
on mere dull, m0n0tonous toll, IL he can help
it. He needs excitement as cattle require salt
All work and no play IS as fatal to the full,
grown Jack as to the boy What amusement
is within the reach of the poor? The richer
classes seem to think there is no occasion for it.
The poor for few cents, can buy q few
minutes Of gaiety and OF hope, and forget the
annoyances and cares of their daily drudgery,
The temptation meets them whithersoever they
turn. To the laborer, weary from his hard
days work, and to the artisan, whoee sedenta.
~ trade has kept him for hours in the ill.ven-
tilated workshop, or, worse still, in his little
unclean room, surrounded by slatternly wife
and whining children, there is but one other
place accessible when they leave their cheer
less lodgings, and that is the bar.rcom He
sees the brilliant gas-light flashing through the
windows, and hears the sound Of merry voices
within. He knows that he can Join the party
Where else can he find light and warmth, or
society! He enters and spends the money
which should 60 to support his family, and be-
comes candidate for panperism"
The Post, however, recommends cheap dra-
matte entertainments as remedy. The
drama, "if properly conducted it says might
be made 1.-The instrument Of great good So
have we always thoaght; but who will point
US to an instance Of its proper conduct Z
We have witnessed plays that did us good; but
we never entered q theatre that did not pre-
sent more Of evil than of good. The Post
says;
lone need only 60 to the National Theatre,
and see the hard listed, fighting, red shifted
rowdy wiping his eyes at the death Of little
Eva, or of Katy, the Hot Corn Girl, to perceive
that, in judcious hands, the drama might be
made to ciyilize and soften the feelings and
this after all, is the better part Of education
of more Importance than the mere teachings
OF school books"
conviction while witnessing such dramas as
"The Rent Day. "The School of Reform SO. ;
but when we have looked around, above, be-
meath, what revulsion has invariably come
over our feelings and how uniformly we have
felt that the experiment Of drama properly
conducted" is thing yet to be made!
The Post recommends" conversation or read
ing rooms" as another means Ia this we full
ly concur. We regarl it as reproach to this
and every city in the Union, that there are not
as many such rooms well-warmed, well-venti-
lated, well-Hghted, and properly conducted"
with their libraries, writing tables, and seats,
as would serve to accommodate all who might
feel disposed to visit them. Were such things
psovided for the description of persons named
by the Post, the fire companies would not be
troubled with the loungers who hang around
their premises; the bar-rooms would not al
lure the listless and unthinking; the vicinities,
Of theatres and other public places would not
be infested with throngs Of idle and vicious
youths acts of incendiarism would be less fire.
quent, crime would soon be abated andDhou-
sands would be redeemed from ruin and
placed on the road to usefulness and distinc-
ton, while every home in the community would
be made more contented and happy.
If any persons choose to try the dramatic
experiment, far be it from us to place a single
obstacle in their way. We do not indeed, be-
lieyc that there is anything necessarily perni-
cious in dramatic entertainments. As an
anu cement, they must certainly be confessed
to be Of the most intellectual character But
their publication appears to be a work Of
difficulty and while they who think it practi-
cable are endeavoring to accomplish il, and TO
make it the instrument of good" we would
most earnestly urge upon the attention Of all
intelligent citizens, who have the means, the
provision Of the accommodations we have here
recommended. Divide off each city into dis
tricts, obtain suitable house in each, admit
every person as regular visitor who will con-
form to and support the necessary regulations,
and then await the results This experiment,
once fairly made our word for it, no backward
steps will be taken
WILLIAM WALKER, PRESIDENT OF Lower
CALIFORNIA - But few days have passed
since our readers perused the remarkable
proclamation Of this gentleman to the people
Of the United States More recent accounts
represent him and his men--his cabinet army
and navy--as being in imminent peril. The
New York Times says Of him
He is a man Of much talent, evidently, and
Of u thorough education, having graduated in
medicine, both here and in Paris, and after
wards passed through course of legal study.
He is said, too to have been remarkably ami
able in his disposition, and, until short time
before falling among 6libusters, lover Of
peace"
Our accounts heretofore received, represent
ed that, on the Sd Of December, Mr.. Walker
and his party made an excursion fom San Di-
ego where they had arrived on the day previ-