New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-30

ing lactitious in them; they fIled void in public
amusement which wes beginning to be sensbiy expo
renoed and from their very nauraness, appealed to
the sympathy Of the multitude. Particularly was thus
the case with the younger portion Of our population,
most of whom have grown up TO be men and women
since then. For if the songs were of humorous
character, It was humor Of gushing, positive kind
bostersus fun lust suited to the exuberant nature OF
youth end not without lis effect upon the disabilities OF
the oldest or If the air was saddened one, there was
nahos in IL mournful simplicity, quite as impress
i've az any waves of melody which ever gushed from
the soul of e composer Who has not often observed
the tear of sensbiity moisening the cheek of youth
while listening to the primitive strains of " Uh3e
" Ned"-tbat poor old colcred gentleman, who has
gone "where the good darkics go 7" Alb, those
tears constituted one Of the blessings of that youth,
which has now departed. Sorrow and disappointment
have doubtless weighed heavily upon many heart
since that spring of life passed away with its smles
and tears. We can no longer smile at Lucy Neal,
nor weep at the pathetic story of Uncle Edward"
And In the meantime has there been no change IN
the feelings OF the true orginaors Of this musicthe
negroes themselves Are the great mass OF those
held 20 labor on Southern plantations the same care
less brutaizcd race they were twenty years ago
We believe not Let the Southern traveller of to-day
compare notes with who went over the ground
even ten years ago. and he will find striking change
in the mental charac rstics of this unhappy people
The gay laugh and cheerful song are not heard with
former frequency; there is css of that noisy exuber
ance which not long since regarded as trait in
the African disposition. The old, unineanng compo-
sitons of the plantation have fallen into dsuse and
if they sing now there is memory IN their songs.
Plaintive and SOW, the sad soul Of the slave throws
into his music all that gushing anguish OF spirit which
he dare not otherwise express And yet the careless
reviewer of events observing not the causes or conse
quences, mourns what he terms the decadence OF
national negro minstresy!
The Virginia Minstrels' was the first organized
band of performers that appeared in public. This
comprised the following individuals, who have since
epioyed considerable notoriety in their vocation:
Dan. Emmett, WhitIock, Pelham, Frank Brewer,
f. 2. Christy and George Christy. The Company
afterward changed their appelation to Christy's
Ministries" The frat performance they gave was
in Water.st. Buffalo, 1892 Being very successful in
the new experiment, they Travelled through the West
and South, where George Christy acquired that init
mate knowledge Of negro character which has since
made his performances acceptable 1t was in Lex
ineon, Kentucky, that he first saw the jaw-bone and
bellows accompaniment introduced by juvenile spe-
cnen of the African race, and he was the first who
used these doubtlully melodious Instruments in the
concert-room. f. L. Christy was among the first to
harnonize songs for public performance. We can
well remember when the worldknown ditty OF Lucy
Long made its appearance, and with what success
ts author, night after night informed the audience
that he had