The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1857-10-24
THEATRES and Dancing.

The Young men OF Henderson, Texas,
have organized Thespian society, which
receives the encouragement of the Hem
dsrson Democrat We learn from that
paper, that they changed the time Of their
last performance. in order not to conflict
with the Methodist quarterly meeting which
would be going on at the time. l his was
right On Monday night next, the compa-
ny are to play the splendid tragedy OF the
Gamesler The Democrat after ailuding
to the deep feeling that psryades This piece,
says:
The moral Of i, too /. excellent, Those
who are inclined to the opinion tia, It Is
wrong to encourage or attend such exhibl.
tons, il they viii attend Will admit that
such pieces are calculated to do as much
good as any lecture or sermon that eoHld
be preached. 1t portrays IN most truth
iu manner the sad consequences which so
frequently attend the inia,usiing vice OF
gaming. and 1t impresses a most solemn
warning to all.
No one, who has ever witnessed theai'.-
cal exhibitions can doubt the moral effect
Of such pieces AZ tho Galnestet and, II
...s stage was a, all times, made to convey
lessons OF wholesome instruction. 1t would
merit the patronage OF the religious portion
OF the community. Might II not DO made
so under proper encouragement II was
said OF Socrates that, on one occasion,
while he wa. in the theatre, a reprehensible
sentiment MAS uttered by an actor, and tina!
he instantly arose and left the house. The
rebuke was seusbiy felt suppose that
our religious friends were to initiate his en-
ample, and iba, when anything occurred
calculated to oHead public morals, they
were to arise in a body aud leave, would
the efee, no, bo to transform the character
Of tho stage, to destroy its ltcenilonsnes''
order to achieve this desirable result, 1t
would be necessary Tor them to seiec, Lead
ers, AS otherwise many persons would be
Disposed to remain when they ought, in
justice, to leave.
The religious world, particularly Of late
years, have manifested disposition to con
denim the stage ana tina, POPULAR amuse-
ment of tho social circle, dancing, neither
OF whci> II property regulated, Is in itself,
it seem. to us, reprehensible. People will
20 to theatres aud will dance in spite of all
tho preaching in the world, and If these
mean. Of amusement were thrown aside
they would adopt others perhaps equally
as liable to abuse " ouid 1t not be better,
therefore, to regulate than to attemp, to
destroy them We cannot but think 60,
notwithstanding many wiser aud much bets
tor men than We pretend to be, entertain
different opoinion. The stage, with all its
faults, is the only correc, school Of eloeu,
ton we possess, 1t is the only place whore
we hear anything like a correct pronunea>
ton Of the language Every man who has
to appear before the public as speaker
whether as popular orator, pleader he'
fore the courts OF justice, or even q preach
er might learn valuable lessons from the
stage. \ man who is ambitious TO serve
BIZ, county in distinguished positions, or
the LAWYER who desires to be recognized as
talented criminal pleader, endeayors to
acquire all The graces OF oratory aud all
the chatma OF elocution All kaow and
appreciate their effect. l. there any reason
wig these accomplishments should be dis
damned by the pulpit or that our preachers
should discourage their cultivation Who
would strike from our literature, the plays o.
Shakespeare, Addison Sheridan Knowles.
Bulwer, and the hosts Of other writer's who
have contributed so much to our language :
Yet if the stage had not been established,
these plays would never have been written,
And who, although be may condemn the
fashionable dancing Of the day. would deN
stroy entirely the dance, with all the name.
less gracss charms, and destinations which .
impat inspiration and poetry 10 motion
We speak OF the stage anu OF dancing
as they might be made, not as they are
though we doubt whether anything would .
be gained by striking them from the list OF
amusemenis, Notwithstanding tho abuses
which have arisen from yiiialed public
taste.
ELECTIONS ~ MIssIsstrri AND GEoRs
ola The full returns from these two
States have not reached u.s. but there is
enough intelligence received to warrant us