Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-02-13
J.H. MURPHY, Secretary.


The New York ErpreSs in announcing the reap
pearance of Mrs. Coleman Pope on the STAGE has the
following interesting rcmniscence of the great Astor
Place riot in that city, on the occasion OF NlacFeauy
appearance .
1.-THE last time saw her was on the boards OF
the old Astor Place Opera House, under circum
stances of the most exciting and trying character
It was on the night of the mob and massacre which
crew out of The Forrest and Macready feud.-
he writer of this, together with one or two
other gentlemen OF the press, was assigned place
by MIR. VIM. NibIo, behind the curtain. the best
Mace 10 witness the terrible tragedy that was
about to begin The mob were yelling and bowling
without batteing at the doors OF the theatre, as
hesieging hostile garrison within. The boxes,
dress circle and parQuctte were brmu OF the most
ferocious looking rufiaLs ever congregated within the
walls of theatre Some OF them were hacking and
cutting the luxurious cushions, some wrestling with
the police and others making preparations to "dnve
Maoready off the stage " as soon as he would come
on. The tragedy was Macbeth The overture began,
bat music for once had lost its charms TO sootbe the
savage breast The hurricane in the pit and CALLER
les grew wilder and wilder Behind the scenes, looking
through the crevices OF the curtan were Chlppen-
dale and Nbo, and a crowd of others, " look.
ing unutterAbe things" Macready was there too,
pale as DEATH and qulverDg like an aspen-but
calmly avowing bis determination to ''stand his
trial." if he could be assured of the protection of
the authorities when the overt act was committed"
1t was terrible crisis for any man-but lie did not
shrink from it, The overture ceases,the little bell
Dgs,-the crowd falls back to the side scenes, and
the curtain goes updscovering the waired sisters,
shriekng with fear. Their gbberish was but little
Needed lie audience that night did not come TO lis
ten 10 Shakespeare. The distant drum announced the
approach Of Banquo aud The Thane or Cawder. The
mob took the cue and sprang, as If with accord 10
it's teet to Join in the All Hail" CIenched fists knit
bows, scrowlng faces, and the most horrid mpreca
lions, and heard On all hands. Mr. Macrea
dy, in coming from his room for moment, paused
if for breath-on the little narrow staircase lead
ng from his dressing room,-Whispered word
to Mr.. Chippendale,- and then strobe boldly for
ward with proud and Greet form, to the very foot
lights, at the time doffng his noddIng
plumes, and bowIng to the audience amid the whir
nd Of passion ana indignation which seemed to
shake The house to It's centre. ! he play went in
dumb show. Nothing could be heard but the impre-
cations OF The mob, al the occasional falling the
stage OF some missile, intended for Macreadys head.
In this way the first two passed off and it
was at this part of the performance that we first saw
Mrs. Coleman Pope 1t was her turn TO face the
musc,-varied, no., with occasional volley of
stones from the street, shreks of terror from the
witches and supernumeraries, under the stage,-and
of 6 e,' fire. fire. from the errorists in
the auditorium. The lady nervous and pale,-
bus gentlemen assuring her that &C the mob
would respect LADY," and g it only Mr. Ma
cready that excited their fury
/ The storm went on. The scene changed to the
chamber IN the Castle of Inverness, but the Lady
Macbeth reading the letter from her lord, was not
yet there. The Stage vacant. The storm with
out and within grew hoarser and hoaser, and some
OF The rutlans were attempting to mount The stage
10 Netk for Macready, behind the curtain It was
no Time TO parey with fear. Moments lost
would give the mob the advantage, by creating the
impression that there was panic behind the scenes.
Mrs Pope Quilted The anxious group with which she
was surrounded, and appeared before the curtain,
reading the letter from Macbeth. We learned more
OF the philosophy of mobs in that moment, from a
hole through chamber of & Inverness Castle" than
we ever learned since. The storm, all of sudden,
was hushed. The fierce democracie," in the pre-
sence OF woman, we've as gentle as lambs The
maddesl OF them muttered no insult INDUCED no Jest,
even In that hour of free Speech OF unbded license,
that could offend mother or a sister. 1t was as II
an enchantress had suddenly come upon troubled
sea, to still tempest. 1t was Orpheus among the
Furies. And it showed that meT in their wickedest
moment, are never wholly berett OF the better IN
stlDcts Of humanity. Thus encouraged, and no
longer affrighted. Mrs Pope went through her part
IN that Tragedy i'll Real Lile,-~wlhout blenchng or
fateTIng, 10 the end,-remanDg on the stage, even,
after the Scottish army and brave Siward, with ten
thousand men, with the witches, had vanished IN
the air from the scene"
The effect OF this fine description is marred by the
criticism upon the " philosophy of mobs" We were
not aware before that there any philosophy in
MODS, especially the mob graphically described IN
previous paragraph g the ost ferociOus look
ing rufhaDs congregated within the walls OF a
theatre" That such congregation OF unmitigated
backguards respected Mrs. Pope because she was a
woman, is preposerous. Mrs Pope was not Ma
crtady, any of his kith kin. If she had been
we should have seen how much respect mob has
for woman. Napoleon was the best critic of mobs
He mastered their "philoeophy " with wonderful
readiness, He falhomed it with volley of grape and
twelve inches of steel. New York may yet become
the of other mobs, and its journals will help the
cause of law and order by keeping before the people
the Stern ruth that the best philosophy for mobs is
hayonet and ball.
| Important from Nicaragua.
The New York Times of the 5th inst hos the fol-
lowing:
Mr. F. \. Stagera, J. S. mail agent at San Fran.
cisco, no left Greytown on the 22d of January
nfotms that advices had been received there from
Gen Walker 70 the 18th of that month which is eight
or ten days later than previous advices.
He states that the report which reached here some
DAVIS since by elepranh from New Orleans tlat Crou