Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-19
IcoMMrNIcArIp.
COMMUNICATED.
SHALL WE HAVE THRArRr,-l noticed a

lcoMMrNIcArEp.
SHALL We HAVE A THRArRr,-l noticed a
communication signed d. in the Star Of the 18th,
which the writer intended as a reply to one Of
mine, that appeared in your paper few days pre-
viously This latter communication, was the
case with its predecessor, requires no answer, but
as the writer is MISTAKEN think as to the causes
Of having no theatre, il may be well to enquire
what the true ones are, in order to apply the
proper remedy. The hope that some good may
result from the agitation of the subject is another
reason for my trespassing a second time upon the
kindness of yourself and your readers, and have
the authority of no less person than Mr.. John
p. Hale for asserting that all great reforms have
been brought about by agitation This remark
by the by. being the only sensible one contained
in long abolition speech delivered by that gen
tleman in the Senate some years ago
ID. begins by stating that the question, "Wbv
have we no theatre in Washington - was foIIy
answered by writer in Burton's Gentemen's
Magazine no longer ago than the year le3s and he
furnishes an extract giving the various reasons
which deter persons from ATTENDING theatricols
One does not 90 because the theatre is not bette.
warmed, another because il has not a better or
chestra, handsomer drop curtain &c There Is
no force IN such reasoning this in the present
case, or II would apply to other cities of equal
population as well as to Washington; but the
capital city OF the country is the only of sixty
thousand inhabitants which has no theatre, while
DO not suppose that a similar case is to be found
on the continent of Europe.
ID. then gives an extract from a card of Man.
aver Ward, which appeared in 1893 in which
Mr.. w. states that the expenses Of his theatre
and says that the receipts will not cover them !;
and also asserts that public opinion in Washing
ton is opposed to theatricals.
Nineteen years ago such a statement NAV have
been true with regard to the National Theatre
and TO Westinghouse, although do not SUBJ
scribe to the latter portion of it; but il will not
apply TO US now, and TO the kind of Theatre we
want.
ID. continues with another extract stating that
persons come to Washington to advance either
nj anal n
that they have neither the time nor inclination to
spend their evenings at the theatre at least they
think so.
Certainly great many persons who visit WASH
ingOn are politicians and office seekers as office
holders well know but il is a great error to sup
pose that these constitute the majority of orr
visitors, who are rather pleasure kers and such
persons az generally visit seats of government
This is especially the of late. and is becoming
more so every year. But even the Offices see kers
should think, would he apt to leave their hotels
TO seek pleasure at night, after undergoing all the
tolls of he day.
Our writer concludes by stating that "there is
sad lack of information among our fellow citi-
zens, which prCcludes the possibility of a sue
ceSsful season during the short session of Con-
gresS, and as mass we are too prone to the
sensual to accord nltiug support to the intellec-
tual enjoynents of life, &c.
Again, must disagree in toto with d. in the
opinion expressed in this last remark and This
brings me to the gist of my communication. In
my opinion, the great reason why our citizens are
bad patrons of the Theatre is that they prefer
agreeable balls, parties, hops, &c, of which
Washington can boast so large number in the
gay season, and which are not more sensual than
the amuSements of the stage, to poor theatricals
but as mass our citizens are, perhaps, fondcr
and more capable of approaching intellectual
pleasures than those of any other of our cities
and firmly believe that the Legitimate drama -
performed by respectable stock company. and
In theatre of the proper description, would be
well patronized for nine months in the wear In
supporter this would state that whenever we
have had even one frstrate actor, badly sup
ported, the theatre has been crowded. F.
September 18th, le57.
CENTRE MARKET.-Not withstanding the very
unfavorable weather Of last night and this MORN
in, there was a larre attendance of country and