The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-11
which second administration of Mr.. SWAMI
will inevitably bring upon them and upon the

which second administration of Mr. SWAMI
viii inevitably bring upon them and upon the
city. 81 E
The Rev. Dr. Bellows of New York, was GER
tainy right when he publicly stated that the only
true way to render Theatres respectable, was for
respectable people to patronize them. If dramatic
Representations have immoral tendency, let
the moral portion of the community take the
matter in hand. The Theatre will always be
popular place of amusement and its character will
be determined by the character of those who fire.
quent it. There is, however, certain class of per-
sons who would regard it as highly improper
to be seen at theatre but who have no OBJ
lection to witness the performance of plays else
where. They will go to the 'AIuseum,' or to the
'Lyceum,' or to the ''Athenaum - where PLAYS are
acted, but they will not go TO the Theatre where
plays also acted. What is this but COMFORTING
their conscience with name? Call these places
what in point of fact they really are-Theatres and
numbers whopreviously visited them. would STAY at
home for proprety's sake. A similar aflectation
obtains with respect to horse-races There are tbon
sands who delight in the sport but who would re-
gard it as disrepuable to be seen on a racecourse
Shows to witness the trials of speed between horses
brought there expressly to display their racing or
trottng powers. Yet what is a trial of speed but
race, and what is ring at the Cattle Fair but a
course in miniature? A play is certainly not the
less play, whether it is performed at a Museum
or Theatre nor is there any real difference be-
tween horse-race on a regular course and trial
of speed at some other place. Horse-racing
properly conducted is not only one of the
manifest of pastimes, but has been the means of
so improving the breed of this noble and
useful animal that those of the purest Arabian
blood will not now compare with the
choicest racers of English and American stock
NOR IS TINS to be wondered at, when we consider
the care and attention which has been expended
on their training and muscular DEVELOPMENT
Horse-racing in England is as old as the Saxon
Heptarchy. Nearly nine hundred years ago. HUGn
CAPET, the founder Of the CAPETfAN dynasty in
France, sent to ATHELsTANE, the King of the
Anglo-SaXons, several running horses, with sad
dies and embroidered housings, and brides deco
rated with gold. Two hundred years later, FITz-
STEPHEN, an English monk and historian, recorded
the particulars of horse-race in his day with
the cowl and the tonsure had not deprived him
of his relish for field sports. His description reads
I like leaf from modern Sporting Chronicle
He tells that ''after the match for the race is
'Fmade, the jockies, who know how to manage
''their horses with Judgment, prepare themselves
''for the contest. The grand point is to prevent
competitor from getting before them. The horses
ION their part, are not without emulation They
'tremble, and are impatient, and are continually
''in motion. At last the signal being given tbev
''strike, they devour the course, hurrying along
''with unremitting velocity The iockies, inspired
with the thoughts of applause and the hopes of VIC
tory, clap spurs to their willing horses, brandish
their whpsand cheer them with cries" So wrote
the historian, FITzsTEPHEN, in good monkish Latin,
seven hundred years ago. At little later period
we are told by an old Romancer, that in the edu-
cation of gentleman it is essential he should be
instructed "how to run horses and approve them, :"
and we believe that this has been made part
of the education of English country gentlemen
from remote period to the present day. How
ever this may be, the training and running of
horses has certainly been for many centuries a
favorte sport, not only with the nobility and
gentry OF the mother country, but with the better
class of yeomanry also. 1t was the more popular
holiday sport of Catholic England, and its attrac-
tons were not diminished by the regulations
introduced subsequent to the Reformation. Some
country Mayor first converted the prize to be run
for, from small sum of money into silver bell
and hence we have the old saying-F'to bear away
''the bell;" and hence, also, the origin of the
niece of Dlatn which ctiU forn,, - r,,.1,.l
part of the stakes delivered to the fortunate owner
OF the winning horse. In that country, the sports
OF the Turf, though, perhaps, less attractive on
the whole than they were half q century AGO. are
still graced by the presence of ROYALTY, and draw
their chief support from the noblest members Of
the Aristocracy. The late Lord GEORGE BENTIycK,
was for many years distinguished patron Of the
Turf, and the Earl of DERRY, the present Premier
Is the owner OF the finest racing stud to be
found within the limits of the kingdom That quite
a number of disreputable men have been ut times
connected with this most attractive of pastimes
is nevertheless true and that whatever discredit
has been brought upon it is due to their acts can
not be doubted But so long as horse-racing is
continued and encouraged by meu of honor and
probity, and the annual meetings of Essex and
Goodwood continue to be resorted to by the
wealth and fashion of the land, it will continue to
maintain tS hold upon the popular heart not
outstanding the occasional irregularities to which
it is subject Even here with US, although no
longer regarded with so much favor as it was in
former days, it needs, like the Theatre, but the
presence of the more respectable class of citizens to
elevate it once more into its ancient repute The
passion for horse-racing has existed for nearly a
thousand years, and will continue to prove
attractive at all times, in spite of the adverse
influences that have been brought TO bear
upon it. How much better would it be them if
we threw aside all shams, and made more manly
effort to get rid of the evils which have rendered
the race-course place which many refrain from
visiting, by reason of the bad repute into which it
has fallen, instead of seeking 10 indulge our love
for the sport under the shallow pretex of witness
ing trials ofspeed" at an Agricultural Fair?