Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-01-21
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

HE CONCERT. last night, was attenueu" " WV
largest and perhaps tho mestfashionable gu
dienee ever assembling in Warrington on q
similar occasion, except on Jenny Lind sopen-
ing night here some years ago, when hundreds
came from a great distance to hear the Swedish
Queen of Song. 80 81
With the exception of the violin playing by
Mr.. Wollenhaupt, (whom We heard but in his
irst piece the entertainment was a very bril-
liant and successful one That first piece was
not selected with Judgment, and though exc
cuted with skill, its strains fell inharmonicusly
on the ear.
Mile Ghioni proved herself, perhaps, one of
the best second sopranos in tho country-a
singer of fine volume, and much melody of
voice. She, however, lacked that mannerism,
which is the greatest charm of the Prims Donna
of the occasion, the famous Piccolomini.
Mr.. Perring, the English tenor, sang his
scores correctly, with much feeling and in
capital voice Yet his stiffness on the boards
detracts from his merits as an artist in the
minds of those who, not being connoisseurs in
1.-The Divine Art" are more susceptible to
stage tricks on such occasions than to points Of
high art.
SignOr Maggiorotti, the baritone, isevidently
without his equal at this time in this country
in his peculiar walk-as buffO, in comic opera
The rapidly and clearness of his vocalizati ton
Of that most trying score-Largo al Factotum-
from Rossini's never dying "Barber of Sc
ville," we never heard equalled, though we
have heard that score sung by every buffo who
has so far appeared on the boards in this coun-
~, 80 =, 81. H. c..l. u,
ing him to be in all respects finished artist
Piccolomini's selections for the evening were
exceedingly simple, and, as far as we heard
her, their execution was charming, indeed
We doubt whether there ever was in the Uni
ted States an opera singer who was more per-
feet in the art of throwing grace and feeling
into her vocalization. She acts her songs as
no enc else we ever saw was capable of acting
them, if inferior both in power of voice and
capacity for the brilliant execution of very
difficult music. She fairly carries away the
hearts of the mass OF such audiences as greet
her in this country, by storm, as it were. We
are glad to hear that she may be expected TO
sing in opera here on or about the Sth of Feb
ruary proximo, when, we trust, Manager I'LL
man will also vouchsafc US, Formes. As it is
well known that Piccolomini, to be really ap-
preeiated, must be heard in opera, and as
greater desire exists here to listen to FOrmes,
than was ever manifested to hear any other
male singer, we can fairly promise Manager
U. an immense house, if he will but afford the
musical world Of Washington the coveted op-
portunity of listening to Formes and Picco-
lonini in conjunction, in opera.
The PARAGUAY EXPEDITION Wash
ington correspondent of the Baltimore Amcri-
cum, in his letter Of the day before yesterday,
says:
"when Congress conferred discretion upon
the President in regard to the redress of our al
legged grievances against Paraguay, there was no
on either the Democratic or OPPOSE
ton side that naval expedition Of such proper
lions would be equipped forthwith. The I'M
preston obtained among leading Democrats,
according to their voluntary representations now
that special commission would be appointed TO
negotiate on the subject, and that falling a re-
port would be made TO Congress before pToceed-
Ing to extremities. Mr.. Buchanan, however, &C.
centCd the authority conferred in its literal sense
and the Government is now embarked in a war.
Ike enterprise without the least conce ption of
Its consequences or cost. This is the mode Of
doing business here"
This cannot be true in any particular, as the
matter was thoroughly discussed in the Senate
last winter, when Senator Mason and others
especially mentioned the employment of force,
and the sending out of an adequate armed ez-
pstifttoR was several times incidentally alluded
to, both by those favoring and those opposed to
the resolution. AS to the " conception of its
and cost" the officers of the gov
eminent have studied that question with much
more care and attention than this writer seems
disposed to give them credit for.
FACTS AND RUNoRs.-The correspondent of
tho Baltimore Republican alluding to charges
against public officers, says:
"To show you TO what insignificant attacks
these officers arc subject, allow me to catI your
attention to a recent action of the Massachusetts
State Agricultural Convention. Notwthstand-
ing the Government established the Agricultural
ONCE for the ex press purpose OF introducing for
elgn plants, &c, this wise convention rrayeiy
advises that the Office shall distribute no seed
szcspt sHch as are Of American CroU,h! The
cause of this would be mysterious, were IL not for
the fact that a celebrated dealer In garden seeds
was the principal actor. His object is quickly
apparen:-the increase Of his own business
1t is said that Mr.. Stewart, United States
Marshal for Georgia, has been removed on the
grounds Of not exercising sufficient vigilance in
regard to the yacht Wanderer case. This does
~
the African slave trade, as the Republican pol
ticians would have the people believe.
A correspondent of the Baltimore SIN, who
does not seem to favor the acquisition of Cuba,
says Of the probable action of England and
France relative to that matter 80 When the
crisis calling for their intervention shall occur
they will deal in blows not words, and while
We are taking Cuba they will take San Fran
cisco, and lay New York under contribution. {"
The WAY THEY USE THEN.-Though no in
resignation has yet been made into the truth
If the chargesiof Mr.. Sherman. of Ohio, against |
officers and employees of the Navy Depart
nent, the opponents Of the Administration are |
already using the fact of their existence to the
injury Of the Departments reputation, as will |
BE seen by the following from the New York |
Washington correspondence
The resolution Of Mr. Sherman, Of Ohio for
ne appointment OF a Select Committee TO inves-
gate the political corruption of the navy wards
'dusrs much CONSERVATION among the New York
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