The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-12-16

fabulous price by the villain of the piece-a former
overseer of Judge PEYToN's plantation,w who having
vainly endeavored to tempt the Octoroon to become
his mistress avas himself of the opportunity to be-
come her master. 1t is not the least proof of
BoURcIcAULT's tact that this villain is a Connect
cut Yankeel To escape the fate which awaits her
at his hands, the Octoroon takes poison and dies.
Such, in brief, is the main plot of the playa
separate interest is awakened by the punishment
which overtakes tle wicked overseer. To facil-
itate his revenge, this man robs the mail o f
letter, enclosing draft from the agent of the PEY-
TONS in Liverpool the receipt of which would have
enabled them to satisfy the judgment and prevent
the sale. To possess himself of this letter, he
waylays and kills the little muatto boy who has
been sent for the mail-as he returns with the bag
from the misunderstanding where it had been
thrown ashore. Suspicion of having committed
the murder falls upon drunken vagabond Indian,
who the boys constant companion. The In
dian is seized and tried by jury of Judge Lynch's
empannelling-is convicted and is about to be hung
when, presto !-behold-the accidental finding of
a daguerreotype saves the Indian, and fastens the
guilt upon the real lprit. The boy had been
murdered in the very focus of camera which had
been left, most opportunity in a wood-shed, where
the crime was committed, for the express pur-
pose, it would seem, of preserving the evidence
of the deed. The murderer is confined in the hold
of steamboat, while preparations are made for his
execution. He sets fire to the boat and in the
confusion escap.s, but is tracked and pursued by
the Indians tomahawked and slain. The Aven-
ger tracking the murderer through the cane brake
and bayou, is one of the finest points in the play.
1t recalls the old Greek idea of Retribution-an
avenging NEMESIS following upon the heels Of
Crime. Such, and composed of such materials
put together with his accustomed skill, is BoURoI-
cAULTs play. Its great fault artistically consider
ed is that it is too long, and that its tragic interest
eliminates before the close. The death of the he
roine, which is the final catastrophe of the play,
does not compare in interest with the real catas-
trophe-the auction sale, in the third act The
propriety of presenting such scenes at all upon the
stage, and of introducing at this time, play
which, whether designedy or not, has the eff
feet of directing public attention to the worst
and most odious phase of the institution of sla-
very, / do not now consider. Regarded sim
ply as an exhibition of dramatic skill, the
Octoroon is immense The praise which, critically
speaking, may be justly bestowed upon the play as
a WHOLE is equally applicable to the minor details
of scenery, &C. The entire mise scene is excel
lent, and the admirable acting of the company
leaves nothing to be desired. Agnes Robertson
has the part of the Oetoroon, and Bourccault that
of the Indian, which he does with true Aboriginal
gravity. Mrs. Blake plays the Judges widow, in
blue silk, and with pink ribbons in her cap, and
Jefferson is Salem Scudder the good Yankee of the
piece-introduced offset, no doubt, to the
wicked Yankee who murders little Paul, and gets
scalped for his pains. In the hands of Jefferson,
the character of Scudder is made scarcely less efec
| tive than that of Asa Trenchard in the American
Cousin. Jameson-the Consuelo of the Forrest Di-
vorce case, you may remember-has the part Of an
old negro, and does it to the life. The Herald and
Nelcs have both intmated that the temperance of
this actor the boards, would probably give rise
to a demonstration of some sort on the part of For
rests friends but thus far nothing unpleasant ha
occurred, and Jamiesons reception by the audi
ence, continues to be of the most friendly charac-
for