The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-20
The War, the Loyal Union League ant
the Last Night or the 0aern.

the War, the Loyal Union League and
the Last N,ght OF the Opera.
Ii Is a beautiful conceit of the Indians that
wien tempest prevails, and its fearful thun-
ders and lightnings ill the air. the Great Spirit
is angry, but that when the skies brighten, and
the rainbow appears on the dark background
of the departing storm, His wrath is appeased
and the earth may rejoice. And SO we thought
the other morning, In a charming walk among
the hills of the Hudson, that, after long and
gloomy winter, the return of the genial skies of
spring might be accepted as the harbinger of
better times to our distracted country, and
happier days soon to come. Indeed we think
the day has already arrived when the war and
Wall street, the Union Leagues and the Opera,
may all go on swimmingly together.
How goes the war! What is the prospect?
Do the combinations of the spring campaign,
as they are gradually unfolded, give us salts
factory assurances Of great victories and
glorious peace, or Of another summer Of dis
appointments and disasterss We answer that
we have an abiding faith that the days of the
rebellion are numbered and that the end
draws nigh. General Hooker, who commands
the "fnest army ON the planet" is preparing
for forward movement which cannot be sue
cessfully resisted for his force, will advance
this time, not in broken detachments, scattered
over half the State of Virginia, but en- naasse,
on the road to Richmond. General Rosecrans,
meantime, is not idle in Tennessee, but is ready
for blow, compared with which the battles
Of I-u-k-a, Corinth and Murfreesboro will be ac
counted by the rebels as light defeats Further
South Gen. Grant is again perplexirg the enemy
at vicksburg with Ibis complicated strategical
movements. Things about Port Hudson, Baioa
Rouge and New Orleans, Charleston. North Ca
rolina, and in Southeastern Virginia, look some
what mysterious, inexplicsble ana donbtful
but, confident that Hooker, Rosecrans and Grant
have the game within their grasp, and that each
will play his hand with skill and discretion,
the general prospect is good and encouraging
This comprehensive idea will doubtless be
the spirit, sum and substance of the mass meeting
Of the Union League at Madison square this af-
ternoon. Gen. Scott, that noble old hero of many
campaigns and many victories, from Niagara to
Chapultepee, has promised to be present; and,
If the skies are propitious, there will be great
gathering of the people, and martial music and
patriotic speeches without stint But this is,
also, to be the last night Of the Opera-the last
night Of Max Maretzeks approximately sue
cessful operate campaign-and the benefit night
of Mazzoleni, to whom Max and the public are
80 much indebted for the seasons profitable and
delightful entertainments. The Union League
and the Opera do not conflict with each
other. The one will be ended before the
other begins. Besides, New York can
all Madison square, the Academy and the
theatres. The political world and the mu-
slcal world each moves I'm tie own orbit, as
Mars and Venus revolve around the sun. The
elements Of the musical world, which is the
world Of fashion and beauty, will repair to the
Academy, satisfied that thus they will not only
secure the Opera, but the proceedings Of the
Union League, over their omelet, in the morn-s
ing papers, infinitely better than at the meeting
itself, in the midst Of . countless multitude.
Furthermore, the Opera this evening is that
strange Italian story, located IA Boston, I" I'm
Ballo in Naschera," and tho leading character
is filed by that superb singer and actor, Mazzo-
ieni. The chief speaker named for the Union
meeting Is Mr.. Bancroft, the historian; but we
know that nothing of this remarkable operate
story can be found in Bancroft's history Of the
United States. He has utterly neglected that
interesting epoch of our annals in which Italian
stilettoes, the Italian language, masked balls
and ballots were prevalent among the colonial
Puritans Of Boston. The Opera tonight sup
plies this historical deficiency. Another Of the
Union speakers named for this afternoon is John
Van Buren,; but against Johns familiar jokes
the Academy presents the beautiful Guerra
bella, whose history is . romantic poem, and
whose movements upon the stage are hardly
less fascinating than her delicious music At
Madison square we may hear budget of quo
tations from Scripture by Mr.. Dickinson; but
what lover Of minstrelsy would not prefer to
listen to Mademoiselle Ortolaui Brignoli, or to
an aria from Signor Bellini, in preference to o
war speech from Mr.. James T. Brady, who
knows nothing about war? So We might say
that the devotee of music will choose this
evening rather to hear the singing Of Mademoi-
selle Sulner than the orstory Of Rafael
Won Gernsback; or rather the exquisite Italian
of Signor Colstti than the dreary legal plsti-
tudes Of Lyman Tremain By the way, the
quaint historian Carlyle, after hearing Coletti,
regretted that man Of such capabilities, in
stead Of wasting his lungs upon the dolefnl
intrigues Of the Italian Opera, had not devoted
his powers to the soul exalting Psalms Of King
David. We dare say, however, that even the
hard and cynical Carlyle, il present at the Aca-
deny this evening, would recognize something
devoutly beautiful in Mazsoleni's special scene,
"the Garibaldian." Perfect and admirable in
every part he has assumed, In this Mazzoleni
shows that patriotism is his inspiration.
The musical world-the world of beauty and
fashion-though 1t may be represented at the