New-York daily tribune., 1865-10-16
The ThenIer-its Effect ON Manners,
Morals and Civiiization-Di4eussi at
METROPOLITAN Hall.

Last evening an interesting discussion took
place az Metropolitan Hall on the subject OF - The
Ttcater It's effect on Manners, Morals and Cyiliza'
ion" Mr Cooke was called 10 The chair. He intro
ducc1 asthe first speaker Ar Lambert who niier rev t
ing 10 some former Arguments from last sabbath even
iug proceeded 20 say inat no question came before he
people without having two sides. aud that ils was the
beauty of Republican form Of government He took
the ground that civilization was never yet advanced by
the theaier neither IN this, nor in any civilized
country" He wanted 10 know 1T lifted young man
~ M the high and honorable duties Of citizen. Gould
lie be taught 80 do credit To the position OF good bus.
band ana father by listening night after night TO the
yIe slang and foul m0ut'ci language of the pit and
night after night witness tie sclyiols elanccs Of the
women VINO made the galleries of the theaters o."
paces IA which 20 ply most successfully their Gepraved
calling The majority Of the tLeattrs OF ili5 country
were nothing eac than schools OF vice. Whit effect
had been produced upon The morals or CIVILIZATION Of
| the present day What man had ever risen IRON the
| stage to fiji any Office Of honor, trrst OF profit
| Not one. He deled any one 10 name an
instance The inexorabe hammer fell, and with much
expostulaton cut short bis peroration
A euogy was next delivered m IA deep bass by gen.
temaa evidently of Scandinavian origin, upon tie im
"wooly shakeip,are's genius
John Smith which was the namci given by n brave
son Of Mars whose expoiis on many field Of batile
aIe familiar to our readers, was the next speaker.
lie said it not the theater psrse theropes scenes
pay performers or house that he condemned. 1t was
The immense Influence which il cxered the masses
which rendered 10 dangerous. In fact, next 60 the
press it controlled tae public taste. This taste
WAS good. object
managers was simply 10 make money. Tor that pur-
pose they brought out such pieces az would take"
They mover produced moral piece nlNt aGcr night
- empty houses Not bit OF II Jack Sheppard,
Claude Duya Camille the French spy. Three Isi Men,
Six Degrees of Crime. and the Ike furnished the stock
for successful thcatcr. Much was said about TIE old
dramas. People haped upon Dauct MacCready
tried 70 introduce then, but was cAOfed or in three
months Now and then. Oi course, they were Played.
but in their run. for five long acts tie ls.
iener was getting fnmiarized with crime. and j.
fHn % q.
vas tired and sleepy. perhaps consulting Angelina
ahethor they should go TO upper or lower Tayo Tor
some oysters before The moral part came in Perhaps
be and Angelina, giddy.leaded each believing the
other could not love with the cIyOr Of Romeo or juliet
were cooling their blood and tLeir passions by B0ubo
sours. cocktails punches, champagne and oysters,
long before tie last act came Oh the stage.
A yoice-Coahne yourself TO experience. Speaker
II am confnng myself experience. and, gentlemen,
] tell you The Chairmans hammer ial.sl-my time is
up 80,
churches saying that tue POOR could not 20 10 them,
but that the man without dollar in his pocket his
trowscrs tsterd and torn, his bat smashed down and
himself bling dotard, out from the o cts of
blue ruin would be welcomed 10 thegtcr and kicked out
Of church lie did not visit churches but be Oid VISIT
thoaters. Many ycars ago be visited the Castle Gar
den aud heard Jenny Lind; never was he 80 near
heaven lie thought JACK Sheppard better than any
sermon ever preached by wesley Slninorheld or any
Christian minister
The speaker then spoke In terms Of rathera con.
emptuols nature OF II. w. Bcecher. calling him an
lctor but was most propcry rcbukcd by the audience
Dir Moor then delivered Witty and brilliant address
nterspersed with anecdotc and wltlcilm. ne com !
Dleteiy annihated the preceding spe1ke, ana geSe
humorous description OF OvefJ PIT, ana aHhcu auch
was tho place 10 learn morals. /
Mr.. Smith, the welknown lawyer. who's Jolly round
ace is known 10 everyone who has bad anything 10 40
With courts, was tIe next speaker lie made iew
,sDpv remarks in favor Of boacrs. At the conclusion
10 one seemed willing to take the stand and tho meet
ng adjourned