Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-12-27
THE OPENING or TIL BuaIIs
OPERA .i0;isEi
A BRILLIANT kSSEMeLAGE!
ln!cfyst.n9 Exertisss- The Entertainment
4 Complete SntteM!



Three Cheers for Home Gate1t
and Home Emterprise
Tho Bur.is Opera House was last eve
nirg, for the first time, thrown open 10 tie
public. 4. o'clock tie doors were ogens !,
ard FOR over On hour a stcaly sirean oi
people passed into the handsome eoihee,
filing it comfortably with as fashionable
and refined an audience Us has ever assem-
blel together in Davenport. Fully Twelve
| hundred persons were present, including
the best ard most substantial citizens oi
the paco. The weather Was propi,ions aid
favored the large gathering. The great
desire seemed to be to pay deserved cor
plinent TO the generous proprietor, no less
than to see the capacious proportions aid
magnificent decorations Of the interior of
the building. Expressions Of surprise at'd
qualification we're on al lips. The splendor
Of ,ae hall, the convenience Of the arrange
men.s, the brl'iancy Of the adornmcnis,
the excellence Of the illumination, all gave
occasion for comment and observation.
One could scarcely tire Of locking round at
the many objects Of interost-there was so
| much TO notice and admire.
Alta little after eight oulock the curtain
rose and tho evenings entertainment corl-
menced. As the graceful folds o. the drop
furled themselves, revealing to view q richly
and artisticey painted paslor scene, a
spontane GUS burst Of applause escaped from
the audience. All were agreea5iy surprised ;
expectations were more than realized.
The FIRST thing on tho programme WAS
an Overture from Tnncredi by the Orchcs
tra, which was finely performed. Next, a
solo aad chorus by Miss Belle Hart and the
| Msndelssohn Society, for which the soloist
and the society certainly deserve praiie
They did we'll. Third on the programme
VAS the dedication address by Judge A. II.
Bennett. This Wss listened 10 with pro-
found interest, and frequent applause greet
ed its delivery. We reproduce it entire.
Ladiss and Gentlemen:
Owing to the limited time for preparntisr
and to the many engagements that wouli
not be postponed, should be glad to di.-
pense with that part of the services which
call for dedicatory address. For | fear
| it will be utterly iu possible for me to offer
anything that will be interesting to you, sat
istactory to myself, or worthy OF the oc:s-
sion.
| But being unwilling that this part Of the
programme should, through any neglect Of
mine. be wholly abandoned, | have hastily
and in a somewhat disconnected mann er
| thrown together q few thoughts, which
with your indulgence and permission, | W i'll
! present for your consideration.
The love Of amusement has always be tn
. marked texture in the history, progress
and civilization OF all people in every age of
the world. Whsteyer nay DO said sy
theorists and moralisis of its tendency I,
| weaken and eEc.ya.e, 70 debase and demorlls
| ixe the faculties of the mind and body, to
corrupt the heart and dc.den and destroy
the moral sense; still the fact remains cs-
| tahlished by centuries of observation, anG
experience, that diversions, recreations,
games, shows, and exhibitions OF ono kind
| or another have ever been warmly welcomed
| aud literally pasrcnzAd by the people. This
fondEcss for amuselnents, this desire for
relaxation ard enjoyment amidst the Sc
we're struggles. trials and lahors Of life, is as
| Inush TO he REGARDED and educated, 10 os
properly guided aai directed as sny other
| passion OF principle Of the human mind.
Nor have its eams tten overlooked Or
d,s7crariet in the material creation. ~
| Wherever The eye res.s nron beauty il aay
OF its varied forms, or the ear listens to ii.r-
monious sounds, where the intellect is quick
ened nnd excited ty CLEANS cf nto liigeuce,
and the emotional nature IS moved, ID
the hearts highest functions aroused by
| trains of tenderness. the voice Of Love,
| the claims Of Mercy, justice, and Truth, 40
| any or al OF ttcse conditions, there is ha :
piness anu enjoyment and all the faculti -
| OF the mind and heart are thereby improv-
| ed ana elevated.
| The earth arrayod in lis summer giorios,
or IL its winter c-andeur-ihe evening y
qaiet and rorose-tae mornings ifeshress
and splendor the solemn beauty of the
night; the gairisa brightness Of the day ::
the msjesty and power Of the storm anil
semptst, are constantly ministering in a
greater or less degree to this sentiment--
Nav, there Is not moment Of our lives
that Nature, through all her wcrks. is IT
producing scene upon scene, pictsre after
picture to please the eye or ear, make glad
the hcarl, and aid TO our happiness and en-
jcyment
We say, therefore. tia. instead OF at
tempting to overlook or ignore this sen,i-
snent Or principle in man, i! should be cars
fully educated, and properly guided and di-
recied into such channels ~ will begct Il
love and taste FOR all that is pure, sinple
and grscesu! in art; tina. is beautiful aud
true IN nature ami that Is healthy and
sound in morals
Amusements that ere instructive aswcli
- entertaining are blessing to any peg
pie, and should he counter anced, pslsoniz-
cd and sustained by al classes Of communi-
y. And We are happy To know that TINS
truth Is beginning TO be felt and appreciated
by our religious associations, and that they
are fitting up rooms and introducing plays
and games for the amuscmsnt and enter
tAiumeut Of those who might otherwise be
led 70 engage in others Of : more
dangerous character. This is praise
worthy effort. and should be encour-
agedt and extended. The occasional
indullAce 10 some diversion Or amusement
u ~ much necessity 70 most people, and
especially the young, as pure air or proper
exercioe. It - morally healthful and invig-
Grating, and when there can be added TO
these general sympathy and interest, such
- 10 awakened in public gatherings by lee
lures, concerts, and the higher exhibitions
of histrionio art, their influence becomes
much moro widely extended. and their bcn-
efits much more generally Disseminated
In view Of these considerations, We rejoice
in the fact that more liberal and generous
spirit has been awakened upon this subject,
and that il is beginning to be considered BY
oil classes Of community that occasional in
diligence in amuscmsnts that are innocent
and harmless in themselves is much less
dangerous to morals and christianity than
their total prohibition, and that the more
suitable places We have for such kind
of amusements, and the moro generally they
ere attended, the lesa likely will people be
to seek those OF doubtful or dsmoralizine
character.
To Aid in accomplishing some Of the eb-
jects above indicated, and to meet . want
that was beginning to be sensbly felt BY
our citizens, and to add to the beauty Of our
/ vossuw ~ OrA..u~ c;tv NhS~ t,,sls1s~~ -