Weekly Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-02-05
LOCAL PUBLIC OPINION.


anu ineihncholy Is tile OF frenzy,
therefore, they thought u rood you hear play,
r az iotni your mind TO mfth and mcrriment,
nhlch BARS q thousand homes. md lenghcns life.
-iamin9 OF me Hiep-Aei 1, Scene II.
Shall 'ee haze a Meatrel This interropa-
ton has presented itself forcibly to In,
minds of the good citizens of Wilmington
ior several years, although there is no eyi
nence that II has awakened much interest
In inc mass OF the community until n quite
recent period. The rapid growth OF the
population during the present decade, quite
Keeping pace with the extension of the city
limits and accumulation of territory, CALI
loudly and strenously for a source OF public
entertainment. 1t must be evident 10 every
onserVant person that the sleeping days OF
wilmington are over; that the period when
sue was threatened with fencing-in and a
coat OF white-wash as finished place, has
gone by forever. That she has ceased Ia
incur The contemptuous sneer Of the foreign
err as ~ one-horse town." and, that hence
forth she is TO be city, not only 90 nomIne.
put dc tdcto. Stores, dwellings, public
Duiidings, mansions, factories, machine
shops, foundries and warehouses 20 up like
magic, and land goes up In price accordingly.
We are erecting houses by The iurlong. and
laying out streets by the mile, retaining
marshes, constructing bridges, and build
ing railroads., and are rushing on at such
rate that the old iogies do nothing but walk
,he streets, stand on the corners. stroke
iheir boards, turn their guilds, and gape in
bewildernent and surprise. I'VE not only
vastly extend our limits, but we change
Tue lace OF the city itself; inasmnch as when
Inc person who left us in 80 returns In no
ne VIII be under the strict necessity of
hiring guide 10 take him home. And
when lie takes his walk down Market
street, will take "bearings" by the civ
Hall spire, for fear of losing his reckoning.
Ehe fact 10 pain, and cannot be disguised
we are destined TO be great city. Ii is for
TINS reason that we need a theatre-a leelti-
mate source oil amusement. We need il not
only 10 meet the demands OF tur increasing
population, but we need il for our older lp.
hapilsnis, and we need ii, most OF all. for
our younger class of citizens. As we in
crease In population and trade we bepet
new ideas and discover new wants of which
we were previously unconscious. What
sufiiceu for our fathers IS insufficient. both
IN quantity and quality, for us. What SUP.
piieu their wants is inadequate Tor ours
anu their thoughts are not our Thoughts
nor their desires our desires. You cannot,
spelN put new wine into old bottles;
neither can you, in this age OF progress.
sllfie the cries of growing youth. 1t Is the
story of today;
a''e noh VIII ebu anu now, and heaven abn faca
Young blood will not obey an old decree: '
"ecAhnot cross the cause why we were born
The Unsuitable craving for excitement ia an
indispensable quality of every healthy men
tai organization, and 1t is one that must Inc
met and satisfied. The mind must feed ne
well as the body, and it takes poison or
bread, accordingly 10 that which is most
readily attainable. More especially is this
true oil the young of both sexes. Youth il
lne perioc Oh recreation and amusement.
III IS that halcyOn time between cbildhood
and manhood, when the heart is free from
care and the mind from the shackles of |
business and tho trials OF earnest life. II |
Is mat time oil least and reyelry in which |
we take our pleasures with light heart |
before buckling on our armor and going |
forth TO battle with hard, stern. and nrac'
teal world. It is that period in which the |
character Is formed, the thoughts matured. |
ana Inc mental system developed with the
physical body. Then wo receive those inn
pressions OF men and the state of society.
Which retain their vividness through life.
anu shape our course for good or i'll, as
ihey are correct or erroneous. The mind
is then plastic medium, which IS forever
settled IN Its mould, never TO be improved
or altered.
IL VIII, perhaps, be said that all this care
rs 10 be taken, and this duty performed by
the parent or guardian in the bosom of thf
iamily; and home is the proper school OF
instruction Tor youth. This is partly true
and partly false. Home, indeed is ono
school oil moral training, but il ia not the
only one. PARENTAL instruction is ndis-
but it will not complete The work
There are many things learned at the fra
'ide which can not-which ought MOTTO be
aught elsewhere; but the code of homo
morals does not provide against all the in
Vulnerable social crimes which beset the
teps oil youth in the path of the world. This
'oiu must be filed, and this want supplieI
~ the community. They are The pfoper
'nstodlans OF public morality, and a duty
ests upon them which may not be denied :
II shirked. II is by Tic older members OF
ne community this care is TO be exercised
na inns obligation discharged, and they are
irlelly responsible for Its faithful execu-
ION. a
II one Will inquire of and contemplate the
Increase OF dissipation among the young y
len and boys OF this city, between the ages
fourteen and twenty 1--we, the result will he
8 rlghtful TO the observer, as II will be sur
rislngly true, and he will readily agree a
nat speedy and lasting reform is lamenla. -
~ wanting. Let any one of our stern NOR IT
ilsts, or loud ana lengthy prayer-makers, O
ISL the lager Deer saloons OF this city, and s
IKE notes OIL what he sees there. Let HIM q
oserVe the appearance and age of the GUS o.
'mers, and when he learns that they range Il
ON the figures above mentioned-in many q
islances much less-and is told that these "
Genes are TO be witnessed night after night 81
aa week alter week, let him congratulate
lmsell that 1t is by no means of lis il he d
IN Let him take his stand on The corner al
midnight, and when he secs the Keeling ii
'im and hears the maudlin voice of the boy d
no passed him that day with his books un- 50
er MS arm TO school, let him turn away NJ
"a say II is no fault of his, If he dare Y
hese are slight, very slight instances of the
nth. 1t is better, perhaps that the whole d.
iould not be revealed. II this will suit the ID
lrpose in illustrating the fact as 1t stands re
18th us to day. "a
raise morality and morbid religion is NOT 81
10 iood for youthful, healthy minds. You pt
ay shape the course OF men, but you can. Is
d direct in contrary direction from ma
re. The true Christian worships his Ma M
u be compelled. ""' W
Pure 't religion and Undecided before God -
I'd the Father Is this, to visit the falherless
I'd widow In their affection and to kee, 81, 81
mself unspotted from the world.n
This 10 not to be found in magnificent edi
'es, not TO be proved by lengthy prayers1 ~
ID much outward show, Treat man liner
" by preeept and example and you make st
m fulfill his earthly destiny-preach 10
m continually, and force doctrinal ser. gu
ons down bis threat constantly, and you so'
axe a MN either Disguised and tired inf !.
], or what is scarcely better, a morbid "a ria
tic. Go
Give us then theatre. Give us a place Of a.
DIG entertainment, where an evening 70
~ DO passed pleasantly and profitably Nv ke
-oid and young, rich and poor, man and
oman, Christian and SINNER Give ns a ho
urce OF legitimate amusement. and sale
D plays of Shakespeare and moi the cards Jul
the gambler Give us the comedies Of sui
erldan and take away the beer glass tut
Ye US the wit of the poets and save MS hs
m the curse OF the drunkard Give rs yo'
rrest and Booth, Clark and John Broue- ma
m, Mrs. Bowers and Caroline Richinrs, pr'
rout the saloon keepers forever Open tic
he h... Ta.at