The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-26
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
KD,qORiAL oPIEloEs OF IHR LEADiHe JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPICs--CoMpnED EVERY
DAY rOR FnE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
OUR ENGLISH RELATIONS.


over TO us ita useless stOak ofRctresses, actors,
aramatists, and managers. In other words,
40 torment us like "CRibaD," aud compel us
70 carry wood. The fear, although we do not
share IL, is not altogether ungrOunded. With
ont for the immediate moment, dwelling
upou the present peculiar state OF our
piaoee OF amusement we may mention that
In the latest European intelligence there are
two items fraught with dire purport. The
first states that ''anOther ship-load" OF
artists has departed for America. The word
"artists" is distinctly used. The second
fIets us with more evil 1t states that Mr..
Nelson Lea pantomimc writer-will visit
New York next season, provided the lnddce-
ment is sufficient. There is sublety in this
threat which seems to have political signii-
canee. The effete British Government, trem-
bling in its shoes in the Tower of London,
undoubtedly knew that we had Farnie already
here, and with the recollection OF the inquisi-
tion he'd OF yore within the walls OF that hated
British Bsstile, determined to rack us with an
other torment. Clearly there is forethought
and cruelty in this. 1t is added, moreover,
by the alaImists, that four British burlesque
writers are now absolutely in the land, and
ready to perform their nefarious Offices at the
shortest notice. If this be true, there is indeed
cause for popular alarm.
Rejecting, however, the political aspect of
the case and simply taking it as it stands,
from the pusillanmity,. meanness, and indo-
lenoe of our own managers. To these defects
may be added q mole-like nature on their
part which never sees, but only hearF, the
approach OF something or somebody. In the
city OF New York We have, as a rule, a
singularly initiative, If not ignorant, set of
managers. There are, of course, exceptions
well known to the public and thoroughly
recognized by the press. The ma ority how
ever, are of the class we have described. The
average manager sublets his theatre, and
that direful institution called an agent" is
at once spawned upon the town. or old it
was necessary to deal only with a proprietor
or manager. Now it is absolutely essential
for an artist to dance after the gorgeous
agent, who is usually as beautiful and oblig-
ing as hotel clerk. By this contrivance
New York is placed on the lowest level of pro-
vincialism. These theatres have no compa-
nies. Why should they An agent will GER
tainy make his appearance, and provide
sufficient entertainment for the evening. There
10 no scenery, because the agent has imported
. mass of second d-hand scenery from the other
side, and there are no costumes for the same
reason. The proprietor of the theatre simply
stands by smirkiDg-if il succeed. If it
fails, he fails too--for he has nothing mana
gerially to fall back upon. While this
is going on our native artists are
scattered, our home manufacture of art
material is destroyed, our dramatists are
left at the mercy of Farnie, and the taste of
the public is utterly perverted. And per-
verted by what! By the thing called bur-
lesque, and by the buffoonery called panto-
mime. A year or 30 since the hook was
baited with the glow-wOrm called spectacle,
and It landed a great many mistaken fish
And these are what England gives us to re-
place the healthful drama Of old! Any one
OF the English agents might say of the Ameri-
can public as '"rrinculo'' said of the strange
fsh:-"Were in England now as once Twas,
and had but this fish painted, not holiday
fool there but would give piece of silver;'
there would this monster make man." I'm
fortunately, the tables are turned against us.
We remain perhaps the monster, but we give
the piece OF silver-and very large piece too.
THE CONGRESSIONAL RECESS.
Fonl the " Y. Herald
At hahpast one o'clock Friday morning
the extra session of the Senate, called by the
President to assist him in the distribution of
the sp0ils, was brought to a final adjou rnment.
NO special act OF Congress having been passed
providing for summer or fall session to keep
watch and ward over ''the man at the other
end OF the avenue" as in the pslmy days of
Andy Johnson, there will be Congressional
recess till the first Monday in December next,
unless the President, in the interval, shall
deem 1t expedient to call the Senate together
Tor executive purposes or the two houses for
legislative business. In short, the President
is left for seven months to get onsi the CEN
duct OF the domestic and foreign affairs of the
government with or without the further
assistance of Congress, as he may elect.
IL ls given out that, having ratified off all
the important domestic and foreign offices,
having secured all the legislation necessary
lor southern reconstruction, having provided
snug places In the recognition of equal polti-
cal rights to white men, and women too; and
req men and black men, war men and psace
men, including the Quakers, and being in no
particular hurry to settle the Cuba question
or the Alabama claims, General Grant will
take things quietly during the absence of
Congress, and, above all things, will maintain
the policy OF peace with foreign nations.
There will be no trouble with England. wa ara
TOLD, and rom what has been said abou. San
lord, nominated for Spain but not confirmed
we are left to infer that Mr.. Fish has taken
leai from the foreign policy OF Mr.. Seward.
ano would rather pay sood round sum for
'nS 1siano OF Cuba than get it for nothing.
we must however, be excused in the liberty
oi supmitting to General Grant that decisiva
Aot,on IN our foreign affairs is his true policy.
ana not mastery inactivity" We have bsd
quite enough OF that under the two Johnsons
The House resolution on Cuba and the oraat
speech OF Senator Sumner on the AIsbama
claims embody the evailing public oninion
OF the United States on these great Questions
Nor do We think it will be wise, from nrasant
indications, to sit still and let these fors;a,,
complications drift along till the regular meat
ing OF Congress next winter. On the contrarv
we hold that to carry out any decisive stenss
contemplated by the administration, requiring
the cooperation of Congress- it will be betteI
a. all xf.ao Of Nha fxuo L