The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-07-15

attendance OF the President of the United
States at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, where
that indescribably lnScigious aud disgrace
full performance, the dance Of the Can Can
was the chief attraction:
"After u quiet dinner, the President. nc
companied by Mr.. aud Mrs. Corbin aud
Miss Nellie Grant, proceeded on foot to the
Fifth Avenue Theatre to hear the sweet
warbling of Irina and Desclauzas in LA
Perichole," and witness the fascinating can.
can, so inseparable from opera bouiEe and
so admiringly calculated TO drive away the
weighty cares of State and anxiety Of official
responsibilities. AS they entered the charm.
ing little Temple of the Muse dedicated to
Prince Erie, and were escorted to the pri.
yate proscenium box, the orchestra struck
up the G.mihsr air of ''llal to the Chief
while the audience clapped their hands and
waved their handkerchieis by common con.
| sent. An attempt was made nj cheering.
but this not being in the bills proved a fail.
| ure. The performance commenced M soon
as tie Presidential party was seated and
moved along with its accustomed smooth.
ness at that wellregulated house, TO its end.
| The President seemed to enjoy il all i'm.
mensely, joining earnestly in the applause
that greeted the tavoriLe gems of the opera
and, particularly marking his appreciation
| Of the can. can, ichicl seemed fg be gipen
'eith more than ordinary zest and spirit"
We respectfully submit that the above
paragraph, coming MS it does from o leading
Republican Journal, says the Lancaster,
Pa, IateRigencer, furnishes proper text
for long Sermons from all the "loyaln
hos Of ibnu 4
! ters for editorials in all the religions news.
papers. The various Protestant churches
of this country, almost without execution.
condemn the theatre. 1t is argued and
with sound logic, that the church cannot
reform the drama by allowing its members
to attend the representations which arc
gwen. In arriving ut this conclusion the
church puts proper estimate upon its
power. In New York city, for instance.
there are only about seventy five thousand
members OF Protestant CHURCHES, out OF q
population of one million--decidedly slim
minority. Should these Christians al at
tempt to reIrrin the theatres of the metrop
oils by givi !g out that they would punctu.
ally attend upon. purely proper dramatic
representations, they would constitute but
a slight proportion of the audiences which
nightly assemble In the various place. of
amusement. Theatrical managers do not
profess to be moral reformcrs in these latter
days. They carry on their business for the
purpose OF making money, and are ready to
give their audiences such entertainments as
the popular taste demands.
1t is true that Edwin Booth has done all
that lies in his p0ves to re.estnbish the
legitimate drama and we are glad TO know
ha has ~
while good audiences assemble TO wi,nes.
the representation of Shakcspcare's plays,
aud the admirable productions of other crent
dramatic writers, the multitude seeks anuse
ment in opera boutie, and goes into costa
cics over the Can. Can, dance which ha,
never been described in any respectable
paper, aud pictures Of which are TOO oh
scene for d,scent people to look upon. The
naked drama. with rs liberal exposure Of
the female person, has come TO be the chief
attraction in majority of American thea.
tres. All the resources OF art are expended
upon these exhaust i've appeals to passion.
As the appetite of the faded audiences
become stated, new novelties arc introduced.
Some time ago, the secular and the reli
gIous press OF the ountry was alike shocked
ut the introduction ofthe Can CaHupon the
NSAAha VI su'h' w illc HlllDf ana more dis.
reputable theatres, and the police nuihori.
ties were urged to interfere. But, the nd.
vance in public decentralization has bceu
most RAPID. This Infamous performance,
which had ITS origin among the abandoned
women oil Paris, is now nightly presented
in more than one New York theatre, and
The President Of The United States appcars
as public spectator, accompanied by a fe,
tJlgIs sslnIirs nuI ~, lG
gravely ted that he "pariicalarL marked
has appreciation Of HE Can. Can, rIieb
seemed 10 be giren rith more than ordinary
zeSt and Spiriti
We imagine, we can see Grant sitting in
that theatre applauding to the echo the las
cvio2s motions of the nude women and
their male partners who rendered the dance.
Such u spectacle was never witnessed in
this country before, and less than ten wears
ago the occurrence of such thing would
have shocked the moral sentiment of the
nation beyond measure. We shall wait
anxiously to hear from the 'loyal clergy
and the religious newspaper press unon Ibis
subject. If they fail to speak out their 81
lence can only be attributed to n shirt
which fears man more than God.
Representations such us that which the
President attended with so much pleasure.
are sapping the foundations of morality IN
our cities, and their balefil influence il
spreading like blight over the whole land.
The actors in them no longer carry on their
trade in secret, but the most demornlizine
French dramas and dances, rendered mora
grossly than they are even in Paris, are
nightly exhibited in our cities. Where
these things lead is well known The men
and the youths who sit and gaze upon the
sensual exhibitions, which are mada so at.
tractlve by music and spectacular scenery
OF the most gorgeous description, 60 from
the theatres with burning passions which
are stated elsewhere. No women looks upon
these things and comes away with unchaste
thoughts. 1t is to this kind of theatrical
representations, and to the lowest and most
Infamous of them, that President Grant
went, taking with him his daughter. Fur.
Their comment is unnecessary. IL is possi.
BILE he was rendered oblivious to n sense of
propriety by strong drink. II would be al.
most charitable 10 hope so, though that
would constitute no excuse for him, Again
we say we are anxious to hear what the
'loyal clergy have to say in regard to Ills
matter. Let them speak out. They were
not slow to expose the reputed faults OF An
drew johnson, and he certainly never give
them half so good an occasion for extended
comment.
Destructive FLooD ~ pgxAs.-A des.
patch from Houston, Texas, dated July