The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-27
Oakley mall's Change of Base.

Oakley IIali's Change of Base.
The announcement that the Hon. A.
OAKLEY HALL Will soon make his appear
ance on the theatrical Stage rs an actor is
certainly startling one. A change Of
career SO radical is not often undertaken
by a man of his prominence in other di-
rcctious, and at his time of life. Mr..
HALLS adoption OF the business OF an actor
Will be an event in the history of the
drama which will occupy noteworthy
place. Whether he succeeds or fails, his
course in abandoning the profession OF the
law and gong on the Stage when he is past
nifty, Is so singular ~ to make 1t of rare
significance.
For quarter OF n century no man in our
CITY politics has been more active, restless,
and ambitious than Mr.. HALL. lie has
been District Attorney and Mayor. and his
name through his ASSOCIATION with the
late Ring, is known all over the country,
while to the people of New York hls per-
sOuality is Us familiar US that of the most
conspicuous man IN town. At one time
his political ambitions were Of the
most exalted sort. He expected TO step
from the city Han to the Capitol at Albany,
and rs things then looked he had good
grounds for mdugng the exI ectatIon.
How far beyond that his ambitions went
we of course cannot tell, hut we fancy
that they Ivy no means stopped there.
lie was an exceedingly adruit poll
tican of the school of those who
think to gain advancement not by
merit merely, hut also by skilful manpu-
14tt In in tad IA
TWEED and SwEENY, CONNOLLY, and that
crew, yet he was not vulgar and greedy
schemcr for money lie was u mln who
had ambitions above his pocket. aud did
not allow his pocket TO govern his con-
duct. Though in the fall of the Ring his
political opportunities went down. and
his professional reputation sun, red griev-
ously, yet we do not believe that Mr..
OAKEY HALL shared IN thcirplundcr His
weakness was I'm his light regard for the
moral responsibilities Of his place. To Mr..
HALL the world has always seemed stage
and men and women the players The
rascal was ms necessary and possibly as
entertaining member Of the company rs
the man OF sound quality. From first To
last he was essentially an actor, fond of
theatric display, aud treating events and
persons rs il they were not real, but the
sham occurrences ana personagcs OF gi-
gauuc comedy. 4 pun>t,r, humorlst,
an cferve-crut writer, he never seemed to
see the serious side of life nor feel the bur-
den Of responsible cares. strong convic-
tions appeared foreign TO hm, yet he nj
ways had II kindly purpose Of pleasing his
fellows, as if they aud lac together were
creatures put on earth ~ on stage 20
perform the different roles in the play of
life. In fact Nj. OAKry HALL is the type
of character of winch many other eN-
amplos could be gwen. No one can fail 10
| have liking for such man. though IN
matters of trust he might put hi, conf
dencc in some less volatile nature.
Mr.. HALL VIII take the leading chaiac-
ter in play IN the construction of winch
| IL IL understood that both he and Mr..
| Bor,Ic,rIr have had q hand. Whatever
the itics may say about Mr.. BoUcICAULr,
he knows the trade of the playwright
better than any other man who is now
writing English dramas and II j. safe to
conclude that II he has had anything TO do
with tine writing Of the "Crucihle,' the
play gives Mr.. HALL the opportunity 10
display such hi-tronic abilities rs he has.
aud that 1t Will not fail in what Mr. Az
GUsTIS DAILY CALI human interest.
But VIII Nh. HALL succeed NJ an actor
We hope he viii. Yet the stage traditions
are against him. The great actors. H. q
whole. have been bred To- the stage, ana
have inherited from parents or ancestors
an aptitude for its business. lie steps ON
tho boards man IN ripe middle life, and