The Osceola times., 1877-07-07


. Gus crusade has been waged upon
us Mr.. Hill admits, and justities it
) we complained of, and dcnounc-
, cd our assailants IN the same un-
measured terms in which they
, styled us, +" emissaries of the devil,
working in unison for the subver-
sion Of religion and morality thus
} far and no farther-and we now,
and for all time to come, indignant
: ly and defiantly, hurl back into the
teeth of whomsoever may so de-
nouncc us, the epithet thus applied
10 us, with the word. FALSE,
branded upon it. We have the
right to the use Of the same weap-
ons ef defense, as you OF attack ;
We take advantage OF none other.
II ours smart the most, so much the
better.
Our Mr.. Hill says: "the Dra-
MATES are composed of every shade
of faith, from good orthodosy to the
very meonesf nfde6ty. There, all
meet IN a fraternal compromise OF
principle, and work &c. &C." Now,
after u years intimate ASSOCIATION
with his fellow Dramatics, your
correspondent is bound to confess
much less knowledge of their rell-
gious status, than does the would
be mentor, Who fnous Mailing Of
most of them. He fatty denles,
however, that there is among them
ary "compromisc of principle " for
any pyrposc whatsoever. lie fur
lhcr asserts that they are, each and
all, Mr.. Hills equal, socially nd
intellectually, and for all the writer
knows, may be quite his equal,
moral Y and rcligiously.
The Osceola Literary and Dra.
matte Association was not organ.
lied lorihe propagation OF Religion,
or, for that matter, morals either.
The reformation of drunknrds and
and conversion OF sinners is claimed
as no part OF It's programme we
leave that TO Mr.. Hill and his back
ers, If he have any, and call for Il
statistical report. We organized
for our own mental culture and So
cial enjoyment, friendship Of the
world" Il Mr.. Hill SO chooses TO
style IT. As Dramatics, we conduct
ourselves under the rules OF deco
rum and propriety do nothing
that can give oilenso TO the morals
of any one-amuse and entertain
ourselves and our patrons. This is
our object, and this is all we strive
to accomplish. But, moreover, we
do claim, and properly, that in thus
| COMFORTING ourselves, we are not
, in conflict with, or, working to the
detriment of Religion. We make
no war upon it, we eschew what
ever may touch or reflect upon it;
we attend to our religion and NOR
ais, as mdividsais; with most, If not
all of us, u matter that, in no wise,
concerns Mr.. Hill. On these points,
we have as much right to or opin-
: ion us has Mr.. Hill to his. We
leave the decision TO discr' 'minat-
, ing public.
Mr.. Hill says: Public opinion
Is against the Drama" Can the
gentleman inform us, what he un.
ders,ands by "public opinion p Is
there, | ask hlm, II civilized city in
the world, that has not from one TO
dozens of Theatres, where the dra-
ma is nightly renderedy Is there
scarcely II village or hamlet, that
has not It's amateur dramatic Asso-
ciation? Are they not all kept up,
, supported, attended and thronged
by the fashion, wealth and irtelli-
gence OF Public opinion? aye, and
among them are to be found hun
dreds, thousands, millions of pa
irons, possessed OF quite as much
. morality and ORTHODOX religion, as
the best of those who as.ail the
drama Ia this Public Orinion?''
or is 1t to be found in that minority
amidst which Mr.. Hill so gallantly
5 standsY
As to the personal attack made
=. bv Mr.. Hill upon the religion, mo
rality and deccncy of the Dramdfif
the author of the article, "hon soii
!, qui nal y pense,' your correspon-
! dent wishes politel y to inform him.
5 that, though "wise he may be in hl'
- own conceit," he yet lacks sufficient
to herald, as s9ve do, his own purit3
c and goodness. He leaves THAT, tC
the judgement Of those, among
whom he lives and with whom ht
associates. But, one thing the gen
tleman can depend upon: wher
S those morals and that religion dc
t rcqulre improvement or rctorma
/. ton, they will seek very differen
- material from Mr.. Geo. NJ. Hill
even though he may become fortl
p" fled by fifteen or twenty year,
q additional study of the scriptures
j. and the best theological and literar,
,, works in the world" with, we will
:. add, u little English grammar anc
dictionary thrown in, and the who'll
u polished up by few OF those cour
q tosiao and amontties learned 1,