during the latter part of that season, and the commencement of this. It has a good deal of merit, and it encourages the hope of still better things from Mr. Clinch, its author. We would advise him, however, to cease dramatizing the works of others, and to draw entirely on his own genius. As all these pieces are 'by-gones,' we must omit any critical remarks; indeed, most of them are wholly unworthy of such comment. It is reported, that several new plays, &c. are in preparation for the close of this season-among which, we hear the name of the Pioneers; taken, as we suppose, from the novel. It will be a much more difficult task to make a good drama of this work, than of its predecessor, the Spy. As these different pieces appear, we propose giving our readers a few observations, both on their literary merits, and the manner of their representation. Of the Managers, we cannot speak in too high praise. Their efforts to please, if not always judiciously directed, are certainly spirited, and exceedingly liberal. In addition to the expensive exhibitions of the "Coronation," last winter, and of the " Mirror Curtain," this- we seldom hear of a great name on the English Boards, but we either see him here, or are encouraged to believe that his appearance is not far distant. We have had Cooke, and Kean, and Mathews; and he who understands the prejudices of a popular and courted Englishman, may appreciate the enterprise and perseverance of Mr. Price. It is worthy of remark, that all these actors, (cum multis aliis,) were brought into the country by the personal efforts of that gentleman. We are not the puffers of Mr. Price, on the contrary, we are not even personally acquainted with him; but, as in common with the rest of the community, we have heard him censured in relation to his conduct toward our old favourite, Hilson, and as we happen, by accident, to be 'behind the curtain' on this subject, we shall step out of our way a little to vindicate him. It is well known, that Mr. Hilson appeared at the " City Theatre," and there was at once a cry raised against the managers of the "Park," that he was not engaged where the community might see him. The best possible refutation of the accusations that were heaped on the managers of the latter, is the fact, that after Mr. Hilson had appeared at the "City," and had tried to do the " Park" injury, by wearing off the edge of novelty, a liberal engagement was given to him at the latter Theatre. He played several nights; and if those who made an outcry at his being driven to a minor Theatre, had appeared at the "Park" to support their favourite, he would not have left the city with the mortification of believing, that his acting no longer possessed attraction for a New-York audience. We could say more on this subject, but as it belongs more properly to individuals, than to the public, we shall not pass the threshold of private life.-A few new actors, from England, have made their appearance, as permanently engaged. Watkinson does very well in a certain line of characters: although he is not a 'mouther' in the ordinary sense, he has a trick of making a mouth' that sticks by him in all parts. Maywood has appeared in VOL. I. 13 some characters lately, that have done him much credit, though there are others in which we have seen him, that he should never touch.Indeed, one of the greatest faults of our Theatre, is its indiscriminate use of the actors. Poor Miss Johnson has appeared in every thing, we believe, from tragedy down to ballets! This should not be. We can venture to assure the managers, that the public will much better bear the substitution of a piece, on any accidental occurrence, than tolerate the sight of a favourite, reduced to the condition of a drudge. Mrs. Wheatley improves more than any other individual of the corps dramatique: she is always perfect-we mean in the words-good natured, and ready to do her best, and commonly successful. We wish we could say all this of Mrs. Battersby.-Cooper, Wallack, and Mrs. Gilfert, have all appeared this season; the first with a good deal of eclat, but it was not our good fortune to see him. Of Mathews, we shall write more at large in a future number: as indeed, we propose to do of all the better order of actors: where merit is progressive, we shall delight to speak, (as in the case of Mrs. Wheatley,) for it is not only cheering in itself, but is evincive that the efforts of the actor are zealous. Miss Johnson belongs to this class; and Mr. Woodhull does not. The present company may be considered strong in singers: without possessing-if we except Mrs. Holman— any of very high rank, it has several of much respectability. Kent is good; and Ritchings is fast improving—we think he may do much better things in his way, than any we have yet witnessed. There is one view of the actors on our boards, that we have not been much accustomed to take, but to which they must now learn to submit. It relates to their conceptions and representations of new characters. We feel it particularly our duty to guard, as much as lies in our power, the rights and immunities of authors. Genius will be lost to the stage, if the players are permitted silently to distort a writer's meaning. How very different are the conceptions of Mathews and Maywood, in Baillie Jarvie, and Rob Roy, from the conceptions of Cowell and Mrs. Battersby, in Dr. Sitgreaves, and Katy Haynes. This disregard to an author, should not be allowed. There is no character in a play so insignificant as not to require attention. If Katy were as well played as Cæsar, how very different would the scene be, between these worthies, over the record of mortality in the family of the elder Birch. In fine, the merits of Bancker certainly place him in the class of the progressive. SUMMARY OF POLITICAL EVENTS. [The following is given as a mere sketch, to indicate our plan-having already extended our pages beyond the limited number. This department, hereafter, will be carefully filled.] NATIONAL. DEC. 3.-Matthew St. Clair Clark, (of Penn.) was elected Clerk of the House of Representatives, at the eleventh balloting, during two days-there being fourteen candidates at the first. DEC. 12.-Don Jose Manuel Tozaya, as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Mexico, accompanied by Don Jose Anastasio Torrens, as Secretary of the Legation, was presented by the Secretary of State, to the President. Obadiah Rich, Consul of the U. S. at Valencia, in Spain, has got possession of the original MS. of Columbus's account of his first voyage to America. George W. Erving has presented to the House of Representatives, for the National Library, a case of French medals, and medals struck at Paris to commemorate some principal events of, and men distinguished in, our revolution. The American medals proper are—one of Gen. Washington, at the siege of Boston; one of Dr. Franklin; one of Paul Jones; and two of the Battle of the Cowpens. And there are two, of Columbus and Kosciusko. Lieut. Commandant Allen, of the navy, was killed on the 9th of November, in the bay of Matanzas, in the attack of piratical vessels, which were captured. Captain David Porter has been assigned to the command of an expedition against the Pirates in the West Indies-with one sloop of war, one steam galliot, one store ship, nine schooners, and five cutters. The following appointments have been made by the President and Senate: Hugh Nelson, (of Vir.) Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, to Spain. Gen. Andrew Jackson, the same, to the Government of Mexico. Cæsar A. Rodney, (of Del.) Minister Plenipotentiary, to the Government of Buenos Ayres. Richard C. Anderson, (of Ken.) the same, to the Government of Colombia. Heman Allen, (at present Marshal for Vermont,) the same, to the Government of Chili. John Mason, jun. Secretary of Legation, to Mexico. John M. Forbes, the same, to Buenos Ayres. C. S. Todd, the same, to Colombia. J. P. Kennedy, (of Md.) the same, to Chili. J. S. Wilcox, (of Penn.) Consul at the city of Mexico. Robert Todd, (of Ken.) Consul at Acapulco, in Mexico. William Taylor, (of Vir.) Consul at La Vera Cruz and Alvarado, in Mexico. H.M. Brackenridge, Judge of West Florida. W. F. Steele, (of Geo.) Attorney of the U. S. for the west part of Florida, vice T. B. Harrison, deceased. William Sebree, (of Ken.) Marshal of the U. S. for West Florida. G. Gaither, G. Murray, J. De la Rua, and J. Noriega, Members of the Legislative Council of Florida. Langdon Cheves, (of Penn.) Commissioner of the U. S. under the first article of the Convention with Great Britain, of 12th July, 1822. Henry Sewall, (of N. C.) U. S. Arbitrator, under the same. John McLean, (of O.) Commissioner of the General Land Office, vice Josiah Meigs, deceased. Lewis Cass, re-appointed Governor of Michigan Ter. Robert Crittendon, re-appointed Secretary of Arkansas. Tench Ringgold, Marshal of the District of Columbia, is re-appointed. Col. Robert R. Hunter, Consul for the Isle of Wight. Nicholas Biddle, (of Philadelphia,) is elected by the Directors-Pre sident of the Bank of the United States. Dr. Charles Everett, (of Vir.) is appointed by the President, his Private Secretary. MAINE. [Albion K. Parris, Governor.] John Chandler is re-elected U. S. Senator, from the 4th March next. Thomas G. Thornton, U. S. Marshal for this State, is re-appointed by the President and Senate of the U. S. NEW HAMPSHIRE. [Samuel Bell, Governor.] Michael M Clary, U. S. Marshal for this state, is re-appointed by the President and Senate. VERMONT. [Richard Skinner, Governor.] MASSACHUSETTS. [John Brooks, Governor.] James Lloyd is re-elected U. S. Senator, from the 4th of March next. RHODE ISLAND. [George C. Gibbs, Governor.] Nehemiah R. Knight is re-elected U. S. Senator, for six years from the 4th of March next. CONNECTICUT. [Oliver Wolcott, Governor.] [Oliv JAN. 12.-Died, Jonathan Ingersoll, Lieut. Governor, in the 76th year of his age. NEW-YORK. Joseph C. Yates (late a Judge of the Supreme Court) is elected Governor, to enter on his duties the 1st of January. Erastus Root is also elected Lieut. Governor. On the 28th NOVEMBER, the last stone of the Northern, or Champlain Canal, was laid, with ceremony, in the presence of a great assemblage, by Gov. Clinton, at Waterford. This place is at the head of the navigation of the Hudson, and at this place a boat had already arrived from lake Ontario, by the St. Lawrence, the Sorel, and lake Champlain-from which the canal begins, at Whitehall, and runs 61 1-2 miles to Waterford. A short account of this canal is due to the importance of the achievement. From Whitehall, there are 19 miles of canal, and about 5 of the waters of Wood creek, to fort Edward, on the Hudson. In this space, there are 10 locks; 3 at the beginning; 3 at the end; 3 about the middle, at fort Ann; and 1, recently built, in ascending from Wood creek, a little below fort Ann and the junction of Wood creek with Halfway brook-which feed that lower level. The upper level, from fort Ann to fort Edward, is supplied by a feeder from a stupendous dam across the Hudson, of 30 feet altitude. From fort Edward, the river is used in lieu of a canal, 8 miles, to fort Miller-being kept up by a dam. Round the fall, there is half a mile of canal, with two locks: the river is again used for 2 1-2 miles; and then, by a dam, glides on the west side, into a canal—which extends 26 1-2 miles, to Waterford. This part has 6 locks, and at the end at Waterford, 3 more-making in the whole 21 locks. The Canal proceeds from Waterford south, to unite its waters with the great Erie canal, 2 1-2 miles-crossing the Mohawk river by a dam. The whole extent is 64 miles. This work was commenced on the tenth of June, 1818, and has been finished in somewhat more than four years. When compared with similar works in the old world, the execution may be pronounced a rapid one, and has never been exceeded, in that respect, except by its relative, the western canal. The celebrated canal of Languedoc is only 148 miles long, and it took 14 years to finish it, and it employed always the labour of 8,000, and sometimes of 12,000 men. The Forth and Clyde canal is 35 miles long: It was commenced in 1768, and not completed until 1790. DEC. 31. Died, at Canandaigua, Hon. Gideon Granger, formerly Postmaster General of the U. S. FEB. 10.-Died, at New-York, Gen. John Swartwout. Nathan Sanford, Esq. is appointed Chancellor of this state, in the place of Chancellor Kent, whose term is about expiring; John Savage, Esq. Chief Justice; and Jacob Sutherland, Esq. Judge; of the Supreme Court. NEW-JERSEY. [Isaac H. Williamson, Governor.] Mahlon Dickerson is re-elected U. S. Senator, from the 4th March. Gen. Swift and Professor Renwick (of N. Y.) have reported, to the Canal Commissioners of this state, that a canal communication of the waters of the Delaware and Hudson, by the Rivers Musconetcong and Passaic, is practicable, without any serious difficulty. Oliver H. Ogden, U. S. Marshal for this state, is re-appointed by the President and Senate of the U. S. PENNSYLVANIA. [Joseph Heister, Governor.] Died, in December, Dr. Michael Leib, formerly U. S. Senator, &c. DEC. 30.-Died, John Mellish, the celebrated Geographer, in the 56th year of his age. JAN. 31.-Died, the Rev. John Heckewelder, distinguished for his work on the Indians, and his missionary services. |