Rivalry between Forrest and Macready.--Macready's Arrival in this
Country.--The Announcement of his Appearance at the Astor-place Opera
House, and Forrest at the Broadway Theatre the same Night posted Side by
Side.--Bowery Boys crowd the Opera House.--Anxiety of the Managers.--
Consultations and Dramatic Scenes behind the Curtain.--Stamping of the
People.--Scene on raising the Curtain.--Stormy Reception of Macready.--
Howled down.--Mrs. Pope driven from the Stage by the Outrageous Language
of the Mob.--Macready not allowed to go on.--His foolish Anger.--Flees for
his Life.--His Appearance the Second Night.--Preparations to put down the
Mob.--Exciting Scene in the Theatre.--Terrific Scenes without.--Military
arrive.--Attacked by the Mob.--Patience of the Troops.--Effort to avoid
Firing.--The Order to Fire.--Terrific Scene.--Strange Conduct of Forrest.
--Unpublished Anecdote of General Scott.

Probably there never was a great and bloody riot, moving a mighty city to
its profoundest depths, that originated in so absurd, insignificant a
cause as the Astor-place riot. A personal quarrel between two men growing
out of professional jealousy, neither of whom had any hold on the
affections of the people, were able to create a tumult, that ended only by
strewing the street with the dead and wounded.

Mr. Forrest, it is true, had a certain professional popularity, but
nothing to awaken a personal enthusiasm for him. Viewing the matter in
this light, some have thought, there was a mysterious underground
influence at work, that has never yet been discovered. But one needs not
to go far to find the causes that produced it.

In the first place, ever since our revolt from England, especially since
the second war with her, in which the contest for the supremacy of the