Let me call your attention to the fact that a bill has been favorably reported in the legislature for occasionally occupying a part of the Central park as a parade ground.

Bills for this purpose have often been introduced but have been [287] strongly resisted and I believe that never before has one appeared equally likely to pass.

If it is desirable to maintain a rural character in the park and to prevent its degenerating from a sylvan retreat into a place for boisterous fun and rough sports—a sort of Metropolitan Common or Fair Ground, the most energetic protest should be made against this bill.

The ordinary rules for the protection of the characteristic elements of the park must be practically suspended when the troops enter. Inter arma silent leges would apply with peculiar significance. For you know very well that the characteristic spirit and tone of manners of a crowd attending any great muster of militia is always one peculiarly antagonistic to that which has hitherto been in a large degree preserved in the park.

To a certain extent the scenes of the park have hitherto impressed the rough element of the city as with something of sacredness and to this fact the park owes all that has hitherto made it peculiarly enjoyable (among parks) to the more refined and delicate of the community. All of its domestic character.

I do not believe that for a single occasion measures could be taken which would be effectual against actual damage to the park of a most serious character (from the point of view of a lover of nature), but even if with special exertions this might be accomplished, nothing is more probable than that such precautions would be soon neglected and the park at times become subject to the humor of a multitude as uncontrollable and as dangerous to all that is peculiarly valuable in it as a street mob is found to be when it has broken into a private house.