NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 1853.

To the Editor of the National Era:

  ...

  "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is now being played at two places in this city, as well as in Philadelphia, Barnum having added a version to the entertainments of his Museum. I have not witnessed its performance there yet. I understand that it attracts great crowds, while the attendance at the National Theatre is undiminished. Such, in fact, is the exhaustless popularity of the plot of the book of Mrs. Stowe, that almost every sort of a dramatic rendition of it would draw. And this remark leads me to say, in anticipation of whatever impression which a personal inspection would make, that this Museum version has received a notice in the Tribune, which leads me to fear that it has been designed to pander to pro-slavery appetites, rather than to afford a frank and fair presentation of the scenes and opinions of the book. This was to have been anticipated, perhaps, if it be true that the acting manager of the Museum replied, to an offer of the piece now being performed at the National, that he would not let it come on his boards in that shape for five hundred dollars a night! indicating that he dared not to brave the popular prejudice so gloriously stemmed by Mr. Purdy of the National. Now, was it magnanimous to introduce the play in competition at this late day, after the National had taken the risk? Mr. Barnum generally does up his speculations on a large scale. Seeing that his already flourishing, because otherwise sufficiently attractive, establishment did not need the material aid Uncle Tom is so capable of securing, I am loth to believe that the introduction of any version of this play, in this second-hand way, is any favorite scheme of his! . . .

INDICATOR.