The Musical Protective Association had been founded in 1863 amongst the city's many professional musicians and had in the days before begun a strike against all venues in the New York City. The meeting at the Germania Assembly Rooms was aimed at raising funds to aid members in keeping up the pressure of the stoppage. The union had suffered some defections and threats from managers to ship in new talent from Europe but stayed firm for now. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
"The Musical Strike," New York Times, November 7, 1865, p. 8.