Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-29
Marriage Of the Last Of the Montcalms

Marriage Of the Last Of the Montcalms.
From the New York Sun. January l4.l
The marriage of gentleman whose
name is surrounded with extraordinary
historical associations is announced in
our columns this morning. 1t is that of
M. de Montcalm, great-grand-son of the
brilliant soldier and statesman whose
death at Quebec, over a century ago, at
tended the British conquest of Canada.
The bride, Mile Krolikowsks, is a young
lady Of Polish origin, who has lived in
this city for several years, and whose
! charming talent as musician has been
admired wherever it has been known.
The marriage ceremony was performed
with Puritanic simplicity by Rev. Wm.
q. Poole, and was witnessed by few
friends Of the parties.
We believe that NJ. de Montcalm is the
only living representative Of his name.
He inherits the democratic instincts for
which his race was distinguished even
when his ancestors held their place
among the rich and powerful of their
country, before the Revolution had swept
| away the greatness of the old noblesse.
A democrat by nature, and endowed With
temperament as ardent as his convic.
tions, in his youth he easily became a
| conspirator He was thrown together
with Louis Napoleon, and though he
never entirely con6ded in the patriotic
professions of that eminent adveutur:r,
he learned much of his secrets. Initia.
ted into the political societies of That pc
riod, his advanced views as a socialist
excluded him from official employment
during the Republic of l848. After the
coup detat OF December, 1852, Louis
Napoleon sought to gain for his dynasty
the. genius and devotion whose value he
had learned in his own earlier, if not
better days. The offer of high station
was made, but it was sternly re-
fused. The sturdy Republican could
not be seduced from his principles,
and Napoleon resolved to crush the man
whom he could not buy. The father of
M. de Montcalm had gained respectable
fortune as furnisher of army supplies.
He had considerable contracts pending
at the time of his death, which took place
about the epoch of Napoleon's usurpa-
ton. The son desired to be allowed to
fulfill these contracts. but obstacles were
tnrOWu III Hls way. On frivolous pre-
texts he was adjudged to have broken the
contracts, and having been thus reduced
to poverty, be was threwn into prison
as political offender. After tedious
imprisonment he was set at liberty and
placed under the surveillance of the
police. He succeeded in effecting his
escape from France to Germany, and has
now been for two or three years in this
country, earning his livelihood by bis
profession as physician, and by giving
lessons in languages, mathematics, and
various other branches of science.
M. de Montcalm is perfectly author
ized to bear the title of Marquis, by
which bis great progenitor is known in
history but we believe be has never
thought fit to claim any such aristocratic
distinction. A genuine Radical, we'll
versed in the sober philosophy of ex-
perience, his ideas lead him to place a
small value upon hereditary honors ex-
cept when their possessor has made good
his right to them by lsbors Of ilustrious
usefulness to humanity.