New-York tribune., 1871-05-01
OBITUARY..
JAMES ". MASON.

JAMES NJ. MASON.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, April 29.-James Murray
| Mason died his residence near this city, at
10 O'Clock last night For some time his heah had Deeh
falling and within the last month he had lost his eye
sight He died of general debility his nervous system
being generally dorangod He had been unconscious for
a day two.
James NJ. Mason, the Virginia Senator and
exRebel Commissioner to England, descended from
honorable ancestry His grandfather George Mason was
one Virgina's most ilustrious sons ana shared Ill
anticipating the assertion of Human Rights contained Ill
the Declaration OF Independence, by reporting May 27
! ITO from a Committee of the Virginia Convention
Declaration Of Rights proclaming that All men are by
nature equally free, and have inherent rights OF whch
wien they enter into state OF society," Eey cannot Dy
any compact deprive direct their postority' the
deceased, James Mason, born in Fairfax County
Va Nov g. 1898, and received collegiate education
He studied law at the College of William and Mary and
began to practice in 1926 He served three terms III the
State legislature and entered Congress as representa-
tive in 1887. In Si7 he elected United States Sen
aor and entitled, by successive elections, to hold
that position until 1868.
In the Senate he proved himself charged with that pro
slavery venom which accounts for and explains his pub
lie career. He sienalized himself by efforts TO render
the maintenance of the Union impossible on any other
terms than those of the most utter and abect devotion
on TIE part OF the Free States to the most extreme pro-
slavery aspirations and policy Of the South He op-
posed Mr.. Clays programme OF compromise as entirely
too favorable the North He among the foremost
OF the Southern utras in defeating that programme in
its primitive shape, and stubb0nly resisted the adms-
sion of California Free State until paid for by con;
eessops on the par, 1i 'hG re v dren the
Fugitive Slave Law Of 1850, and assisting in passing II
cussions and Congress proceedings which Immediately
preceded the Rebellion acting at all times consistently
With the ntolcrnt and oyer6eaTng disposition GynGed
on former occasions His completely with 'he Rebellion be-
at length 80 ntolera9le that on he holqn ol = INA ma
tor Clark of NewIampshTe, he and eight other ReDel
Senators expelled July II, lSGl' by VOC Ol %
In directing the policy Of his own state. Senator
Mason's influence entirely in favor OF secession
- eeceeion formally submitted to the popular vote
they could freely record their deciOn lie joined IN the
published NIay IG lsGD a letter, in which lie nsolenuy
said: "Iit be asked What are those to DO Hho In Their
cOnsceMccS, cannot vote TO separate virginia IRON the
United S,atesi the answer Is simple anu pia, noHor nor
and duty alike require that they should HG wore on Inc anc
the STATE" Having thus helped formally to sever Vlr-
gina from the Unon Mason actively engaged III organ
II was thought by the Confederate Administration that
he could useful to them abroad and accordingly
he and John sde accredited respectively to En-
Gland and France. During their journey Europe tie
ton which it was the main oec of their mission TO pro-
zoke. He and sde reached Havana from Charleston,
aud sailed thence Nov 1901 in the British steamer
Trent, for st. Thomas, on their way 10 England The
United states steamship san Jaoint9 Cart Wilkes, had
left Havana on the 3D. and was watching LOT them IN te
Bahama Channel 2d miles from Havana when, az ll:4O
| II &,
quest heave to had been declined by her, shell
was fred across her bow. Lieut.. fairi"X, WIN
@ol SoS9 S the CommsioneFs Wien Mason and sde
w1tn their Secretaries Estss and Macfaand were COM
were conveyed 10 Fort Warren near Boston Despite
preoedonts in her own history jnstAying the act
England regarded the seizure OF the Commissioners as
a. &c, and demanded their release Oar Govern
mcnt, n examining MO me lntteI Ge'Ide &
been brought into an American port, ana the mater
In England, Mason was mainly useful to the Rebels by
affordlng them formal representation; More active
milton OF Southern independence. The efforts of Mason
his associates only successful so far az to widen
the feeling OF sympathy entertained for the south, and
induce mistaken Engishmen TO contribute to her aid.
WAen the Rebellion ended Maon returned 10 this country
and has since remained in secluslOn.
sIGISMOND THALBERG.
A dispatch, on Saturday. announced the death
of the distinguished pianist and composer, sgismnod
Thaberg The particulars and the place of his death
not given. He was natural Of of the Counts
Detrchstein, whose family hold prncely rank in the
Austrian empire, and bear the Of Thaberg as
o. their secondary titles Born in Geneva the 9TH OF
January 1872 he first educated under the Of his
mother, who Is said to have been OF superior
intelligence and accomplishments, and afterward taken
10 Vienna where he became q pupil OF Humme SO
rapid his progress under this eminent master that
years of no able TO give concerts and at 6
be published of his compositions for the piano. At
IS he began the series Of musical tours which filed al
most al tne rest OF his me- ana carried MN triumph
any through all the chief cities of Germany, France,
aud England He became attached in 1884 TO the Austrian
court as pianist and in that capacity accompanied the
Emperor FerdnandtO the conference at Top
lz where 10 was loaded with presents and He
married I'm 1916 Nine. Bouchot, widow OF the French
painter and daughter Of the great singer Labache. His
visit TO the United States in 1856 and 1857 Is one OF the
most charming OF our musical "reminiscences and We
who remember well the exquisite fautess deli
cacy the unequaled ne1tness and the fine sentiment
which he combined TO such extraordinary degree
with freedom and brancy lof style, will hardly find
another to satisfy in that class of compositions where
In his eminence was most marked. He was the fouDder
Of a new and excellent school of panOforte Paving
free dashing and richly ornate but having solid sub
structure of harmony school which afforded the fullest
liberty for brilliant variations but never lost sight Of the
neodc theme nor suffered the embroidery To hide the
texture OF the cloth The characteristics OF this school
are well expressed in the following extract from Moores
Encyclopedia Of Music!
"Ho sought TO make the whole keyboard speak AT once
throughout s entire compass, leaving no VOID IN the
middle This thOnght gradually matured ana developed
led him TO the discovery Of multitude O lnBonIos
combinations Of the fingers, whereby the song OF melody
could always be heard strongly accented III iHe us ui
rapid aTcggO passages aud very Implicated VI al
compartment These forms, Initiated by lhOsi o tnc n'n
school pialsts in their compositions, or i'th'I HtI
az tic operas nave ItONuD thO