The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-07
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
MADAME cArAcAZY's REVENGE.

MADAME CATACAZYS REVENGE
(From the st. Louis Republican,
A young lady in Washington, whiting to
friend in St. Louis, lets out q bit Of gossip riff
among the every, very select few who enjo
the confidence Of that most amiable and dip
lomatic lady, the better half of our highl,
respectable Secretary OF State. This bit o
gossip is communicated with many assuranc e
that it is lawful confidential" and that 81
publication of it or even an intimation concern
ing it in the public prints would create panic
in society here Washington" But the fai
purveyor of news is over cautious. The pub
lication Of her awful court scandal will no
harm anybody, though it will interest a grea
many people. Moreover it touches upon 6
theme of international interest, and demon
strates that in the diplomacy of nations as
! well as in the dealings of individuals, Time
| calls around occasionally and makes things
even.
The pitiful story of Madame Catacazy is
still fresh in the public memory. Her beauti.
full face has indeed vanished from the salons
of the corps diplomatique; her queen.ike
presence is no longer known IN the parlors of
the capital nor in the galleries Of the capitol
her gold-shredded hair no longer outvies the
sunshine on the promenade side of the
avenue. She is gone back to her Muscovite
home, carrying with her many bitter memo
ries Of America, many wounds of pride and of
spirit at the hands Of American men and
women. But those who knew her best and
who had no selfish interest in her downfall,
remember her pleasantly and are gratefully
cherished in return.
Among those who focked to the onslaught
after Mrs. Fish in the strong self-righteousness
of her Connecticut blue blood had least the
first stone," was that other leader in Washing
ton, Mrs. Attorney General Williams. 1t is
not pertinent here to resurrect the Catecazy
scandal in detail. Nor is it requisite to repro
duce the hoarse whispers that were rife at Sc
lect tea-tables, and swelled into outspoken
allegations behind mysterious curtains last
winter, when somebody was on trial before
the Senate Judiciary Committee, in respect to
his mental, moral and social fitness for the
Chief Jusiceship. In both cases the story
has been told, and is of household familiarity
to all who read. Some months ago the country
was astonished at the recall Of Minister Jewell
from st. Petersburg to take the Post Office
portfolio. Then came the usual Vaccinations
as to who might be the choice of the Sphynx
in the White House for the succession.
Prominent among the names mentioned
wa that of the Attorney General. He would
lik64o deepen and broaden his already elabor-
ate culture by few years of diplomatic inter-
course with the ruling intellects of the old
world. The madame pinned for change of
social atmosphere and Of scene. WashingtouI
had been the theatre of her humiliation. A
wicked and calumnious half dozen of news
paper correspondents had embittered her life
md stung her soul. What balm, then, SO
sweet as the social vindication OF being re.
,eived with ambassadorial honors in the |
naughty court of all the Russias? So there
vas talk Of Williams and the Rus.an mission |
It is no secret that some Of the elderly and |
lignifed danes who lend to Washington |
society q prudery that is not althogether I'M
leedful to preserve the equilibrium OF de- |
,ency, have long revolved in their minds the |
woman from Oregon along with the |
problem, "What shall we do with her ?" If
he went to Russia, the problem would be |.
olved. 1t would not be necessary for lady
n Washington to exchange calls and cards
With lady in St. Petersburg. The tall man
ion on Rhode Island Avenue, with its yard
whose beautiful terracing and .sodding were
Explained in the testimony taken by the joint
elect committee on the conduct Of the Board
+ Public Works of the District of Columbia,
Tould be closed or leased to some one who
7ould not embarrass society" It was a
Apply thought. Williams would resign his
ommand of the army and navy, let 60 the
hroats of Louisiana and Alabama, and sail for
t. Petersburg with the credentials of first
lass mission in his pocket. Mrs. Williams
'ould go with him. And the Kit-Kat Klub Of
he West End would breathe free once more
But all of o sudden the talk ceased. Pres
ntly it was 'semi-oficially" announced that
lere was no idea Of sending Williams to
ussia. That his gigantic legal intellect I
ould not be spared from the Department Of
ustice at this particular juncture without Y
rave peril to free institutions The cause
this sudden change in our diplomatic poll I
7 towards the government of Alexander II
light forever have lain mystery but for the
liue enterprise Of our young lady who writes
tell her friend all about it. It seems that
ereo lis &C society in st. Petersburg" as well as
society in Washington" And it seems that
rtain people not far from 1883 G. street,
ashington, where q party by the name OF Il
Ofenburg is supposed to reside, quietly :
ggested to some people in the vicinity Of
90 street, where is located the domicile of
digniied parsonage by the name of Fish, T,
at perhaps the Russian Government would
nsider itself bound to adhre to the diplo-
precedent established in the
tacazy case. This, you ssee, is the diplo- Q
x or minister resident never says anything y
it he utters al great many parallels, and y
acefully entertwineshis small talk with an
initude Of limitations. It is part Of his
ucation.
Thus the Russian Envoy Extraordinary, the
ron Henri dOfenburg, could never have
d to the precise and pompous Fish, ''Sir,
7 Government will feel bound to apply to
2 case of Mrs. Williams the precedent which
ur Government established in the case of
.dame de Catacazy." That would not have Is
en- diplomatic. But he might have said G
netting like this: "Sir, the Russian Gov
lment, which l have the distinguished ',
nor to represent (mutual inclinations Of the y
olomatic heads), is characterized by its fidel- II
to precedent even in the minutest affairs per- d
ming to the intercourse of nations" Nothing
s said about Mrs. Williams, nor about Nine.
, Countess de Catacazy. Then the erudite
III counts his diplomatic fingers. Mem. =.
e Russian Government is devoted to prece-
ut. MEM. The Governneat of the =
lited States once secured the recall of
ssian Minister on account of some alleged ~
ormalities in his courtship, so to speak n
Iem. Informalities in the same direction i
said to have been characteristic Of the
Eter-help of the Attorney General, whose -
me is suggested for the Prussian mission. VI