The Democratic advocate., 1874-05-23

For an aristocratic scandal there has
been nothing lately that Would bear COM
parison TO the exchange between Count
de Montebelo aud Prince Metternich of
a challenge to a duel, mention Of which Is
made by the Paris dispatches. The inn
perious queen of fashion and ruler Of Par
isian society, the Princess Metternich, is
at the bottom Of the affair. II seems that
she purposely aud in the face Of all pres
ent, gave the Count the cut direct ut
recent ball, aud that naughty old noble
has called her husband to account for it.
The two men stand high on the list Of the
nobility Prince Metternich is the Aus
trian Ambassador at Paris, and Count de
Montebello is the son Of the first Napo-
Icons famous Marshal Lannes, who per-
ished when on the field Of Essling the
French eagles were checked in their pro-
gross towards Vienna. He has filed inn
portant diplomatic positions at Copenha-
gen, Berne, Naples, and st. Petersburg,
aud held Office in the various Ministries
that were formed in France during the
reign of Louis Philippe. He is more
than seventy years old, but age appears
not to have cooled the impetuous ardor
and fiery temper that came to him from
the soldier Of Essling Behind the action
Of the Austrian Princess there is undoubt-
edly piquant story of either political or
social complications that have led up to
this offering of public insult to peer Of
Montebello's rank, age, and fame.
The financial report made to the Centen-
nial Commission on Wednesday, states
that the estimated cost Of the proposed
building Is SS, 750, 900, and that the total
subscriptions are S4,405,200 The Exc
cutive Committee add, that it is plain that
in the absence Of Government aid it will
be impossible to render the celebration
creditable to the nation, or worthy of the
occasion. They throw the responsibility
Of the failure or success Of the Exhibition
entirely on Congress.
The Russian Grand Duke, the German
newspapers assure us, has just been arrest
ed in st. Petersburg for purloining hi.
mothers diamonds TO give them to pretty
French actress. He is youth cf twenty.
four, the oldest son Of the Grand Duke
Constantine, and in all probability as much
of a simpleton as of scamp.
The bark Sylvia NJ, Swasey, from New
York, Is reported to have been lost on hel
voyage to Cardenas. The schooner Pho.
nix it is also announced was capsized in
whirlwind off Ship Channel Keys. 0fthC
seventeen passengers ON board six were
drowned, five of whom were women.
The case Of Phelps, charged with steal
ing money from the office Of the Stat,
Treasurer Of New York, in which he wa,
clerk, was taken up for trial on Monday
at Albany, The entire panel of jurors
one hundred and fifty in number, was cal
led without a jury being secured
The Committee of Ways and Means OIL
Wednesday, authorized Mr.. Foster to re
port resolution censuring the Secretarl
Of the Treasury, the Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury, and Solicitor Ban6eld 70
the lax and careless administration of tn,
law in the Sanborn contract cases,
A strange disease prevails among tn,
fish Of river and lake at Milwaukee, Wis
consin. Their flesh under the microscop,
is found TO be alive with animalculae
Millions of dead fish are floating upon tn,
surface Of the water, and dealers have beel
forbidden to sell any.
The Boston Boards of Trade and Com
merce have appealed to the railway com
panics to lower their rates of freight, so Al
to avert the danger of the removal of th,
Cunard steamers to New York.
The whole number of postal cards fur
nished post Offices throughout the Unitet
States for the year ending May IL, wa
113,662,000.
Geo Fruits, of Alamo, Ind, is said t.
have reached the mellow old age of III
years.