The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-26
:Ihe 1ailyAr9ns.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans,


"a The announcement that Mardi Gras will
not be celebrated in New Orleans this year
is a good deal more significant than at FIRST
appears. Its difficult for people who have
not actually lived in New Orleans to un-
derstand how completely the manners and
customs of the France of the eighteenth
century, have become part of the social
life Of that unique and fascinating city. In
these respects the capitol of louisiana IS
foreign city to Americans not born in it or
accustomed to it by long residence. al
though no European of this century would
find himself more at home in it. 1t isvery
curious to note how in all parts of the
world the social influence of the eminently
and aboye all things social French nation
has been felt in French colonies, long after
they had ceased to be French colonies, and
the political influence of France was no
longer feltin them Such society Long
fellow found in what are now the British
Provinces in America, and preserved the
remembrance of it in that graceful and
tender poem which treats of the lovers Of
Acadia. Such society Thackery spoke
of when he reported that he had found a
quaint old France still lingering upon the
shores Of the Mississippi" 1t is probably
quite impossible for any stranger to New
Orleans to picture to himself how curiously
and how considerably the "reminiscences of
the French domination have qualified the
eager and restless life Of other American
cities in the society of New Orleans.
! In nothing has this carnival been more
marked than in the annual celebration of
Mardi Gras which dispatch tellsls
is not to be held this year in New Orleans
for the reason essentially that the people
of New Orleans do not fell like making
merry. The carnival has been for many
years the chief festival of the city. The
political festival of the Fourth of July, the
religious festivals of Easter and Christmas,
and the politico-religious festival of Thanks
giving, are all and more than all combined
in the civic festival of the carnival to make
Mardi Gras the high tide of the year in
New Orleans. For many years this has
been the case. For many years the cele
bration has been increasing in its pagan
try and in its popularity. 1t has taker
so firm and peculiar hold upon the PEG
pie of New Orleans that nothing save /;
great calamity which made public re
joicing of any kind indecent would nov
avail to secure the suspension of it,
1t seems that such calamity is alread.
felt to be present in New Orleans
We need hardly say that the celebration
of the carnival in New Orleans has no pc
ltical significance whatever The cessa
ton of the celebration, however, has
very great political significance, not les
/. great because the persons who have re
solved upon it do not seem to be consciou
that it has any. 1t is public notification
that the outrages in Louisiana, which ar
matters of quiet discussion in the Norther
!. states, are matters of grave and immediat
moment to the people of New Orleans
They have decided that the usurpation
so mischievous that they cannot decentl
spend money and time upon the chief no
iday of the year. The pettifogging {
Williams, the despotic stolidity of Graz
and the ISLANDERS of Sheridan are thing
which really come home to mems bushes
and bosoms in Louisiana. A resolutio
not to celebrate the carnival is thus mol
: significant of the condition and feeling
- the people than all the indignation NEE
ings that can be held from now unt
doomsday Such resolution has neye
we believe, been put into practice befol
except during the war. 1t now becom
a proof that the horrors of war have n
ceased in Louisiana with the actual sho'
of battle, and that after nine years of S
.. called peace the distress and the ankle
LIE of war still press upon the people.