St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-23
Our New York Letter.


AN UNFORTUNATE MEXICAN-THE Exc
CUTIONER OF MACMILLAN - THE
GRAND DUKE AGAIN-OBsEQUIEs OF
THE HEAD OF THE FENIANs-CUPID's
NEW YEAR-35, 900 vALENTINEs-A
CAUTION To ALARNIIsTs JUS
TICE - FRIGHTENED TO DEATH
TWEED AS A NOVEL READER-THE
HAND OF LIBERTY.
NEW YORK, Feb. Is, 1877.
To the Editor Of The CdIedOnian
If any of your readers have been
able to spare enough attention from
our own political "doin's" to notice the
affairs of the outside world, they may
be aware of the fact that in Mexico,
after the Fall election for president,
Gen. Diaz, the head of the military
branch of the government, not being
elected as he desired, organized himself
into Returning Board, threw out the
whole vote of the country and counted
himself in. The regularly elected can
dldate LerdO, protested vigorously
against this high handed action, but
Diaz, controlling the army, had what
is familiarly known as a ''dead-open-
and-shut" on the question. So when
the President de jure resisted, the hard
hearted Diaz quietly but meaningly
said whatever is Spanish for "Shoo fly ~
and Lerdo Immediately 'shooed," com
ing to New York, which is getting to
be fashionable resort for foreign rul-
ers and noble personages, whether
throned or dethrOned. During a two
weeks stay, the unfortunate exile and
his suite have been rather languidly
lIonized, for great men are generally
getting to be an old story with New
Workers. On Thursday the distinguish
ed party, among whom was General
Escobedo, the grim old soldier who ar
rested the Emperor Macmillan and af-
forwards commanded at the execution
OF the unfortunate Austrian, were con-
Quoted to Frank LesIie's establishment,
in the Photographic department of
which they all sat for their portraits,
which will appear in the Illustrated
Newspaper. Lerdo is said to bear the
most striking resemblance to Governor
Tilden.
In order that the hospitality of the
mntrnnnlIS m no 1,.ff ,,tb
able object on which to expend itself.
the Grand Duke Alexis will arrive here
about the time of the Mexican Presi-
dents departure, and as Alexis is
younger, more attractive and more i'm
portant, it is likely that his sojourn
will create something more of a fiutter
than that of his elderly predecessor.
The death of Col. John O'Mahony
and his funeral Obsequies just CON
Guided, bring wildly to mind the stir
ring events of the Fenian movement.
and furnish evidence also that the feel
ings and principles which actuated that
earnest but hopeless effort of Irishmen
TO attain national Independence are
still warmly though silently cherished
in their hearts. 1t will be remembered
that Col. O'MahOny was the Head Cen
tire of the Fenians in this country, and
became extremely popular through bis
fiery appeals and energetic action. The
funeral services were held in the i'm
mense church of st. Francis Xavier,
which was crowded with his mourning
cOmpatriOts. The ceremonies during
which many of the audience were in
tears, were the most elaborate that the
Catholic ritual affords. AT their con-
clusiOn the hearse, followed by a reti-
nue. of some five or six thousand, pro-
ceeded to the wharf, where the remains
were embarked for interment in Ireland,
by a committee of five. |
The funeral was one of the most impos-
ing that has occurred in years.
st. Valentines day ran into Ash |
Wednesday this year, and these strange
companions were forced to occupy the |
same twenty-four hours. Young Cupid
did not seem, however, to be in the |
least put out, but totally ignoring his
sOmbre companion, curled his hair,
plumed his wings, arrayed himself in |
high Piccadilly collar, spotless kids,
and new silk hat, and taking his bow
and arrows sailed forth to go through |
a New Years calling list, which might |
well alarm the most inveterate society |
man. To tell the truth, however, | |
guess Uncle Sans letter carriers did |
most OF his work for him, the reports
showing that some $4,000 valentines
passed through their hands on that
day. Some of these bits of tender
nonsense cost from S25 to $50 apiece,
but it is perhaps needless to remark |
that those were not the popular styles |
in this year of old clothes and unpaid |
board bills.
Deprecating the present unthinking
hue and cry against life insurance |
which the late discoveries of fraud and |
mismaDagement in certain institutions |
has melted, the New York Tribune said |
the other morning: "There is danger
that this feeling may be carried to ex-
cess, and applied where it is not de-
served.D 1t then proceeds to instance
the work of some twenty-five leading
companies during the last three years, |
and shows that during that time these |
companies paid fifty millions in death
claims. SIT is calculated" continues
the Tribune, ''that about six hundred |
families are thus relieved from distress,
If not from poverty, every month, and
that thirty thousand children per year
thus obtain an opportunity for good
education and start in the world.n