Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-02-22
The Funeral of O,Mabonax

The Funeral of O'Mahoney.
Men go out of sight very soon
Twelve years ago, Col. John O'Ma
honey filed the newspapers with bis
modern trump of fame, and his name
was on the lips of men. He hac
been patriot in Ireland, had beard.
ed the British Lion in his den, had
emigrated to this country, and or
ganized the Fenian movement, and
was it's ackno wledged head. He had
gorgeous quarters, "staff," and all
the ribs of a great wsrlike enterprise.
He bad everything, in fact, necessary
to conquer the independence of Ire
land, except men and arms and some
other trifles. But they had a good
time of it. While the servant girls
and laborers contributed, and when
the regular Irish quarrel came, o..
Mahoney subsidized. As be was an
honest man who actually believed in
the possibility of military operations
against England, be went out poor
and be has lived in poverty and OBJ.
security ever since. His death last
week was the first that had been
beard of him for some time. The
Irish gave the dead "hero," an inn
mense funeral. All the societies turn.
ed ont in regalia, and every Irish
man got out his plug hat from the
box where it had rested since last
St. Patrick's day, and the city was
IL IL 10 n m
taken to Ireland for interment. And
speaking of the Irish, would any
body suppose that human credulity
could go so far as to contribute
money for another
Raid upon Canada.
O'Donovan Rossa, who was an
Irish sHero," is also receiving con-
tributions of any sums that servant
girls and simple minded laborers
choose to give, to form 'Skirmish-
ing Fund" He proposes to organ
ize a regiment of skirmishers to an
nov the rear of the British Lion in
Can ada, while other "heroes" attack
him in front on the old sod. All this
to occur as soon as Europe gets into
a general war, which will take the
attention of England. The average
1rishman is queer institution. The
race in America may be properly
divided up into dupes and dupers.
The moment speck of war appears
upon any horizon, the "leaders'' i'm
mediately issue proclamation, an
nouncing that 'IreIand's opportuni-
ty" is at last here, and that all that
ia needed to secure Irish independ-
ence is-money. Any sum will be
received, and from any source. The
servant girls and the laborers take
liberal share from their scant earn
ings, and give it to the beats, who
collect all that is possible, and then
let the thing die. One would sup
pose that after dozen or two such
experiences the people would know
better, but they don't. The innocents
are always ready to be sheared, and
there are always "leaders" to shear
them. The contributions to O'Rossa's
skirmishing fund, as absurd as it is,
fills columns in the Irish newspapers.
Trouble in the Benevolent Societies.
It is bad that one can't give dol.
lar with any certainty that it will
reach the people intended to be bene-
flied. The benevolent societies of
the city are undergoing examination,
and vast amount of rottenness has
been developed. One institution for
sheltering distressed women was
found to be purely private specu-
lation of two enterprising young
men, and had no shelter or anything
else, and who were collecting great
deal of money from the charitable.
They had the sublime impudence to
appeal to the authorities for a share
of the State appropriation, and were
caught. Other institutions were
foand to be organized for the support
of parcel OF dead beats. The of.
| ficers, and there are an immense
number of them, were all under heavy
pay. The collectors were paid a
heavy percentage upon their collec-
tions heavy rents were paid upon
which ''divvies'' were doubtless al
lowed, and altogether, it was as rot
ten as Tammany, and can't say
more than that. Don't suppose that
all the societies arc OF this class
there are deserving ones, but large
percentage of tbem are proper sub
iects for close watching.
Political.
The Democracy are in the dumps.
They give up all hope of sliding Til
den in by the Electoral Commission,
and are arranging for their new cam
paien. Their only hope now is in an
appeal to the courts, which Tilden
has determined to make, apparently
forgetting that five members of the
court vii have declared their ideas Of
the law in the case while they are on
the Commission. This fight is for q
purpose. Even if Tilden is defeated
they have hopes that President Hayes
can be bull -dozed into being very lib
eral in the giving of places, for the
sake of conciliating them, and healing
their bruises. The action of the Com
mission meets with approval from the
business men of the city, irrespective
of party affiliations, and attempt of the
hot heads to go back of its decision:
and prolong the contest, finds no back
ing. The point now is to have the
agony over, and the question settled
and there viii be acquiescence in it
no matter which way it goes.
Lent.
Lent is on us, and fashionable New
York morti6es the flesh for forty days
Daring that time the fashionable wo
man is expected to get down into the
valley and shadow of humility, anc
this she does by eating no meat, anc
abstaining from worldliness altogether
This is accomplished by dropping al
high colors in dress, by resolutely re-
fusing to dance, aud letting parties
severely alone. They hum!liate them
selves in dark velvets at SIS yard