The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-07-23
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

The Gloom of the City at the News of the
| AttemptetiA ssassination- Strange Scenes
| In the Streets-HOt Weather-FOurth o1
July Celebration-The Effect ON Coney
| Island--Two Homfcides-How the Small
Boy Behaved on the National Anniver-
sary-Meeting of the National Archery
J Assocfation-Great Prizes, Etc.
| New YORK, July 9, 1881.
EDITOR CHIEF:
Ono subject only has engulphel and
swallowed up every thing else, for never,
in the memory of living men, has the
shadow Of death fallen SO heavily on
this city as during the week which has
just gone by. l have seen New York
swept by pcstilence, where thousands
young and strong were stricken down /;
| l have seen the richest portion of it laid
in ashes, where millions of dollars per-
ished in the flames; have seen rs streets
for days in tho possession Of unchecked
assassins, when murder and robbery ran
riot, but never, never have l hoard such
universal vail of grief as that which
went up from the hearts of New York,
when the news flashed over the wires
that President Garfield had been shot.
For once the voice of dctraction was
silent, and political enemies We'd with
political friends in expressions of hope
and love for the dying President. In
front of the Office of one of his most vio-
lent detractors, was emblazoned in
mighty letters, the words, "God save
him." and before the office Of another
newspaper, whose universal malediction
has caused it to be regarded as the Pariall
of the American press, was as fervdnt 4
prayer for the Presidents safety as was
! heard in any Of the orthodox churches.
Thousands crowded the streets, and ex-
tras containing the slightest news were
eagerly sought by the anxious multi
tudcs, each member Of which seemed to
have suffered personal loss. Strong
men wcpt as if the shadow Of death had
fallen OH their hcarthstoncs.
Our National holiday, usually SO nc ),
and happy, passed almost without recog-
milton, and Il foreigner passing through
the metropolis and seeing the closed
stores and the dropping flags, would
have bocn forced to the conclusion that
death had already completed its work
and that the spirit of the dead President
had passed to it's Maker. From the midst
of the great gloom of our National ami
vcrsary came gleam of hope, carrying
JOY to the hearts Of millions; and away
down in the slums, where the thieves
dwell, and the river pirates find a home,
as the news rang out, CHEEKY and clear,
awakening the echoes of the night, that
still there was room for hope, Il party
of ragged beggars and thieves joined
hands, in the middle of the street, and
with faces upturned to the stars shouted
that grand old antll:n, "Praise God from,
whom all blessings flow" We have had
alternate days of hope and fear, but each
hour and minute the prayer has gone NJ
from the hearts Of all, "God save him.
There were no Stalwarts or Half Breeds,
no Democrats Or Republicans, no Feather
heads or Rebels, but all were Americans,
praying earnestly and hopefully for hin,
who seemed almost upon the verge OF
tho Valley Of the Shadow of Death.
As l said before, one would hardly
know that the greatest National holiday
had come and gone. No fireworks, no
parade, no orations, nothing to mark it
from the Sabbath which preceded it, ex-
cept, perhaps, gloom and sadness. A
special ordinance had been promulgated
against fre-crackers torpedoes and pis-
tolls were under special interdict; the
villanous small boy, whose sole delight
in past years, was to frishten women
and scare runaway horses, was constant
ly under the eye of the police, 80 that his
| opportunities for mischief were limited
There were few fires and comparative
| ly few accidents, and we now begin to
realize that Il patriotic celebration may
he had without the beating of tom-toms
and the smell of villaiuous saltpetre
there may be tire-caters who like it, to
whom the smoke of a gatling or the per
| fume of Il torpedo is like the scent of the
lily or the odor Of the rose, but don't
like it even on Fourth of July, and re-
joice III the peace, which | confess pass
eth all understanding. Still, the week
has not passed without the usual number
Of honlicitles. Human life is held by /,
very uncertain tenure. Mr.. Hall and his
neighbor quarreled about Il spitz dog
and Mr.. Hal: got i knife and literally
cut his neighbor to pieces. Peter Sncd-
cker and AL. Grey had a fight over a
glass Of lager, Snedeker gave Grey a
blow that broke his neck, and the jury
who tried the case brought in a verdict
of justiiable homicide. Perhaps it is all
right. Grey was spelling for u fight,
and he got it.
Next week we are to have III Brooklyn
the grand meeting of the National Arch
cry Association. A couple of weeks age
a shooting match took place
aud $4,000 pigeons were brought on here
for slaughter. The ground was all red
with the blood of the butchered birds
and the poor wounded creatures wert
tlutterins by hundreds with broken
limbs and shattered wings, that lot Of