American Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 15, 3 August 1888, Page 3

American Notes.

Fob the last few weeks great anxiety has been felt owing to the dangerous illness of General Sheridan. •• Fighting Phil," " Little Phil " has lam at death's d or from failure of the action of the heart— the first time, they say, vis heart was ever known to fail him. Philip Hnendan wis the son oE Irish immigrant parents, and was born in bomer.et, Ohio, on March 6, 1831. His boyhood was not one possessed ot many advantages, and the schooling he enjoyed was of no very improved kind, He was a high-spirited, merry boy, and tales are told of various pranks played by him. He was especially plucky in horsemanship, which is of particular interest considering that one of the principal feats of his great military career was so associated. Philip bbendan's military life may be looked upon as one of the first fruits of the growing power of the Irish immigrant in the States It was to gain tbe favour of the Irish population that General Ritchie a number of Congress, nominated him to a vacancy at Westpoint in 1848. Here he graduated, and was sent to a station on the frontier of Texas, going afterwards to Oregon, where his experiences of Indian warfare fitted him for the part he was to take in the great civil war. In thij he passed from one distinction to another, winning the commendations of his superiors and the admiration of the country and rising from one promotion to another. He conquered tbe invincible Southern cavalry at Boonville. He led the advance into Kentucky by means of the great battle of Perryville. He fought at btone River until gcing up in the moment of victory to General Rosencrans, he exclaimed, " Here is all that is left of us, General, our cartridge boxes contain nothing, and our guns are empty." His greatest feat, perhaps, was the clearing out of the Shenandoah Valley culminating in the famous recovery at Cedar Creek, when General Early, having suprieed the camp of the Federals, had well nigh retrieved all his losses. It was then that Sheridan's world-renowned ride took place, "from Winchester twenty miles away." He rallied his disordered troops, and led them back to camp, gaining a victory that was saluted at Washington by one hundred guns. " Turning what bade fair to be a disaster into a glorious victory," wrote Grant. " stamps^Sheridan what I always thought him, one of the ablest of generals," This is the man, therefore, concerning whose threatened loss America has been mourning. And Congress, it may be added, on what is apparently his death-bed, has honoured the dying soldier by raising his rank to that of General of the Army of the United States, making him the equal of Grant and Sherman. All hope, however, has not been relinquished. " Little Phil "is holding out against death with all the bravery of his nature, and it ia believed that he may still recover. Any other man, they say, must have succumbed weeks ago. While this life lasts then, there is more than the common hope.

The farewell given to Sir Thomas Esmonde, the Irish delegate, on the eve of his departure from New York for Ireland, was cordial approaching to the verge of enthusiasm. The meeting was one of the most important that have ever taken place, and gave an effectual contradiction to Mr. Chamberlain's statement that the Irish cause has no sympathisers among genuine Americans. Three Governors of Siates were among the speakers, and each of them testified to the general sympathy that prevails. The fact, indeed, that of all who addressed the meeting two only were of foreign birth, one of them being an English clergyman, should of itself be significant to disprove such aesertions as that refened to. Judge Van Hoesen was in the chair and he prefaced his introduction of the guest of the evening by an emphatic declaration that Americans of every shade of political opinion were a unit on the question of Home Bule. Among the gentlemen who occupied places on the platform wereex-Mayor W. X, Grace, Mr. C. A. Dana, and several other citizens of high position. Sir Thomas Esmonde confirmed the favourable impression already made by him and gained the applause of all who were present. It is admitted on every side that he has done his duty well during the tour that has now concluded.

Mr. Cleveland's proposed reduction of the tariff has been examined, as explained by the official reports of the imports and expirts for the tan months ending April 30, with most unfavourable results. It seems that the imports for tbe period had increased by a sum of 28,011,414 dole., while the exports had decreased by a sum of 19,81 1,496d015. This, say the advocates of Protection, gives a very decided contradiction to the theories of Freetrade, and vividly illustrates the mischief of the President's message. But what makes tbe matter worse is that the greatest falling off in American manufactures is shown in iron and Bteel and woollen goods, which the supporters of Mr. Cleveland's proposals condemn as especially giviDg American manufacturers an advantage over American consumers. The import") of iron and steel have advanced during the period mentioned by 3,184,173d018., atd those of woollen goods by 1,777,508d015. All this, claim the Protectionists, should give the supporters of Mr. Cleveland's policy grounds to pause and reconsider their position.

The attempt made in the Massachusetts Legislature by a bigoted party, the Know-nothings of the day, to cripple the Catholic schools cm pretence of a State inspection cf private schools generally has signally failed. The result has been, not only to confound the bigots by the rejection of their proposals, but to advance the interests of Catholic and religious education by the publicity given to the cause, and the testimony borne to the efficiency of the Catholic system. To many enlightened Protestants, especially President Kliot, of Harvard, and Colonel T. W. Higginsjn, are the thanks of the Catholic body due

The death has occurred at Somerset, Ohio, of Mrs Sheridan, mother of the gallant General now so dangerously ill. The deceased lady, who was in her eighty-eighth year has succumbed to the effects of a cold, probably aggravated by anxiety arising from the illness of her son, to whom she was tenderly attached and by whom her affection was warmly reciprocated. Mrs Sheridan was born in the county Cavan in 1801, and in 1824 was married to the father of the General, who dud in 1875. She emigrated with her family in 1829, going at first to Canada and afterwards removing to the Sates. She was, as the mothers of great men often are, a woman of noble character, an honour to the land of her birth as well as to that of her adoption, which she well repaid for its hospitality by the gift of her glorious son. Why have euch mothers been prevented from devoting such sons to the service of their native land I—R.I.P,

The latfst distinctively American report current comes from Findlay, Ohio, where they pay a hand of fire has been seen in the sky. The phenomenon appeared first in " plumes 'of light which afterwards concentrated and formed a perfect hand, -with the forefinger pointing downward at the city. The whole town, except those who were asleep in bed, watched the portent for half-an-hour in terror. Since the days of Belshazzar nothing of the kind has been reported, but as yet, Findlay stands unharmed.

A spiritualist lady, calling herself Madame Dis Debar, has been convicted in New York for swindling a lawyer named Marsh by means of her attendant spirits. She cheated the unfortunate victim, who, nevertheless, in all other respects, is reputed a shrewd man, by a pretence of having pictures painted to his" order by masters long since dead. It is said that the lady who is in more than one regard disreputable, once occupied the anti-Catholic platform. Finding it did not pay. and. doubtless, falling short of the eloquence of a Biddy O'Gorman, she took to the particular courses which have now led to her conviction.

The Legislature of New York have just passed a law for the execution of criminals by electricity. The agony of the punishment will consist in the preparations for it, death by this means taking place quicker than instantaneously, in some immeasurable fraction of a second. A doubt exists, however, as to whether the new law can be carried into force as it is said to be at variance with the Constitution oflthe Republic, which forbids cruel arid unusual punibhments, the method proposed being certainly unusual.

At the laying of the foundation stoneof :i Confederate monument, the other day, at Jackson, Miss , a letter has read from Jefferson Davis in which he displays an impenitent spirit. Hespeakqof the defeated cause as that of righteousness, and of the men who fell in it as owning the mingled attributes of the hero and the Faint. Fortunately Jeff Davis and his comrades, even though heroes and saints, were hindered in carrying out their dream of patriotism— which, indeed, partook o£ the nature of a night-marc.

Representative Belmont of New York has given noiicein Congrers of a resolution to the effect that the Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to inquire into the case of Jchn Curran Kent, a naturalized citizen of the United States, serving a panal sentence in Milbank prison, London, on a charge of complicity with Dr. Gallagher in a dynamite plot. It is alleged that Kent was deceived by a lawyer who represented himself as an American, and that believing his case had been taken up by the American Government he said nothing on his trial about his citizenship. An appeal made by him afterwards to the American Minister at London received no attention. The matter is now to be brought btfor* Congress— as it is hoped with better results'