American Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 22, 17 March 1893, Page 27

American Notes.

Thb great event of the times, from a Catholic point of view, and one in which also non-Catholics express a lively interest, is the appointment of Monsignor Satolli, titular Archbishop of Lepaoto, as Papal delegate, or permanent legate of the Holy Father, in the United States. The rumour, which, however, mart be taken for what it ii worth, is that resistance to the Archbishop, who had come to the country as ablegate, or temporary legate, being reported to the Pope, his Holiness, as a note of his determination, made the appointment permanent. Moosignor Satolli is a native of Perugia, where, in early life, bis talents and disposition recommended him to the particular attention of the present Pope, then Bishop of the See. He was educated, under the eye of his Holiness, at the diocesan seminary of the city. He is said to be in special sympathy with the liberal ideas of the Pope, and the anxiety of his Holinees for bettering the condition of the working classes. He is an author of distinction in the realms of theology and philosophy. He represented the Pope in the United States at the celebration, ia 1889, of the centenary of the Catholic hierarchy in the country, and also at the inauguration of the Catholic University at Washington. He takes up his residence at the University, as his dwelling place during the continuance cf bis mission. The delegate ia not officially recognised by the Government as occupying a deplomatic position. Unofficially, however, he has been accorded a recognition in keeping with bis rank and place.

The death of General Benjamin Butler has also been a notable event. Butler, who was born at Deerfiold, New Hampshire, in November, 1818, both before and after the war followei the profession of the law. His chief distinction, however, was gained as a general of the Federal army He had taken a principal part in urging on the preparations of the Northern States, and the Massachu« setts 6th, which was under his command, was the first regiment to shed blood. At the outset he prove 1 his ability by making his way through Maryland. He will be most widely remembered by his government of New Orleans, which was stern and determined. For one act, at leas', performed there, it is hard to excuse his memory, that is the execution of a brave fellow named Mumford, who, under the guns of the Federal fleet, and among the whizzing balls, plucked down from the roof of the mint, the Federal flag. On the capture of the city this man wab sentenced by a court-martial to be hanged, and although his wife and c v uld personally intercetded with the General for hii life, the sentence was carried out. Butler was kind, nevertheless, to the poor of the city, and on relinquishing his command, was able to puint out many improvements that he had effected in the condition of the place and its surroundings. He also drew a striking contrast between his rule and the state of things he had found on arriving there, and when the wealthy ci'izens were trembling at the terrors of a servile insurrection, and their only means of enforcing obedience among thiir servauts, were the dungeon, the chain, and the lash. Their rebellion, he said, bad been a war of the rich against the poor. General Butler's death took place suddenly, from the rupture of a blooi-vesael, at his residence in Washington, on the morning of Jaauary 11.

That Butler has left some memories in the South that are not very kinily, the following paragraph will show. It will also show, perhaps, that, after all, the traditional revolvers and bowie knives that form part of an American editor's outfit are not altogether fabulous — or, at least, that the editor in question occasionally acts so as to risk placing himself personally oa the defensive. The paper quoted is the Naahvile (Tenoesie) Daily Advertiser, of January 12 : " The Beast ia dead," it cays. " Early yesterday morniog the angel of death, acting under the devil's orders, took him from earth anJ landed him in hell. In all this Bouthern country there are no tears, no sighs, anc 1 no regrets. He lived only too long. We are glad he has at last been removed from earth, and even pity the devil the possession he has secared. He was a truckling demagogue, whose selfishness amounted to pollution. He was aa autocrat who used power to

wreak persoaxl revenge ; he was mean and malignant, a hangman from prejudice, tbe insulter of women, a braggadocio, a trickster, and a scoundrel whoss heart was as black as the sm >ke from tbe c als that are now scorching his aoul."

A case hf.s recently taken place which exemplifies the advj.n'age a man obtains by becoming possessed of a wife who devotes herself to the public service. The lady in question, tbe wife of an artist named Btet6on, discovered that her mission was to reform the dress of her sex and to develop their muscles, This so occupied her time that she could not find any to waste upon her husband. She, in fact, became too busy to be married, she found fault with the natural length of the dty aa not providing her with a sufficiency of time for carrying out such courses, independent of matrimony, as she felt herself called to. Her husband naturally objected under the circumstances to endure the bonlr, and applied for a divorce. Possibly something more may be heard of the emancipated fair one, as when last reported of she wa« committing her views to writing. If, however, time is not long enough to admit of her completing her task, the world may be a loser. As to bow far her husband is such , in getting rid of her, may be left to tbe judgment of her sex.

General Thompson, who acted aa the Democratic agent daring the late Presidential election, in Wyoming, where the women are electors, gives the result of his experiences as follows :—": — " The woman's vote is the easiest thing in the world to get and the easiest thing to keep, and th; easiest thing to manipulate of any element in politics." — The ease with which the vote is to be got and manipulated may, perhaps, be admitted, but, as to k epiog it, c'est autre chose. Previous to the last election, when, as we see, the Democrats gained i , it hai been Republican by a large m*j jnty. It is stated, moreover, by one who ought to be a high authority, that is Mr Henry B. BUck-wt-11, the editor of the Woman's Journal th*t the vote depen is a good deal on feeling. " Much depends," he writ.es, in a latter to the New York Evening Post, " upon the auspices uider which women come in

When a party honestly dern.in isaud secures tqual rights fur any class of voters hitherto disfranchise i, it receives tha gooi-will and support of that class as a legitimate result." On this statement certain opponents of woman franchise comment thus :—": — " Thu is to say, Mr Black well virtually promises that women will vote ihe Republican ticket, cot because they believe in Republican principles, or know anything about them, but bi cause Republicans gave them the light to vote."

A fight in a church is reported from Anderson Coanty, Indiana. It took place around the communion-table, the service having concluded, and resulted fatally. The parties had come to church fully armed, and prepared for the comoa r . Clubs and etones were tbe principal weapons used. Several fami'ies were engagid, some ou one side, some on the other, the quarrel being an old one.

The illness of Mr James G. Blame, which had las'ed some months terminated fatally on the morning of January 27th. Blame was a man of great ability, and of an independent and manly character. He bas left behind him a great many friends and some enemies. — Rtports were prevalent that he had been converted to the Catholic faith, or reconciled to it, for there is some suspicion that he had betn a Catholic in his enrly life, on his death-bed — bnt they Deed confirmation. Let ns hope that it may be forthcoming, Meanwhile a prayer for the repose of his boul can, at least, do nobody any harm.

Three Sisters recently ieft San Francisco* for the leper set'learni* at Molokai in the Sandwich Islands. Tney go to reinforce the Franciscan community attending ihere on the lepers, and, like them are from Syracuse, New York. On* of their number had enteiei the convent with the express intention of going on thin mission — than which a greater sacrifice is to be foond hardly even in the Catho ie Church.

The tlevatioo to the Cardinalate of Monsignor Persico has been bailed wilh nj jiciug in Savannah, Georgia, of which See his Eminence had formerly been for some time Bishop, and where he is s ill affectionately remembpred. The Savannah News speaks of him as follows ;— " Bishop Persico, during bin incumbency, endeared him-

■elf greatly to bis flock and accomplished much for the benefit of their temporal and spiritual welfare, and renderei himself popular in tbe entire community by his enlarged ideas, practical benevolence and charity. It was he who conceived the plan for the present Cathedral of St John tbe Baptist. The new Cardinal is abont 70 years old. He is a native of Naples and is of a noble family. He bas always retained, since his removal from thia diocese, an affection for Savannah and its people. Many Catholics who have vißited Rome have been the recipients of his favour at the Vatican."

The nature of the secret societies of continental Europe bM received a fresh illustration by a murder which has been recently committed at Isbpeming in Michigan. The vie tin., it seems, had transgressed the rales of the society in Paris tea years ago. He escaped to the United States, where he was followed bj a member commissioned to execute vengeance. Now, after being shadowed for six years by the emissary in question, who discovered him in San Francisco in 1886, he has been shot dead. The victim was Annal Sherman, an overseer in the Walton lumber camp, the murderer a French workman in the camp named Mauray. It is not for nothing that the secret societies are condemned by the Church,

The Infanta Isabella of Spain, who was expected to open the Columbian Exhibition at Chicago, has declined to do so. The explanation given is that her Royal Highness mast also visit Cuba and Porto Bico, which she fears to do owing to the prevalence there of the yellow fever.

It is reported from Hyatsville, in Maryland, that an experimental trinl of Mr Henry George's theory of the single tax, which has been undertaken in the town, has so far proved a marked success. Time, however, is wanting for confirmation.