Impressions of America During the Years 1833, 1834 and 1835. Volume 2 (of 2)Power, Tyrone
History
Impressions of America During the Years 1833, 1834 and 1835. Volume 2 (of 2)
Power, Tyrone
Canada -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel
_Monday, 2nd._--Attended to see Governor White installed in office. The
city artillery roared, and the ceremony was made brilliant by the
presence of the staff, as well of the regular American army stationed
here as of the numerous local corps of the city; of these volunteers,
were officers of all arms exceedingly well-appointed; they had also a
more military air, and were better set up, than their fellow-soldiers of
the North. The French citizen, in fact, acquires a more soldierly
appearance, and takes greater pains to fit himself for these holiday
doings, than either John Bull or brother Jonathan. A great number of
ladies also graced the hall of assembly with their presence, and were,
as on all public occasions, privileged persons. "_Place aux dames_"
rendered the possibility of one of the masculine gender's approach all
but impracticable.
Certainly in no country is there such universal and exclusive homage
extended to the softer sex: no matter at what expense of his
convenience, or circumscription of privilege, man must give way on all
occasions where the ladies may have a caprice to indulge in, or any
curiosity to gratify.
Dined with Colonel D----k, and sat next to a fine old Irishman, General
M'L----n, who had passed some of sixty years in Louisiana, yet preserved
his brogue and his ruddy complexion as freshly as though the time had
been spent on the hills of Wicklow; he had arrived here under the
Spanish government when a young man, and spoke of all the changes since
as events of yesterday.
_Tuesday, 3rd._--A curious scene began this morning at the State House.
Mr. Grimes, one of the late candidates for the Senate of the United
States, encountering Mons. La Branche, the Speaker of the Louisianian
legislature, in the hall of the Senate, according to report, struck him
with his whip on account of some unsettled dispute, and in return
received a bullet from the Speaker's pistol, which took effect in the
breast of the great-coat he wore, but failed to penetrate it. Mr.
Grimes, upon this, fired his pistol, loaded with ball and buck-shot, at
Mons. La Branche, wounding him slightly in the hand, and leaving one or
two of the conscript fathers, standing near, in doubt whether they were
shot or no, so disgustingly close was the whiz of the passing lead.
Dined with Messrs. T----n, where the affray of the morning was duly
discussed; some of the parties present alleging that the quarrel arose
from political, others from personal motives. It appeared, however, that
Mons. La Branche, after retiring until his hand was dressed, immediately
returned to the hall, and resumed his duties as the presiding judge of
the highest deliberative assembly of this great State; whilst, within an
hour, Mr. Grimes, who is an able advocate in great practice, was
pleading a cause on which he was retained in one of the civil courts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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