Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1883 — CURRENT AFFAIRS. [ARTICLE]

CURRENT AFFAIRS.

Gossip About Passing Events in America and Europe. The Cholera, Bradlaugh’* Case, Irish Affairs, the Lotteries, Eto. Cholera Periods. That most dreadful of human scourges Astatic cholera, is surely making Its way westward, and it will in ad probability reach our shores by the summer of 1881, if not sooner. Some Interesting faots regarding the periodicity of this pestilence hove recently been published by a writer in the Detroit Pott and Tribunt, who has evidently given the subject considerable attention. 1 correspondent writes to him, saying: "I notice that the cholera is now raging in Egypt By the way, did it aver oocur to you that the cholera appears at exact intervals of seventeen yearn via :'1832,1840,1866,1888?” The correspondent omits, however, as is pointed out, the severe cholera epidemic of 1853 and the milder one of 1818. The cholera period, it has been proved beyond doubt, Is not seventeen years, but twelve yean Starting with the great epldemio of 1788, then fallowed the twelve-yearly return of it in 1768 and.l7Bo-81. It appeared again every twelve yean in Asia, ana three tunes twelve, or thirty-six yean afterward, came the terrible Indian epldemio of 1817. In twioe twelve yean from 1817 the cholera broke ont again in 184 L In 1806, twioe twelve years from 1841, the epldemio again broke out in Asia and reached America the next year. The yean hare given are those upon whioh the plague actually made Its appearanoe in its native home, not the yean upon which it reaehed America. Sometimes uta plague takes one year, sometimes three or four, to oomplete Its circuit of the globe. The question is often asked: "Cannot the plague be stopped or chocked?” It has naval been stopped or checked yet

British and French Halations. The statement as to the complications in Madagascar mads by Hr. Gladstone in the House of Commons, confirms the reports telegraphed some weeks ago, and bean out the opinions then expressed, that TAmand would not rest quietly under the insult offered by the representative of Francs in Ifadagasoar. > Madagascar, it should be remembered, la the third in size of the large islands of the world, and has an area five times as largo as that of Illinois. It has for many’years been the understanding among the European powers that the native authority in Madagascar be upheld, and that equal Commercial privileges be extended to aIL But for many years France has sought every pretext to extend her authority, and within the last few months has entered rn open hostilities, On the 80th of May French fleet bombarded Majungee, the largest seaport town on the west coast, and drove the natives from that aide toward the capital. On the 15th of June the natives occupied Tamative, on the east coast, the principal trade port of the island, and advanced on 1 ananarivo, the oapital. While these operations were being pushed in Madagascar the Malagassy Embassadors were negotiating with the French authorities at Paris. When the oapture of Tamative was announced negotiations were broken off, and England submitted inquiries, the answers to which may preoipltate wan The Bradlaugh Casa It is an Interesting question to Americans, and, indeed, to all believers in representative government, how long an English oonstltuenoywili submit peaceably to be disfranchised unjustly by Parliament, That the exclusion of Mr. Bradlaugh from the sate to which he has been repeatedly elected is aa unjust and arbrltrary abuse of power by tha majority in Parliament would seeip to be self-evident His constituency is olharfy entitled to representation, and they have a moral and legal right to choose their own representative. True, their oholoe is subject t^Mtiiauuagni been complied with. Mr. Bradlaugh, standiqg prepared to take the oustomary oath, and acknowledging that it would be binding oi his conscience, has aa absolute legal as wall aa moral right to a seat in the House That tha House should obstinately and repeatedly refuse him this right, and thus practically disfranchise his constituency, simply because its members dislike his opinions on religions subjects, is aa astonishing fact to Americans, and one whioh throws much light en English conservatism and English prejudices In no other free oountry would such an abuse of power be now borne pattentiy by the aggrieved parties, or tolerated by public opinion. The FaraeU Party Gaining Greuad. ' Now that we have a full account of the election fa County Monaghan, which resulted In the return es Mr. Healy to Parliament, we can estimate the bearing of the incident upon the prospects of the Parnell party In the next House of Commons If in a county where according to tradition and precedent the saltation against England should have met with Uttie encouragement, the Home Buie candidate can obtain a majority of 'nearly a 100 ever the combined vote of Us Conservative and liberal competitor, nothing apparently can hinder Mr. Parnell's friends from controlling about the threefourths of the Irlshdelegation In Parliament at the next general election la view of suoh accessions to the strength of the advanced Irish parte accessions which should enable it to extort from the imperial Legislature almost anything short of oomplete independence—lt is unreasonable to aay that nothing can ha gained for Ireland by constitutional agitation. Mr. Healy's election proves that simost every reform ooveted by Tri«h p a_ trtote may be speedily secured, provided (ha legitimate endeavors of honorable men are not thwarted by the advocates of assassination and explosion.

The Late Tom Thumb. The death of Gen, Tom Thumb is the loss of a notable factor In the world of rim flip - meht He had occasioned a great deal o t happiness, Innocent, if not of the highest 1 order. The mere sight of the little me* was enough to send a thrill of pleasure coursing through the beholder, and when he went through his simple programme* the ohildlen were delighted It la pleasant to think that a freak of dwarfiahneas could l be utilised so well for the public, and it iS also pleasant to know that the General haft< bla share of the benefits derived from hia littleness. With all his boyishness Tom waa a manly man. The death of the famous dwarf waa very Wdden He had lust ris£n from bed, and shortly after being left alone by his brotber-in law waa 1 heard to fall. Going to his room, he was found lying on the floor dead. He was burled at Bridgeport, Ot, where a largo oonoourse attended the funeral ceremonies .An Oshkosh paper said a man hoed up In his garden his wife’s wedding ring, which had been lost twenty-one yearn This was the Item that caused Farmer Farrow to remarks “Wal, Pd like ter know what the d ® u s'« that feller had planted in h s garden 'all that time. He most have been pootgr light on the hoe.*