Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/137

Rh made arrangements for having ecclesiastical stu- dents educated in the College of tiie propaganda, Rome, and in the Seminary- of Quebec. After lie had labored zealously for several years, his vicariate was erected into a titular bishopric, and the new see was placed in Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island, 11 Aug., 1829.

MACEDO, Joaquim Manoel de (mah-shay-do). Brazilian poet, b. in San Joiio d'ltaborahi, 24 June, 1820. He studied medicine in Rio Janeiro, and was graduated there, but never practised his pro- fession, and was appointed in 1850 professor of national history in the college of the city. He en- tered politics in 1854, and was elected deputy by the city of Rio Janeiro several times. Macedo has acquired a great reputation as a lyric poet, but he has also written novels, and composed several dramas and comedies, which have been repre- sented with great success in the principal cities of South America. Macedo is highly esteemed by the Brazilians, who consider him the most elegant of their national poets. His works include " More- ninha," a novel (Rio Janeiro, 1844 ; 5th ed., revised, 1877) ; " Mogo loura," a novel of the early stages of the Portuguese conquest (1845) ; " Forasteiro," a novel (1855) ; " A Nebulosa," a poem (1857) ; " Cotie," a drama, " Fantasma Branco," a comedy (1856) ; " Luxo-e-Vaidade," a comedy (1859) ; and " Corographia do Brazil " (1873).

MACEDO, Sergrio Texeira de, Brazilian jour- nalist, b. in Rio Janeiro in September, 1809 ; d. in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1865. He was graduated in law in Olinda in 1831, and immediately began his career as journalist, publishing the paper '' Olin- dense." In 1832 he published in Rio Janeiro the " Verdade " and the " Aurora Fluminense." In 1833 he was appointed secretary of the Brazilian legation in France, and in 1834 became special en- voy to Lisbon. In 1838 he was sent to Rome to settle some difficulties between Brazil and the pope, and by his good offices the independence of Chili was recognized. Macedo was also minister to Turin in 1842, to France in 1843, and to Austria in 1847. In 1853 he was called by the government to Brazil to consult on its financial difficulties, and, although not a specialist, he settled the question satisfactorily, and restored the credit of the nation. In 1854 he began to agitate against the slave-trade, and the same year was appointed minister to Lon- don, where he gave valuable hints to the abolition- ists in regard to preventing the trade from Africa. In 1855 he was appointed minister to the United States, but declined and retired to Brazil, where he published valuable papers in the " Journal do Commercio." He was elected representative in 1856 and senator in 1857, from 1859 till 1861 was minister of state, and in 1865 he went to Europe in quest of health, but died there.

McELLGOTT, James Napoleon, educator, b. in Richmond, Va., 3 Oct., 1812 ; d. in New York city, 22 Oct., 1866. He came to Mew York at an early age, attended a private school, and studied in the New York university, but left before receiving a degree. In 1837 he became a candidate for or- ders in the Protestant Episcopal church, but was not ordained, and devoted his subsequent life to teaching and to the preparation of text-books. In 1845 he was principal of the school of the General society of mechanics and tradesmen in New York. In 1849 he opened a private school, which he con- tinued until his death. He labored actively among the poor, and was interested in Epiphany mission church, raising a fund for its future support. He was president of the State teachers' association. In 1849 he received the degree of M. A. from Yale, and in 1852 that of LL. D. from Harrodsburg Fe- male college, Ky. In 1848 he was editor of "The Teachers' Advocate," a journal devoted to science and literature. In addition to Greek and Hebrew text-books, he published a " Manual, Analytical and Synthetical, of Orthography and Definition " (New York, 1845) ; " The Young Analyzer " (1849) ; "The Humorous Speaker " (1853) ; and " The American Debater" (1855). He also wrote Sunday- school hymns, and an unfinished Latin grammar.

McELRATH, Thomas, lawyer, b. in Williams- port, Pa., 1 May, 1807; d. in New York city, 6 June, 1888. He became a printer early in life, but subsequently began the study of law. Removing later to New York city, he was engaged as proof- reader and then as head salesman in the Methodist book concern, and in 1825 he formed a partnership with Lemuel Bangs in the publication of school and religious books. On its dissolution he resumed his legal studies, was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law in New York. In 1838 he was elected to the legislature, was placed on its judi- ciary committee, and chosen to write a report on petitions praying for the abolition of capital pun- ishment. He early allied himself with the Whig party, and was an earnest supporter of Henry Clay. In 1840 he was appointed a master in chancery, but in 1841, relinquishing the law, he entered intO' partnership with Horace Greeley in the conduct of the " New York Tribune " under the firm-name of Greeley and McElrath. It is conceded that the establishment and success of the " Tribune " were assured only after Mr. McElrath joined in its publication. In 1857 he was elected corresponding secretary of the Amei'ican institute, editing the state-annual reports of the institute until 1861, when he resigned. In 1861 he was appointed appraiser-general for the New York district, but he resigned in 1864 to resume the publication of the " Tribune." In 1866 he was appointed chief appraiser of foreign merchandise at the port of New York. He was one of the commissioners to the Paris exposition in 1867, and to the Vienna exhibition of 1873, and, with John Jay, special commissioner to adjust and su- perintend the American department in the latter exhibition. In 1876 he was secretary of the New York state commission at the Centennial exhibi- tion. At his death he was a banker in New York. He published " Dictionary of Words aud Phrases used in Commerce " (New York, 1872).

McELROY, John, clergyman, b. in Brookeborough. County Fermanagh, Ireland, 11 May, 1782; d. in Frederick, Md., 12 Sept., 1877. Owing to the penal laws, he received a very limited education in his native country, and about the beginning of this century he emigrated to the United States and settled at Georgetown, D. C, where he engaged in mercantile business. He afterward became bookkeeper at Georgetown college, and, wishing to improve himself, employed his leisure hours in the study of Latin, assisted by one of the students of the college. In 1806 he entered the Society of Jesus as a lay brother, but after a brief experience in that capacity he was recommended to the general of the order as a suitable person for the priesthood by one of his superiors, who had heard him ex- plain very logically a lesson in catechism. He was ordained in May, 1817, by Archbishop Neale, of Baltimore, and for several years stationed at Trinity church, Georgetown, but in 1822, at the request of Roger B. Taney, was transferred to Frederick, Md. Here he began to display that practical ability that made him ever afterward one of the most useful members of the Society of Jesus in the United States. He built St. John's church,