The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-14

Ia The " Brother Jonathan" OF last week, very OBJ
scure weekly paper, we fad the reply Of Fenimore
Cooper to Watson Webb, the man of refinement,
who prefers 10 have his name on the list Of highly
respectable Bankrup,s than on the Boz ball Commit
tee. We give the following choice bits, for the
benefit of our extended REGULATION, because in the
6 Jonathan" it could only be seen by few old wo-
men in short clothes. They are amusing.
LETTER FROM ]. FEsIMoRE COOPER.
There are, as in common with Mr.. Webb's
logic, several seli-evldent non sequtTs in the
the proposition itself, but shall rea the subject
as II Is evidently meant, and not as il may happen
TO be expressed through any confusion in the wIiers
BRAIN
Mr. Webb is not an instructed writer. He knows
very little, in general Of any of the subjects of which
grand talent pour ie silence he has un grand
talent pour Ignorance" | remember to have seen
an editorial apology, for some theological blunder
few years slnce in the Courier, in which the salts
did not know that Episcopalians claimed to be Pro-
testants
Mr. Webb's grossest libel on me, is for saying
with a view TO make it sell in England The gist of
the libel Is in the motive 1t is not easy to conceive
more atroclous charge against literary man The
lawyer will be surprised TO learn that the only usti'
fcaton offered On trial, was the book ITSELF Any per-
son acquainted with England will smile at the no.
ton that the extract which follows, written with
special view TO obtain favor in that country! Per-
haps more offensive idea cannot be presented 10
the class of English novel readers, in general, than
an Hpon OF social equality the part OF Ame-
RIGA. shall never basely abandon the rights OF
author to condemn or stigmatlze whatever he may
conceive merits reprObation In society, whether II
happen TO be indigenous or not; but defy any man
to show a line in Home As Found that might not
have been written by one who has the best interests
OF America uP?ermost In MS mind.
Twill now merely add, that Mr.. Webb's whole ar.
tce, as 1t ID connected with facts, is replete with
mis-satements, as atrOcous as is the character of
the extracts have here exposed He says among
other things, he knows me well. Now, sir, my ac-
quaintance with Mr.: Webb is exceedingly slight,
and has been confined 10 some elk or eight occasions
or interviews, most Of which has taken place in the
streets. or in public. Mr.. Webb understands me,
about as well as he understands law, theology, and
the parts he quotes. The articles of the New
World that were published and sent TO all the jurors
and grand jurors, at the Oisego circuit Of ISl6 are
ase series Of falsehoods, for which Mr.. Benjamin,
the editor, and Mr. Winchester, the publisher, shall
yet be responsible, let who may have written them.
One Of the faIsehoods is ola character SO vile tina
will take this occasion TO contradict it. am charged
with having dellneated a widow lady OF this village,
In Home As Found, in revenge for her not having
called on my family on its return to its place. The
act, itself, would be base enough, but the motive is
q III.
believe-nay, know, for heard them so express
themselves-lhat Mr.. COoper's analysis of the book
Of Fonda, induced many who had fallen into the er-
ror Of Relieving that there analoges in the facts
OF the supposltions and the real character Justify
this supposed identity, 70 change TIT minds SIEVE.
raj have frankly admitted their misconc options of
the statements of the books, and one or two have
been honest enough to say that they can only &C.
they wished to think in the way they had. As TO
the lady meant it is secret here So far from the
atrocious calumny of the New World being true
this lady and my family have been on the most kind
the village down to the present time;
While the jury was out, the negociatioa for the
retraction OF lhe second libel was in progress On
Attorney, and Mr.. BOVINE, one OF my counsel, went
10 Mr.. Webb's room. They were preceded by
man whom they did not recognise, until Mr.. Webb's
door opened when he proved to be the crier of the
court. The crier manifested little embarrassment,
IS one Of the gent emen thinks, discovering who
his companions were. He entered with the others,
however, and took his seat saying nothing. In
little time Mr.. Webb Withdrew with the crier, and
in the passage, was witnessed by both the gentle
men named, on quitting the room.
After the retraction was handed to me, that Coop
erstown party made their arrangements 10 leave Fon-
ia, in the night train. mr.. Richard Coope! and
volume Of Wendell, and in searching for that, Mr..
Cooper found our hist volume OF Home As Found,
or that which contains the passage Mr.. Webb has
SO mutildted, among some books ON a table. Whe-
Their these were mere accidental condolences or not
do not know But il is, at least, odd that the On.
ly volume, out of eight, which could be likely to
point out the muated quotation, never reached the
Jury!
can also prove that after the jury came in, Mr.
Webb had portion Of them in his room, regalng
them with champagne, &c. This fact alone, estab.
fishes the character of the jurors who were present,
TO certain point lnasmuch as no man Of proper
degree of selfrespect would place himself IN stu-
alton likely to dscredt his principle, his know
ledge of proPriety. 1t was generally said by the
bar, that the Jury, as whole, was much below the
ordinary level OF country juries.
Again, Mr.. Webb, am told by various persons,
openly predicted at Fonda, before his came on
that the ures would agree, in either Of the iE
dctmenis. One who felt he could prove the truth
of his lbels ought to have had the assurance of
acquittal. But this is far from being all Mr.. Webb
said ths not once, or twice, as believe can prove,
but several times and in public places, both cases
Now, he has himself, since admitted the falsity of
one Of those very ibss. On what legal ground could
he have the assurance that jury would not agree,
in case clearly libelous, and in which he has M
der his own hand confessed the alsy of the charge?
If Mr.. Webb will venture TO deny these confide nty
expressed predictions, | will furnish the proofs OF
lhem