The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-14
From tho Tribune

|
: NY ELssLER.-We have done injustice, and we
hasten to correct it, even though the subject be
James Gordon Bennett We publlshed as true Mr..
Fl. WIkof's account of the course of the Herald
towards Mile. Elssler, its inducements thereto, and
70 The presents to Bennett which, according to Wi
kohs story, were extorted from the dancer by her
fears and dread OF attacks through the Herald We
do not remember that We expressly characterized
Benefits conduct in the premises infamous, but
:, we certainly so considered and exhibited il. But
Nh Bennett, by the publication (perfectly justiia-
letters 10 himself from Wikof, while acting as
Esslers secretary or agent, has shown that the alb
surd pulls, anecdotes, defences nc, of the dancer,
winch were so conspcuously inserted in the Herald,
throughout her stay in tins hemisphere were con.
stan,ly and urgently solicited by herself and her
iuncuonary; that every possible means was used
10 induce hlm (Bennet) 10 write more, and often
er, and lay it on thicker, in exataon OF the dam
eng courtesan After reading all that has thus far
appeared on both sides, we are very decidedly Of
opinion that the presents of Mile Elsser to Bennett
were but the wel-earned and not at all exorbitan
reward of services petioned for and faithfully
dered, and that there was nothing improper in his
receiving them. The propriey of his devotng his
Journal to such purpose is OF course an entirely
review. AS between Bennett and Elssler, there
can be no doubt that he richly earned all she paid
him, and that, while it would have been very base
In her to have left his services unrequted, it was
not at all improper in him to accept her acknOw-
Judgements. We do moi doubt that she went back
to Europe $4,000 richer than if the Herald had
: never named her. Why, then, should she not pay
! for its aid?
There is false notion prevalent of the rights
and duties OF the PRESS IN this respect. which ought
; to be promptly corrected. A man presents himself
TO an editor, having some invention, or project, or
wonder, or investment, which he desires to have
brought wildly TO the notice OF the public, and to
this end, socits the editors services general or
special, and liberal limited of his columns.
by success, he expects to secure wealth, or some
thing else desirable. Now the editor owes pri-
mary duty to his readers and the public, which
| m IN IaaH tbar IN
this or any other respect-should he fail IN this to
their injury, he Justly forfets their confidence, and
ought to lose their patronage. But allowing the
thing commended is deserving Of what he says of
it, and by means OF his exertions it is brought into
notice and popularity, to the advantage OF the public
and the pecunlary profit of the protector or proprie
editor should not be literally paid for his exertons
IN the premises. True, he must be very careful that
he Is not deceived, and that he does not deceive
others-there is imminent danger, that the faint
| OF personal interest may affect his judgment and
stimulate his zealand here is abundant reason
why he should be chary Of receiving presents or
compensation for any services he may render in the
way of his profession. 1t may be we'll for him to
refuse any such recompense, but we are speaking
| of the obligation of the beneficiary. We presume
the virtue of an Editor will rarely be put to any
very severe, test His friend the inventor will in
sst on his devoting his time, his efforts, his CO.
lumns, to that which is calculated to benefit the
public so vastly, and one person in particular lit
e, incidentally; and should he at last fling few
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will vaunt it to the world case of extravagant
generosity on his part or of extorion on that OF
his ally. Mr.. Wikotf, indeed, cooy declares that
Benefits articles in favor of Fanny were extra
| VACANT absurd and mawkish that they did her
more harm than good, and in the next breath ne
asserts that they doubtless increased the circulation
Of the Hrald, and so were lntrlnscally, a, source
of profit We suspect they brought a dollar into
the Golfers of the dancer for every copper they
to tn drawer of the publisher Assuming, them
that his own letters have not been grossly interpo
lated by Bennett, las we, think they could not
have been, as the Uratsemblance is very mark and
never !ost,) we must say that MIR. Wikof cuts a
sorry Inquire IN this business
And now word on another branch of this sub
ject. This controversy has let the pubic good
way into the secret of making theatrical lion and
theatrical fortune-perhaps of other lions and for
tunes, though we think there can be none other
quite so much a matter OF gas and machinery as
came here In the Spring of lS4l, woman OF thirty
five, with considerable European reputation
dancer and a courtesan. BY prOfuse application
of theatrical pufi-power, through the Herald and
kindred prints, she was at once enthroned the un
rivaed queen Of the ballet, the idol of IA
shlon, the divinity OF the theatre-yes,, :" the
divine Fanny" the appellation blasphe
mousy current in the circles and the journals most
lavish of her praises. Nightly were the largest
theatres OF our cities crowded successfully
with the young, the pure, the high-born,
| as well as the otherwise, to study every at
utrde, watch every motion, and applaud to the
echo every exerton, of this dancing woman, whose
shamelessness was notorious all over Europe. and
IN this country and whose relations with her func
u0nary Wikoff were scarcely equivOcal. Against
this tempest OF extravagan adulation we were I'M
PEELED to protest as most perniclOus TO the public
morals-as every way unjust, absurd, and perlious.
For what was the moral inevitably impressed on
our admring youth OF both sexes, who saw this
woman isted, and hattered, and showered with
bouquets, and treated as some superior being, by
wives and mothers OF spotess fame, who would
have spurned from their doors any poor homeless,
frlendless victim of seduction as polluted out
cast and moral leper 4! Must not all such be impe-
led to conclude that Virtue is a very respectable
and necessary humbug, and that Vice consists in
SHINING shabbly and without the talent or the nerve
to put bold face on the matter Such was the
aspect OF the affair which mpeed us to protest. in
IFS outset, against the adulaton heaped on Fanny
Elssler-towards whom personally we bore no i'll
VIII, having never seen nor sought to see her, and
J knowing no more OF her than We read from day to
day In the journals devoted to her exaltation For
what we said we were grossly assalled in various
ways, threatened IN anonymous letters, NC, but to
no purpose. We think those who have read the
controversy Of Wikoff and Bennett, will not now
be inclined to dissent from our estimate.
REMARKS Of ,sHr HERALD
Thus far discourseth Mr. Greeley of the Tribune,
and SO far he speaketh well ;.endeavors to repair
an injury unwittingly committed, and to take back
a statement which he published believing it to be
true, but which, on examination and further evil
dence, he has discovered TO be utterly false.
There is nothing in the above amende honorable
which particularly calls for any remarks from us,
unless II be the allusion to an imputaton which
originated with Wikof himself, namely that we had
interpolaed passages in his letters. The Tribune as
sumes from the general character of the letters that
we have not Contemplated them grossly. Now in refer
ence TO this, we the Tribune that the whole
of the correspondence which we have published
appears in our columns strictly according to the
original manuscript, it was possible for printers
and proof-readers to make it, There may be some
typographical errors, but with that exception the
printed letters are as exact and literal copies of the
original as it is possible for them to be. Accompa-
nying very few of the letters, indeed, there were
a few explanatory remarks introduced editorialy