New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-13
Francis Bowen and Mrs. Putnam on Hunga-
rian History.


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Francis Bowen and Mrs. Putnam on iiunga-
rian History.
To he Editor Of The Tribune:
have Just read your paragraph upon the Norm
American ReCielc and what you say OF Bowens
article on Mrs. Putnam. And it makes me regre'
deeply that did not write and tell you, when
first knew, of the circumstances Of the delay OF
Mrs Putnam's third article upon Hungary and
Austria. It was all ready for the press. when
she received visit from Mr.. Ellis, editor Of the
Christian Examiner who stated to her that he
had received visit from Mr.. Bowen, praying
him 10 delay the further exposure of him (Bowen)
until after his nomination of Proiessorship of His
tory was confirmed by the Legislature, aud max
ing strong appeal on the ground that he "eeded
the pecuniary emoluments Of the Proiessorship
for his bread Mr.. Ellis very earnestly urged
upon Mrs. Putnam to grant thus humble suli' leu,
ing her she could afford TO be Ha0gn0a'Dtons, aud
flat she had better not discredit her zeal Tor his
torical truth and justice to the HungarIans oy
seeming 10 Dursue fallen adversary TO the death
when he had begged quarter. This was the gen
era sense of Mr. Elliss appeal, though can
vOuch for no exact words except those have put
in italics.
Mrs. Putnam is gentle and refined woman,
utterly unknowing the wes Of wicked men, and
incapable of conceving beforehand the Infinite
meanness Of pusianimity. She was also lil-ad-
vised by some timd friends, and in an evil hour
she consented to delay her article, although 1t was
entirely ready for the press.
No sooner was this done than the friends OF
Bowen put it about that she had yielded herself
vanquished whereupon one friend OF truth maze
the fact OF " the begging off known through the
Kep- York EUening Post. Then 1t was denied
that he had begged Off and asserted that Mr.
Bowen had gone to Mr.. Ellis and t0r6iddeH the
articles being published, which last assertion
puts the Reverend gentleman in still less en-
viable light than before. Why should the Editor
of the Christian Examiner be browbeaten by
the Editor OF the North american ReU'eW And
how does the former find it comport with his
Christian simplicity to go and make such a repre-
sentation as he did to Mrs Putnam, IL he was
commanded-not entreated-to delay the article
We do not pretend to say what was the TACT as
10 Mr. Bowen's interview with MIR. Ellis, but the
nature Of the interview between Mr.. Ellis aud
Mrs Putnam has been truly stated above. Mrs.
Putnam was solicited TO delay her article in mer-
CIV 10 Mr. Bowen. and understood that MIR Bowen
plead for that mercy.
But at all events. how does Mr.. Bowen lOoA
Either by brow beating or by soliciting mercy OF
Mr. Ellis he procured the delay OF the,arucie. ana
now has come out in the January number OF the
North American Reriep with new string OF
garbled quotations. lalsihcations OF history reck
less assertions concerning the martyr nation TO-
Gus opponents that puts him Into the category
with the butcher Haynau,
The article comes 20 do its work on the Mas
sachasetts Legislature unchecked by the article
in the ChriSiiaR ErGmiaeT, which should have
appeared simultaneously. Ii every newspaper
that comes before that Legislature does not pub
ish the facts stated in this article, the University
may be dsgraced by receiving into its Chair OF
History this mean, pusanimous, beggarly lgno
ramus. whose only influence on the young men
he 10 to teach will be TO perUer then
To Mrs Putnam be all honor for the bravery, the
fidelity, the profound learning, the mastery abi-
ity Of the articles both Of May and November
But we must take leave to blame her land she
can afford 70 be blamoc) that she did yield one
one inch of ground The question was not be
tween her and Mr. Bowen. 1t was not question
of mere literary opinion. The question was be-
tween truth and islsehoOd. 1t was the cause OF
Hungary-the cause of historic truth-the cause
Of Harvard University-of the intellectual vel
fare of the young men OF the next twenty tive
wears who may be educated there. All these
these things were periled and made to sac
cumb TO Francis Bowens personal interest She
was proving him an ,gROrdMaS IN the very branch
of learning in which he aimed to be a Professor
10 others. She should not have iorborne
rejoice to see that Mr.. Boutwell, is to be made
Governor, and that there is now reasonable hope
Tor the reorganization Of Harvard University on
q plan which will break up the present system OF
appointing Professors. q clique Of lazy gentle
men get together and determine to uphold one
another for Offices in the College, merely because
they like 70 live together in the same town, and
utterly regardless Of the great ends OF the Uni
versity. Ii is high time all this be altered and
Professors chosen, not because they have some
cousin, or brother, or uncle, or boon companion
among the nominators, but because they, OF all
men TO be procured. are the most ut for the office
But am wandering from that Of which tirst
began 10 write. Ii ought 10 be long chapter
this OF the true method OF selecting and choosing
the Professors of Colleges The matter In hand
now is 20 characterize the action Of Bowen IN his
controversy on the Hungari0ns as Il deserves.
write wholly independent Of Mrs. Potnsm,
with whom | have nothing at all % do, holding
with that lady no intercourse whatever. Bat
circumstances have accidentally made known to
me-through many yesrs-the proioundness OF
her requirements ia the Slayoalsn and Magyar
literatures and history, as well as languages aud
lately the circumstance of her intermitting her
work OF demoshing Mr. Bowen Nor is the rest
OF our public quite as ignorant OF European his
tory as Mr. b. thinks. Some of the Boston peaav
papers have been the vehicles OF knowledge on
tbs points Of which he treats that he might covet
in bis new Prosessorship. 1t has been suggested
and why is il not done that some Boston
publisher should collect all that has been written
from the first notice of Mr.. Bowen's Lecture
ia tho Boston Transcript and Trdceler, until
now. Mrs Putnam's articles would immoralize
such work, which would now be very timely.
c.
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