The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-16

BY him appointed Minister of the United States to
the court Of Vienna; an appointment which Is in
itself 30 far guarantee Of mans character and
position, as to make II appear incredible that any
journal, having the least for its reputation,
would make upon him, in his absence, 50 gross and
wanton an attack as Was involved in the deliberate
and unreproved re publication Of the foul-mouthed
philippe, of which we are reluctantly compelled to
speak, and for which the letter already named has
solicited our careful and especial consideration"
The editor then proceeds in a manly and indie
pendent tone, for which We quite sure every
American will thank him, TO point out the shame
ful manner in which the Times has traduced this
country for years past. by constantly quoting from
the least reputable prints in it, and pretending to
judge the United States by such standards lie
says:-
'sBut, in fact, the articles which the Times has
published, have been extracted from journals not
only devoid OF all character, but well known to our
contemporary as being so and worse still, as not
American in any respect, bu. the locality OF publ
cation-being in truth owned and conducted by
Europeans, many Of whom have little in common
with the interests respectabilty of the country
Of their adoption"
/" 1t is PROFESSIONALLY true that the English esti
mate OF the character and ability of American
newspapers has been influenced aud modified by, il
not actually formed upon, the extracts made from
them by the English journals; and it is equally
true that no paper makes those c1tra,ts as freely
as the Times.
Conduct like this, is 20 dsingenuous, and 50 ut
terly opposed to every English instinct of fair play,
that the consummate ass urancc Of our conten.
porary cannot carry it off, if once fairly placed
before the public, and clearly exposed"
/" Had the Neo imE Coioter, or Jouraqtof Com
naace, habitualy laid before its readers extracts
from the Dig or the Sai,ia. and soemnly avouched
them as examples of English newspaper literature,
and expressions Of English senti ncnts, declaring
those journals themselves be the leading organs
of public opinion in Great Britain, it would be nut
the precise counterpart of what the Times has done,
wfuy and determnatcly, for the last fifteen years,
in the face Of all that could be urged against such
gross and wanton misrepresentation
'Public opinion, in the United States, i Influenced
by, and imparis its tone to, such journals as the
Courier and Enqaif0', the 41dreTiser, and the
Journal # Con8aete, Of New York; the Lattus-
gcacer OF Washington; the Gd-ate of Pnilaielphia:
and the Journal OF Roston, with many Others Of
proximate status, whom we forbear To name; and
by every arrival from america, copies Of many Of
these papers reach every member OF the Metroroli-
press. Yet the Times prefers 70 ignore the very
existence of these journals; and lays before is
readers the ribaldgy and mis-statements Of paper
excommunicated from society, rs ii it were the
truthful narrative Of passing events on the other
side OF the Atlantic ; fair expression of public
feeling and opinion, and average specimen of
American newspaper talent and newspaper moral
ity."
The Londoa Morning Post aud its correspond
onts, having thus defended the absent and yndi-
Gated the press of the United States owe il To
that pres, 70 explain Why We should haye been
I
and the Dry Bock-S. L. Willis and--S i'm or--
pr .tc6Re trohaH.
The name Of the Dly Book never appeared in our
columns but once, until this day; and then for tho
simple purpose of cuablng to say, in tho name OF
Mr.. Webster and some half dozen of our most
prominent statesmen, and in the name and behalf
of many OF our leading merchants, tina. card got
up and widely circulated purporting to be an en-
dorssment OF the principles Of the Dly n ot, and
urging subscriptions 10 1t, gross and dolibc-
rate forgery. The article copied BY the Tinss,
was IN reply to an exposure of its fraud and, Of
course, never was noticed by u.s. 80 utterly obscure
is the print in which it appeared, that although it
has been published Tor some years in this city, we
have never by any accident met with dozen
pics Of i during the whole period of its cxistcnce
Nr n II. Willis and the XJn. Journal, the ac-
tua author and originator Of most of the Day Books
ISLANDERS, are better knogn and because they are
well known, feel called upon TO explain he origin
OF what Is feputed TO have been one OF the foulest
and most cowardy assaults upon private character,
I ever made by n Newspaper in this country. That
Characteristic assault, was, readers I'll know,
made after we had left the country, aud was for
warded by its author to Consul in cnna for cir
cuaton in that city. Blu. the Consul il gentleman;
and Of course could not lower himself to. 80 base a
purpose, nor would he even permit us to read the
attack, which lac simply characterized u infamous
and bare. Since our return IL has been repeatedly
enclosed to US together with full particulars OF VII.
liss connection with the Forrest divorce ca SC, his
being horscwhippcd by Forrest, and full account
I OF bis doincs in Europe his borrowing money from
Jeremy niddler rrorcnsites while abroad. But VIC
bad promised never TO read tho attack; and 70 this
/ Gay have not read any part II it: nor did We in
tend ever 20 have alluded IL IL or it, author and
! we shall content oursclf sith simply showing
Why be has assailcd W. in order that tho editor OF
i the London Morning Post may know the character
/ Of our assailant. In this community We are both
/ known and, therefore. no defence against assault
from that quarter is necessary nor would Il be cx-
| cusable.
some twenty years ago, we read in the New York
-Nuycr that n. !. Willis had gone abroad, aad
would be the foreign correspondent of that paper
| The sequel is well known. Willis became an in
J mate Of Lady Eessingtons cotcric-the most i'm
4 moral in London, but which was composed Of the
highest intcllccis Of the age. IL IL scarcely
sary 10 add that the female members Of /, were all
If doub,l rcsroctabili'y, and never admitted into
/ the higher and better circles Of English society
while no gentleman Loot social east by frcqucnting
Lady fcssington's brilliant circle. Through this
medium, Willis obtained 10 many Of the beet
houses In England, where he was treated with the
| freedom, confidence, and hospitality which Eng
lishman % well knows how TO extend TO those who
+ are once admitted into his bomc. That hospi-
tally he repaid by selling to the New York Mirror,
FOR the bcncit # its reader, thcir family Secrets
and revealing their everyday conf dcntial CONVEX
| satiors in relation to individual Thcse publ-
cations went back to England, aud one or two iucl-
about to lake place in consequence of this vile
betrayal Of hospitality. Willis was excluded from
gentl,mens homes and tables, ana the pre- unitcl
| IN citing his conduct as a specimen of american
breeding. and tho necessity III excluding Ia future
| ~ American. from English honcs.-,he sanctity
and privacy Of which they would viola. ana Expose
| for plicC.
w protested against this condo nuai on Of a
whole nation In consequence ot the conduct Of 4
mere odveItrcr. who did not ~ en caim ~ know
what belonged e. The pro, ricies OF social inter-
cVursc-who was utterly i-n0rnu. ~ the rules os
society on both sides Of thc Atlautic--and whose
habits instincts. and connections wcrc alike at
war with The .cclings and breeding ~ gentleman.
Tue American I,fess, SCI, rsll' with srarecly AZ
exception, to,k the same ground; aul indicated.
wos THEN duty, the character r 0ur country
men ii1m tho slur cast upon u by " His. AMER
his return 10 the nitea states we spsnt y winter
with him ~ the As,or Housr; but p5rcmptufiiy
refused t. bc atr5 uccI 10 bin ~ 81 recognize him
~ . gentlemen, IN consequence of his protcrbialiy
bad conduct csciywhere throughout Europe. 1.
happened, however, that In the SKINNER 1874 ~ ~
I'd >aratOgs, Willis arrived 20 tn uit "a states
about md day, AMI came into tn, drawing room,
L. L. Ill 1 NJ