The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-08
The DonaIdsQp CORES pOnaience. the Il ven-
Ing Post, and MIR. WestcOtt.
KpIrCR HERALD.

Ing FOst, and MIR. WestcOtt.
TO TIE EDITOR OF TIKI nEw YORK HERALD.
An editorial In the Everiwg Post Of last evening,
respecting the HERALD, myself, and tho "DDnald-
the favor of you to insert in your columns this
reply, and the subjoDed copy OF note addressed
to the editors OF that paper on the 18th OF August
last, which explains Itself The Pos quotes IN It's
editorial the following paragraph from my letter
to you OF the 3Oth Of October.
The many and various paragraphs connecting ma
with the Donaldson and Greer corfespondenoe, that
have appeared within the last months in sunday
other wing and democratic papers throughout the
country have rot ped my notice. The first pro-
nulgstors OF the untru.h that was the author CT the
correspondence the editors Of the New York Zee
rtrg Post In respectful note, on the same day they
attributed it to NE, asked them to give me the name
OF their informant {" authority believe, was the
phisse for the statement they made and took especial
to assure them that had nothing to do with those
bad not srsse enough to notice my denial but Inserted
extract from my note asking for their authority with
ss cation that the statement made rumor,
and added quite chivsrous declaration that they held
tbs useives responsible for their announcement
The Post then proceeds to say
"Mr westcetts asked no. only aut horty for
We replied that we had stated u runor and matter
OF course responsible for making such state
nent. II Mr. Westcctt bad asked Us where ths rumor
originated from what source received it, We should
probably have answered him differently and ne had
not ssked US Who was responsible for what we hAd
stated should not have felt necessary to add what
be les the "chvairous declaration, that We were
ourselves responslble"
perusai Of my note of the 18th Of August
to these editors, proves they mistate and misrepre
sent it. There is nothing in it asking them who va,
'responsible' for their previous publication, but
does ask them for their authority. plainly, di-
rectly, snequivoeally and respectfully sought to
their information" My object was manifest
was not such an egregious blockhead as to ask
the editors Of the Post if they were "respon-
sibls" for What appeared in their editorial CO.
lumps aad they must pardon me If, even after their
chivsrous esgerness to declare that responsibility,
confess never had the fantest idea Of looking to
it in aay mode or manner whatsoever. There are
multitude Of reasons for the absence of any such
purpose. | assure them and the public, that it
would require a much more aagrant outrage upon
me than the publication of one or two unsrutns
that {" chivalrys of Viii 81 they made such prompt
and gallant display. When | addressad them that
note, had grounds for suspecting that third per-
son, who Knew as bitter enemy OF myself, was
at the bottom of the accusation that was concern
ed in the Donaldson and Greer correspondence.
was seeking for him and him, alone did not care
o fg for the Post editors. My note proves this
Wien / failed to unmask the parsonage | was
directly, and received his written reply in these
words :-s'l assure you, sir, had no agency in the
publication Of the Eresing Post, nor in the rumor
the editors refer 10, and have never suspected or
imputed to you the authorship of the Donaldson
or Greer correspondence" With this, | was, of
COURSE, SO fer as it regards that person, satisfied
!
rect the pslpaby false statements Of the Post as to
it's purpoit, and to prove that did not ask them
for what they say did, and that did ask for
what they say did not.
has been quite shabby. ! did not want any quarrel
With them, nor any controversy with them, Of any
kind had no unkind feelings towards either of
them personally; but, indeed, ny feelings were
rather otherwise ! have peyer been more surprised
than have seea al their tn.bersi anu un.alr coz!
duct and their ndecen. disregard of truth, in this
matter. Ii would seem sc fthey have no restraints
whatever. They have left me no alternative.
mus; submit in Silence to their falsehoods and mis-
representations, or repsl them | am forced against
ny wishes to notice them in this mode.
learn the editors Of the Post are Mr william
Cullen Bryant, and Mr.. - BigeloT, his son.inlaw.
When the editorial Of the 18th Of August first
appeared, friends admonished me that the extraOr-
dIary rrecocious poetical propensties Of the first
namCd individual vas accompanied by prococisy
Of moral deprayity and degradation equally as
toIishing, ard, indeed, so shocking, that even in
his teens, it was exhibited in an Infamous dogge-el
efuson Of scurrility ard SANDER respecting the IL
irstrious Jefferson. They took the pains to show
me bis federal poem, called "The Embargo"
The1 wsrnld me that re ever possessed one noble,
or generous, or m snly quality, that il had, long
since, been eaten out Of his heart by the csnker
worm Of disappointed ambition and mortified
vanity: tia; ais failure to induce the world to re-
cfive his sorry jipgungs Of mluilin sentimentali.y
and mi strsb.e dish water rhynin9s, as approved
peofy, had so ebsgrined him. that his chief graft
spite AID Esignity at his fellow men. had point
ca out 20 ne his description Of himsef in one Of his
own poems, (The Future Lhe,) in these words -
Fer ne the sofdld cares in which dwell
shrink sr1 consume ny heart a. beat the SCROLL
A.i wrath has lest Il. scar that IRE OF hell
Has left its frightfu! scar upon my soul"
! vastoldthat the othsrperson named, II possessed
Of sufficient and intelligence to distinguish be-
tween tfuthfulneSs and me ndaci,y, and honor and
dishono- bad also the gift, in al eminent degree, OF
ooncealing the fact that he appreciated the
distinction. / was reminded, also, OF the po-
li,esl oorspracy, in l-A, detected by the
publication OF tie famous SECRET circular"
and Of the participation Of both OF these
men in that trick Of mean perhdy TO those with
whom they protested TO act in union and eoncer;
Against ali these cautionary suggestions, as knew
/ had never given either Of them the slightest per
sonal proyocation, and influenced by charitable
credulitv that has ever been amongst my numerous
vesknesses, ] wrote TO them az II they were fair
dealing ard honorable men. They had not the
fairness to inform their readers that denied having
had any agency in the correspondence, or It's publ
cation. The only response made to me was the
grstuitous declaration of their responsibility mani
festly made to display their "chvairy," coupled
With the sllsge justification Of common rumor"-
the common refuge OF the detected ealuminat0r,-
and the inrudent lalsehood that ! knew Of saeh
common iunor Their notice left il to be inferred
that did not deny the accusation made against
me- but desired merely to be informed OF their au-
thOfity for making IT, az matter OF curiosity, or
to put them upon their responsibility in some way
OF other.
have heretofore stated that believed the ed.
tors Of the Erening Post, above named, have all
along been fully cognizant Of the deyilish intrgues
Of which | am satisfied the Donaldson and Greer
coresIonderce is a part. do not hesitate TO say
that | would not credit either or both Of them If
they made affidavit Of their Innocence. Hence,
as believe, their accusations Of others. They hrst
gave the cue that the correspondence was trick,
and that donaldson and Greer were fictitious per
onages. To conceal their connection with this bu-
siress by the diversion Of public attention trem
-, ha ia m
motive for suppressing my denial of their accu-
saton. and for incorporating my note in their
editorial Of the day before yesterday In my ia
yestigations Of this business, have learned some
curious things, ard when the whole truth ID
brought 10 light, IL will be shewn, | have ne
doubt that this is q foul plot devised by that fac
tion Of spurious democrats called free-soilers
whose internal rnaehinadons have brought snis