The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-19
Chevalier Webb IN Enginnd-xEis Real Mis-
sion Disclus ed-.ReadS Rcadi


sion Discl0scd--.Readl Rcadi
Chevalier Webb, other wise known as G neral |
James Watson Webb, of this city, has for some
time past be n regarded On both sides OF the
Atlantic as the Irish Ambassador at Lon
don, in behalf Of the administrati of General
Pierce, and al the vast varied, and delicate .
diplomatic interests OF the United States near
the kitchen cabinet Of the court Of st. James.
In this capacity, according to his own paper, he
has been making himself exceedingly useful to
Mr.. Buchanan--having, among other things, as
sumed and discharged the great task Of fixing
the rights of our neutrality with England, from
the noblest impulses Of that very ardent patri-
otsm for which he has always been distin-
guished. But the charming official documents
and correspondence which we publish to-day,
show that the character of the "Irish Ambassa-
Cheyaler to disguise his real designs. His real
mission is to sell the stock of the Guyandotte
Land, Coal and Iron Company of Western Vir-
gnia, among the London fancy stock jjobbers.
Beautiful operation Read the Guyan-
dotte documents and the Chevalier's GER
tificates. How nicely has he been pull
ing the wool over the eyes of honest
John Bull! What flaming series Of
articles those were which the Chevalier con-
tributed to the London Times, defining the
policy of the United States to be dead against
the pratical nuisance Of privateering How
thankful should Lord Clarendon and the British
government be for these assurances. No Won
der the Chevalier has been dining and wining
among the highest officials of the British CAPT
tai. He has pulled the wool over their eyes to
some purpose, if his diplomatic services will
only work out their desired effect upon the
stock exchange.
But great rs are the merits of Chevalier Webb
in this business, he has not the merit of origin
atty. He has only been following in the foot
steps Of his illustrious predecessors" the Cheva-
ler Wikoff and others. The example of Cheva-
lier Wikoff is strikingly analogous to that of
Chevalier Webb. 1t will be remembered that
Chevalier Wikofi some years ago was over head
and ears in European diplomacy, having little
less than all the secret arrangements of Lord
Palmerston and Louis Napoleon upon the Con-
tinent in his hands These important diplo-
matte functions, however, were but ruse to
his real object. Under his State secrets he
had a great secret Of his own. He was
in pursuit of rich prize-he was anxious
for rich wife-he found the desired object in
the wealthy and accomplished Miss Gamble.
!" She had money and he had none, and that's
the way the fray begun" He opened negotia-
tons with her-his diplomatic notes, ID
Menschikof were rejected ultimatissinu,n
was rejected; but he pursued her, across the
Channel, up the Rhine, over the Alps like
Napoleon and down into Italy. There they
captured him and clapped him into prison. and
there he ended his matrimonial venture and his
diplomatic career. He disappeared from the
public eye, and is now superseded in his
diplomatic character by Chevalier Webb.
A few years ago, when Kossuth was electrify- !
ing all England with his knowledge Of the Saxon
language, and the wrongs of "down trodden
Hungary" the Hon. Robert J. Walker was on
hand. He spoke at various public meetings in.|
favor of Kossuth and Intervention and at
Manchester and Liverpool delighted the mass
meetings assembled with his liberal doctrines of
free trade. But it soon appeared that the real
mission Of Mr.. Walker was to secure small
Illinois. But in spite Of his strong sympathy
for Kossuth and Hungary, and his free trade
speeches, the antecedents of Illinois were against
Mr.. Walker, and the loan was drag. About
the same time there were some other Ameri-
cans in England who were more successful. They
pursued the same course in reference to the
great principles Of liberty, free trade, common
origin and all that, and got off upon the Lon
don stock jobbers a considerable amount of
shares in certain California gold mines, and,
pocketing their proceeds, returned home.
Chevalier Webb, however, has an immense
advantage over Chevalier Wikoff and all his
other predecessors, in being powerfully backed
up with strong certificates. He has :" the best
of city references" Look at them. First and
foremost is the certificate of Bishop Wainwright,
of New York, who.kindly recommends his pro-
tege to the Archbishop Of Canterbury. But
why did not the Chevalier get letter from
Archbishop Hughes? Then he might have gone
to Rome and dined with the Pope himself
Next, ex-Gov Hunt endorses his fellow-ctizen
of whom he made General of the New York
State Militia. Other distinguished names fol-
low, when, 10! and behold we come upon Ed
ward w. II. Schenley-the identical Captain
Schenley, who disappeared from these parts
good many years ago, pending the agitation of
the question, Who married Captain Schenley?"
Other certificates, which would have been exceed
ingly valuable in the premises, have been strange
ly overlooked by Chevalier Webb. With the aid
of the esprit rappcrs," strong certificate might
have been obtained from the deceased Nicholas
Biddle, of the late United States Bank-a
receipt in full for s52,675 &c. The Commits
sioners Of the Bankrupt law Of 1s4l could also
have given clearance for some five hundred
Thousand dollars more or less in behalf IF the |