Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-28
From the American and Gazette.
The Philadelphia Duel Correspondence.
TO THE PUBLIC

TO THE PUBLIC. ~
A statement having appeared in the Sunday
Mercury, purporting to give an authorized ac-
count of an alleged difficulty between Mr..
Cooper, President of the Sunbury and Erie
Railroad Company, and myself, and that state
ment having been transferred to the columns
of the Public Ledger, it is proper should fur
nish the facts precisely as they occurred
On the evening of Monday the 18th instant,
while was engaged in my professional duties
at my Office, Mr. Harry Connolly handed me
the following note:
WASHINGTON HOUSE.
Philadelphia, Sept. Is, 1854 I 81
To Morton MeMiehael, Esq.-Sir: NY aten-
ton has just been called 10 an editorial article in
the North AMERICAN and United STATES Gazette of
this morning, in which the following language is
used, namely |" With plumber in high places
DC. (" and false pretences and maversation, as in
the city subscription TO the Sudbury and Erie
| Railroad Company, we shall how our heads with
shame, unless the sharp and secure processes of
the penal laws can be successfully applied 4
| My object in addressing you this note is to in
quire respectfully whether the above remarks are
| intended 70 apply 10 me, and if so, in what re-
spect? The right which every man has to main
tain his character and good name, is the one which
l invoke in making this call upon you. II the re-
| marks intended 10 be applied to me, il is
| proper that should know it. If they are not il
is equally proper that ! should be free from the
| suspicion they are likely to create. will be
obliged 10 you for prompt answer. Harry Con-
nelly, esq, will hand you this note and receive
/ your reply. ~ B.g sa,
am, sir, your obedent humble servant.
40a1 1 JAMES COOPER. x
On the following morning, at as early an
hour as my business engagements permitted, l
prepared the following answer:
| PHILADELpHIA, Sept. 10, 1854. i
Crp. xa1 unn los h,,s AZ,
hands Of Mr.. Connolly, and avail myself Of the
first leisure which offers TO reply.
You ask whether certain passages in edito-
rial article in the North american Of Monday last,
were intended to apply to YOU do not recog-
nze the propriety 9th question, and must, there
| fore, decline to answer 1t. The article 10 which
you refer was of public nature; il concerned
/ public events, and its comments had public
bearing. In the parts Of it TO which You have
called my attention, il asserted in general terms
what uncontradicted public statements had else
where, particularly set forth, but it made no alu-
| sion to any individual.
/ In declining to answer the question You have
proposed, am controlled by conviction ofduty.
As the conductor of public journal, cannot al
| low the right OF any one to catechze me as to the
meaning of the articles | publish. AT the same
time / admit my responsibility moral, legal and
/ personal, tor whatever appears in the columns of
the North american, and shall hold myself ready,
| on all proper occasions, TO meet it.
| / am, sir, yours, &C.,
MORTON McMICHAEL.
Hon. James Cooper Washington House
This was sealed and enclosed in an envel-
ope, addressed to Mr.. Connolly, with the fol-
lowing note:
| PHMApA, Sept. 10, 1854
Dear Sir: enclose herewith areply to the note
you handed me last evening. give il this direc-
M McMIcHAEL.
Harry Connolly, esq. 9TH and Chestnut.
On Wednesday evening Mr.. Connolly again
called at my office, and handed me the follow
ing letters
| PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 20. 1854.
+ Morton Mc1Iichael, Esq.-Dear Sir: My friend
| Mr.. Cooper has received your note Of the 10Th
instant, sent to him under 10 me /; and
while il is not satisfactory, inasmuch as il does
| relieve him from the imputation conveyed in your
article of Monday, it is entirely so in respect 10
| the avowa that you hold yourself personally re-
| sponsihle for everything you publish In making
the call in his note Of the 18th instant Mr. Cooper
desires me TO express TO you that he recognizes
| as fully any one the right of every editor 10
| perfect independence. But for personal mpu-
taton he is happy that you concur with his own
views in admitting per. onal responsibility
| now desire TO say. on my own part, as the
friend of Mr. Cooper, that in prosecuting this cor.
| respoDdence further, there might be nconveni-
ence in d. ing il here; and if you concur with me
in this view OF the case; beg you will say
where and at what time it will suit your conve-
nience 10 receive a further message.
Mr.. Cooper admits that, while II is customary,
| under the circumstances in which you stand TO
each other, that you should make il convenient TO
receive his message in another jurisdiction. that
he has no right TO insist that you should do So
will be obliged to you for an answer.on this point
Very respectfully. yours &c,
HARRY CONNOLLY.
| Desiring to satisfy all the requirements of
he II IL
Mr.. Connelly's letter, with the preceding cor
respondence, in the hands Of Mr.. William ID.
Lewis and Mr. Charles Henry Fisher, assuring
them that should be governed, in any future
action on the subject, entirely by their direc-
ton. On the afternoon of that day, Mr. Lewis
and Mr.. Fisher informed me that they had de-
termined--
| LIST. That the paragraph referred to in Mr..
Cooper's letter and the subsequent correspond
ence did not furnish any ground for the propo.
sition contained in Mr.. Connellys letter, and
that must decline its acceptance.
I'd. That to admit the personal responsibility
of the conductor of public journal for his
structures on public affairs would, in their judg.
ment, be detrimental to the interests Of the
community, and divest the press of its most
important prerogative.
These views l embodied in the following
letter:
PHILADELPHIA, Sept 81. 1854.
DEAR SIR: As the application made in your
note of yesterday involves principles which, in
their consequences, affect the integrity Of the pub
lie press have given TO il the most careful con-
sideration.
While recognize TO the fullest extent all my
responsibilities for whatever appears in the col
umns ofthe North American, and am ready on all
proper occasions TO meet them in whatever form
they may be presented, / am unable TO perceive
that Mr.. Cooper has any right, under existing cir
cumstances, to invite me 10 receive from him a
hostile message. AS / stated in my reply TO his
communication Of the 18th inst. the article TO
which he referred " was Of public nature 1t con-
cerned public events and its comments had pub
lie bearing. In the part OF il 10 which he called
my attention, il asserted in general terms what
uncontradicied public sentiments had, elsewhere,
particularly set forth, but il made no allusion 10
any individual
1.-THE conductors Of public journals should per.
NIT themselves 10 be held personally responsible
for their structures on public affairs there would
be at once end TO all independence Of the press
and wrong and outrage might go UNPUBLISHED and
unrebuked. cannot consent, by my example, TO
sanction such course. pretend TO no privilege