The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-06

The Chevaller WIZ IN and tho London Tfmes.
TO TEE wlr0R OF TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
MayI beg to trcspass for q moment on your columns,
in order TO reply to the strange comments Of the English
press on q book Of mine, recently published here, "My
Courtship and Its Consequences, " but which had not, up
to the last dates, appeared in London It str kes me as
an unusual thing to make . book the theme Of nswspa-
per discussion before 1t has been formally given to the
public; and have q right, under such circumstances, to
investigate the motive that has led to It. Before quit
ting London, in October last, i left printed copies Of the
work in question In the hands Of Mr.. Joshua Bates, Sir
w. Gere Ouseley, and other parties concerned, and they
have thought ct, doubtless for reasons of their own, to
place them at the disposition of their friends in the press.
Idon't know why / should take any pains to disguise the
object thus ingeniously aimed at. The publication Of
my book in England would likely lead to the sar.. rasu,t
there as here. for by showing the publ'.. NM innocence
Of the odious accusations BE- ned uuop mo some two
years since. q reaction would naturally tax. place in my
fave. and to tNsac detriment Of the parties who we're COM
promised by Its exposures. To diminish. II not to es-
cape, the effect Of so decided q revolution in public
sentiment, an attempt has been adroitly made, in antici-
patton Of the books appearance in England, to raise
doubts against its statements and to excite prejudice
against its author. To this end ] have been styled
a I" seedy adventurer'' by certain English Journals,
and a " degraded convict'' by others. 1t has long beea
the habit Of the English press to affect a well bred hor-
rOr Oh the 'hcurrluty' Oh inc Auer1cdu JOurnaks, Dut IL
we may take these low expressions as proofs Of their
superior taste, it is clear they have something to learn
before they presume to teach. The London Times. with
its usual acumen and less ~vulgarity, has sought to
effect its purpose by q holder invention. In the war
against the first Emperor, it was only necessary in Eng
land to call q man a French emissary to make him an
object Of public detestaton, and nowadays ii is sufi.
Gent to get up a cry Of Russian agent'' against any
luciless foreigner, to expose him to the risk of the pill
lory. Hence the London Times ~designates the author OF
"the little book, sCouItship and its Consequence"
as one Nichoh, a Russian agent, employed to write for
the American press, and seeks to ignore the fact Of his
ever having had any connection with Lord Palmerston
or the Foreign Office Of England. The articles Of the
TIMES and other j9urnals to ditcredit me, now, by apply
ing ugly epithets, ard, then, by clubbing me a "Russian
agent y may be very ingenious, as they are really anus
ing when exposed but they will fall utterly short of their
purpose, which is simply to screen distinguished persons
from the blame Of their own dishonorable acts. My
intention is to follow up, by literary and other means,
my vindication in England, and to make known to the
public there that ! am not only undeserving Of the calum-
MES their journals have circulated against me, but that If
/ was sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment in an
Italian Jail, as they truly anege, it was done at the
special desire and through the opsn influence of the
agents Of the English government at Turin and Genoa,
who had their instructions from home to that effect.
1t is the fashion ust now for the English press to de-
noupce Russian barbarism, but may venture to doubt
If the Bugaboo Of all the Russias would treat an en-
ploye Of hts more cruelty than I was handled by order
Of the English government, and more especially, If he
had given no real grounds of offence, which l win one
day undertake to show to be my case. In fine, the Lon.
don Times repudiates, with great energy, the bare sus-
picion that either the English or French press can be
welded by Min sters Of State, or warped by any extra
neous influence, whilst IT audacic usly asserts that the
American lress is utterly at the mercy of "Russian
agents, y or, ~perchance, OF Some new agent OF the Eng
ksh Foreign Office. This is good dcbatable ground; and
emboldened by my experience, would not fear to enter
but this is not the place for it. Suffice 1t to say, that
whilst admitting the ability of the English and French
press, nor seeking to detract from its integrity, / coustd
.er the American press has nothing to lose in either 70.
spect from q comparison. Very respectfully, &C.,
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 1856. HENRY WIkOFF.