The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-31

NEW YORK HERALD, 81
b'm. We believe there was not journal in
che city that did not oppose him On the ether
hand, 1t is fair to suppose that all the drunk
ards, all the rowdies, all the gamblers, all
free and easy owners Of vote, bestowed
it on him. People said he was to be the rowdy's
man, the rum Mayor, the blackguard's friend,
and many other such things.
What blunder was here! It Is actually q
fact, so ably and thoroughly has he performed
bis duties, that in the churches frequented by
some Of the most energetic Of his religious
opponents prayers are offered for him every
Sunday, and Almighty Providence is beseeched
to spare him to continue his career of useful
ness. There is even talk of putting him in
the liturgy. On the other hand, the rum party
and the rowdies are free to confess that they
are disappointed in their man, and that Fer
nando Wood is failure.
Lethim persevere. A short while hence Gov
ernor will be wanted for this State. The man
who was 80 good Mayor would not prove very
bad Governor. Nor could he, on occasion,
all to serve the country well if he were sent to
Washington. Men have their eyes on Fernando
Wood.
Mr.. S0ulc and that @Curious MiasiOn,-Che-
waller WikoH's Extinguisher-.A COLL on
Chevaller Webb.
We publish this morning very interesting
and conclusive manifesto from Chevalier WI
koff, in reference to that curious mission"
projected by Louis Napoleon to the United
States, as disclosed in the official diplomatic
correspondence of Mr.. Soule from Madrid
Mr. Soule in his despatch to Mr.. Marcy, bear
ing date December %, 1853, charges that
shortly before the coup d'etat" of 1851, Louis
Napoleon had contrived a secret mission to
this country, of the most treacherous and
hostile character, and had applied to Prince
Napoleon, son Of Jerome, to carry it out; but
that the Prince, falling back upon his republi-
can principles. had indignantly declined it.
The Chevalier Wikoff makes short and deci-
sive work Of this horrible plot. He shows,
with the clearness of the MONDAY sun, that it
was fiction, Barnum humbug, French
canard, imposed upon our too credulous Minis
ter by some inventive genius of the Steele clique;
or, peradventure, it was an experiment Of Mr..
Dudley Mann, now Assistant Secretary of
State. Hemay be the man. During his resi-
dence in Paris he was one of the reddest Of the
red republicans, and full of the boldest
devices for concocting war between France
and the United States. The confidential
political correspondence Of Mr.. Mann,
written from Paris in the spring of 1852,
and recently brought to light through the
cumstantial evidence against him as the inven-
tor of this curious mission" At all events,
there can be 10 question that Mr.. Soule gath
cred up his French diplomacy en- route for
Madrid, from the same ultra montana circles
as the filibusteriDg righthand man of Secretary
Marcy.
Thus we see that while our late Minister to
Spain was betrayed by the President and
victimized by Marcy, he was deluded by the
flaming inventions of the Partisan socialists,
and humbugged, most probably, by the vapor-
ing faneies and flibustering facts, views and
speculations Of Dudley Mann-all of which is
very much to be regretted.
Bonaparte shortly before the coup d'ftat,"
may be surmised from the letter of the Prince
on the oath October, 1851, furnished in the
communication which we publish to-day. It
was mission in behalf Of the Prince, and the
Chevalier Wikoff was his ambassador. 1t was
an American mission, and peace mission of
the most emphatic and fascinating character.
1t involved the projGt Of q treaty Of peace,
friendship aud commerce, the most binding,
conclusive and satisfactory known to ancient
or modern diplomacy.
The Chevslier Wikotf projected it. 1t is his
capital-it was in his peculiar line. The Prince
Napoleon naively confesses to his ambassador
that the idea was Wikoff's. But what was it?
Nothing more nor less than treaty of alliance,
offensive and defensive, between France and
the United States, through the diplomacy of
Wikoff, in the attractive form of marriage
between the Prince Napoleon Bonaparte aud
Miss Lawrence, daughter of the American
Minister at that time to the Court of St. James
Such was this curious mission" so strangely
twisted into the most odious Of all hostile mis-
sions by our belligerent Minister to Madrid
Thus the Chevalier Wikoff, with the facts
dates, and documentary proof, steps in to vim
dicate Louis Napoleon, his American policy,
and the truth Of history.
Prince Napoleon says cheeringly to bis en-
voy extraordinary, Il hope you will not return
to Paris alone" Jespere 5ien que pous ne
rertendres pas seui d Paris" In other words
the Prince hoped his envoy would return with
Miss Gamble "Et que tout marche scion Dos
raar."-"And that all may 60 on as you de-
sire"-meaning the negotiations proposed in
behalf Of that international alliance between
the Prince and Miss Lawrence. But they fail