The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-01-25
Mr.. ThnclkaraY.

Soon after Mr.. Thackeray had finished his first
course of lectures in this country and returned to
England he commenced the publication of "The
Newcomes" and in the first number there appear
ed expression which the sensitive Instantly
construed into an insult to the character of Wash
ington. Attention was called to it in this country
by some of those papers which are always on the
9ui ripe to excite the prejudices of their readers
and the complaints reached Mr.. r. through the
medium mentioned below. The following letter.
which he instantly addressed to the London Times
served to disprove at once all the apprehensiors
which then existed to that authors regard for
our country and its time-honored patriot Hear.
ing the charges revived since his arrival in this
city, we think 1t not inappropriate to insert his
communication again:
''Sr-Aow me word of explanation in answer
70 strange charge which has been brought against
me in the United States, and which your New
York correspondent has made public in this coun-
try. In the first number of periodical story
which | am now publishing, appears sentence.
IN which should never thought of finding any
harm, until it had been discovered by some critics
over the water. The fatal words are these:
" W aen pig tails grew on the backs of the British
gentry, ana their wives wore cushions on their
hsads, over which they tied their own hair and
disguised 1t with powder and pomatum when
Ministers went in their stars and orders to the
house OF Commons, and the orator of the oppos
tson attacked nightly the noble lord of the blue rib
S1As "sS.s -Ai. W dfiiiuSlOu was heading the Anne
ricsn rebels with a courage it must be Confessed
worthy OF better cause, there came to London
cut OF : Northern country, Mr. &c
This paragraph has been interpreted in Ameri
ca as an insult 10 Washington and the whole
Un!sn; and from the sadness and gravity with
which your correspondent quotes my words, II ia
evident he, too, thinks they have an insoient and
malicious meaning.
Having published the American critics com.
men.s, permit the author of faulty sentence TO
say what he did IN san. and to add the obvious mo.
raj Of the apologize which has been so oddly con-
st-ned. am speaking of young apprentice com
mS np 70 London between the years ITO so and
want 10 depict few figures Of the last century
fancy the old society, with its hoops and powder
Barre or Fox laundering at Lord North asleep on
tne Treasury bench--the news readers at the cof
fee room talking over the paper, and owning tina,
this MIR w ashington, who was leading the rebels
was very courageous soldier and worthy Of !
better cause than fighting against King George =
The images at least natural and pretty consecp
tive. iT76-The people in London In '76-tbe
Lords and House OF Commons In '16-Lord North
-Washington-what the people thought about
Washington am thinking about 10 Where in
me name Of common sense is the insult to 1855,
The satire--f satire there be-applies TO us AT
home, who called Washington Mr.. Washington
Is we called Frederick the Great the protes,.n,
hero or Napoleon the corsican tyrant or Z. an
eral Bonaparte' Need say that our officers ,vsra
instructed until they were taught better mannsrss
70 eau washington Mr. Washington and AT The
hens.ns were canea rebels during the whole of
tnat eontesti Rebels l--of course they we're rehal
sad should like to know what native Americas
wou.d not have been rebel in that eauses
as Irony y dangerous and has hurt the fael;nrs
~ ~ Mnd friends WHOM would not wish 10 offend
~ me say, IL perfect faith and gravity that shinl
sne cause for which Washington foncbt sn.;..,'.
!asI ma right. and the champion the vsrv ra,sis..
buesS orsvest hess Of GODS men. Asss''
IN ~, your very f.ishful serysni
" = THAcxERAy"