Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-11-05
Letter from Paul Morphy MIR. staunton, Of Eng
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Letter from FauI MOfpny 10 Mfs StauntOns OF ENG
The following letter from the American chess wonder,
to the English champion Howard Stanton will be read
with interest: ..-
"CAFE DE LA REGENcE, Paris, October, 1853
Sir: On my arrival in England, three months since
renewed the challenge to you personally which the New
Orleans Chess Club had given you some months pre-
viously You Immediately accepted, but demanded a
months delay in order to prepare yourself for the
test Subsequently you proposed that the time should
be postponed until after the Birmingham meeting, to
which assented. On the approach of the period you
had fixed addressed you Communication requesting
that the necessary prelminares might be Immediately
settled, but you left London without replying to it.
lent to Birmingham for the express purpose of ask
ing you to put stop to further delay by fixing date
for the opening of our match but before the opporu
nifty presented ITSELF you came to me- and in the pres
ence of Lord Lytueton, Mr. Avery and other gentlemen
you stated that your time much occupied in editing
new edition of Shakespeare, and that you were under
heavy bonds to your publishers accordingly. But you
reiterated your intention to play me, and said that if
would consent to further postponement until the first
week in November, you would, within few days. COM
municate with me, and fix the exact date have not
heard further from you, either privately, by letter. or
through the columns of the Illustrated London News.
"A statement appeared in the Chess department of
that journal few weeks since, that Mr. Morphy had
to Europe unprovided with hackers or seconds,
the inference being obvious that my want of funds
the of our match not taking place. AS you are
the editor of that department of the Illustrated London
News felt hurt that gentleman who had always re-
ceived at his club and elsewhere with great kindness
and courtesy should allow prejudcial statement to
be made in reference to one, too which is not strict
ly in accordance with fact
Permit me to repeat what have invariably declar
ed in every chess community have had the honor of
entering that l am not a professional player-that
wished to make any skill possess the of
pecunary advancement and that my earnest desire is
to play for any stake but honor My friends in
New Orleans however, subscribed certain sum, with
out any countenance from me, and that has been
ready for you to meet considerable time past. Since
my arrival in Paris have been assured by numerous
gentlemen that the value of those stakes can be mme-
diatey increased to any amount but for myself person
ally, reputation is the only incentive I recognize.
The matter of seconds cannot certainly offer any diff
Guilty. had the pleasure of being first received in Lon
don by the ST. Georges Chess Club Of which you are
distinguished member, and of those gentlemen re-
quest the honor of appointing my seconds, to whom
give full authority in settling all preliminaries
In conclusion beg leave to state that have ad-
dressed copy OF this letter to the editors of the Illus
trated London NeacS, Bells Life IN London, The Era
The Field and The Sunday 11mes being most desrous
that position should longer be misunderstood
by the community at large.
"Agan requesting you to fix the date for COM
mencing match, I have the honor to remain, SIR
your very humble servant
paul MORPHY."
"HOvARD STAUNToN ESQ"