The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-25
~ The Diamond Wcdding. gstH
HOSTILE CORRESPONDENCE SUIT FOR Libel THE


W A Bartlett U. = N. father OF Mrs Oviedo and Il G,
Stedman, Esq, author OF satire entitled "The Diamond
eda'ng, which recently appeared IN your paper hay
ing been aoat Tor three Or four days. and actually found
their way INTO one Of the papers, aud Mr.. Bartlett having
expressed his determination to prosecute S Sedman for
hbel NJ deemed advisable by Mr. Stedmans friends 70
publish the correspondence entire with of the
circumstances, that tho public may Judge the merits Of
the case. - K. ts-f
proper to state that Mr. Bartlett first declared his
intention TO publicly cowhde Mr. Sedman but the friend
to whom he subsequently, referred the matter declined 70
have anything 10 do with IL II he persisted in this deter
mnaton, and only took tho matter in hand with the
Outstanding that r Bartlett 10 conduct tho affair in
accordance with the code Of honor. rfe a38G8 4
With this understanding he consented 10 act Mr..
bares friend and was the bearer Of the following note
10 Mr.. Stedman-- IN s 81 4rar Is
no. !. cory.l
WI Mr. TnMrsp g have in she New
o,. p, Diamond y sIt Wssns ending line On s
saas se FdS iSde a sssdma xas
The object g mis- note il . nqnir, the Edmund
written and published YOU wAsmN 'es feisa
10 this note Mr.. Stcdman Immediately made the follow
ing rory, and Nj Adams was the bearer Of the 70
Mr. bartlett-= HlW a 3A
a., " loS East fGyEIsns1a STREE, OCT - lsSs
Ssnds me 81 M
ierred 70 il letter and the author Of called Tho
Diamond Wedding published in ESSrSS !E sSSSxAs
To Mr.. stcdman's reply Mr. Bartlett rejoned as fol-
lows Ha .s. ~ .fs4ss-
q. q,
80 VEST sdtRrERsTH STREET, Tuesday, Y. N.
sE-sy your note Of This date reply 70 mine handed you
eAed The Diamond wedding published yesterdays
haSe to say that the "Poem' Gas you term III referred
aPGR Of my family
viii haa III ss ~ sea a Of ssss
these whom yen DO rot know, and ncenous in vulgar de-
Myself and family whom you have thus nsulied have
nrndeS themselves upon your notice and sncn conduct TO-
sna adeaa q Ss1s can only be Tor BY
i remains % be whether You disposed to make
Ny y. Adams Is fully authorized to act for me
- ''' WAsrIE A. BARTLETT.
Mr. EpxrsD G. srEDMAv. log East Fourteenth street.
Accompanying this letter tho following cxtraord
l. Edmund q s,edmsn Of New York, having admitted 70
ashps0n Bartlett r., ESD per my note Of October sh
isl letter and me author poem called The Diamond
pSyy s s o
pos and n asIis a sses ns s h
oSco and bis 70 be an entire Of The facts Of
ties whom DO not know personally and who have any
hsres91e r make ,hs public Iesanson q said and
lies for all illusions 70 them, and TO the public for having writ
ten and published said poem.
At this stage OF the correspondence, my connection
with the affair commenced was sent for on Thursday
evening, October 20, by Mr. stedman, who showed me
the above correspondence and requested to act
his friend After reading the letters, told him there
was but one construction TO he placed upon the natter
and hat in my opinion, Mr. Baretts letter direct
an invitation as was ever written, either TO sign the apo
Iogy he sent TO fight duel Although was opposed
TO the duello had hesitation to act since was sa
tsod that man who could ask another to sacrifice his
self respect far TO sign the absLrd and degrading
apology he had sent could not himself possess self respect
enough to stand to challenge. Furthermore, supposed
Mr.. Bartlett possessed common enough to know
that 10 provoke duel on trivial matter, in
munty where duelling held IN adherence, would be
to subject himself to amount Of rdicule and contempt
he would be unwilling to incur Further, that since there
was nothing in tho poem deserving tie censure Mr..
Bartlett had gwen It, there war Of course, nothing apo
logze for and that in my opinion the proper
reply this effect denying the charges Of Mr. Bartlett
and refusing any apology.
Mr. sTEDNAS concurred in this view Of the matter and
wrote the following reply which his friend delivered
10 Mr.. Adams Friday morning ss.s
No. los EAST FOURTEENTH STREET, Oct. ~.
SRI have his afternoon received, through Mr. ADAMS
document dram up BY yourself FOR my SIGNATURE
charges contained in the former your expectation that
any man under any could ax his name to
y au ordinary case the ecsp9p Of such letter would pre-;
Of your isversi aiieg aiions ma ~
Instead of eeps gross bel upon you your family,
reputable Journal showing The humorous side Of events
which have been both town and newspaper talk for entire
e iacts therein set forth are taken directly from the public
sasTe % sssn e. friends
s s ay hs s q ind
would deem icentious In vulgar description Nor has
with me % &c
Upon The marriage lately ceisbrned ID your family that tey
feel az did almost personally acquainted with every member
II this reply is severe, you have only censure yourself
cr addressing me In manner uafng the occasion or its
Were in the wrong you have placed of my power
could have retraed what seems 70 me- and to others ha
moous no upcaed Tor criticism on one of The principal pub
My friend Mr. A. c. Hills authorized to act for me- and
EDMUND G. sTEDMAN.
wAsHscroN A BARTLETT ESQ., 80 West Fourteenth street,
On Friday evening Mr.. Adams called on me with n
verbal statement that he had Mr. Bartlett and that
Mr. Bartlett contemplating legal proceedings that
he (Adams told him (bartlett that if such his in
ten.ons he must wash his hands Of the matter and have
70 do with it. Furthermore, that Mr.. Bartlett
claimed that Mr. Stednan not his equal socially
and on this ground he could not consent to meet him.
10 this replied that to commence legal proceedings
after having virtually challenged Mr.. Stedman
extraordinary and dshonorabe of conduct and
could be regarded in no other light than subterugc TO
shield him from the consequences Of his acts Fur
thermore, that Mr. Sedmans social position could not
suffer by comparison with Mr. Bartletss since Mr. Sted
mans family now moved in tho best circles Of Florence
his father having been Charge dAfnires in Sardinia,
der President Taylor, since which time he has resided in
Italy, ard that Mr. Sedman is gentleman of education and
refinement and numbers among his relatives and friends
of the best families in New York; that Captain
lett had himself recognize Mr. Stedman's equality by
commencing such correspondence; and that now TO
plead social superiority could only be considered as pre-
text TO avoid meeting.
Mr.. Adams stated that Mr. Bartlett had requested him to
wait until three O'Clock on Saturday afternoon for his do
cision, whether he would resort TO legal other mea
sures that he would let know the resal on Satur
day evening. Accordingly, on Saturday evening Mr..
Adams called and informed me that Mr. Bartlett had de-
cidcd to prosecute for libel, and that he (Adams) had
told him he could have nothing to do with the matter.
Mr. Adams also gave me note from Mr.. Bartlett TO Mr..
Stedman which, upon pernsa found to contain threat
of legal prosecution, coupled with what regarded
gross personal insult to my frenl therefore declined
deliver the letter to Mr. Stedman, and returned 1t to
Mr. Bartlett with anote, in which told him that as
not Mr. Stedmans legal adviser and could not be the
bearer Of personal insult to him, declined to do
liver the note and that since Mr. Adams informed me he
longer acting his friend In the matter far
a hostile meeting concerned, had other way of
Informing him OF my determination than to address him
personally
To this note received in reply from Mr.. Bartlett,
In which he denied having invited Mr. Stedman TO hos
tile meeting, and closed as foows"I stand my rights
ard the law"
These the simple facts OF the case, and the whole
affair may be summed up c.lows:-Mr Bartlett chal-
epges Mr. Stndman unless he sgns degrading apology;
and Mr. Stedman refuses to apologize, backs
out Of his challenge, and commences legal proceedings,
under plea that Mr. Sedman is not his social equals
petext false it is Iishonorablc-one which, If