The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-12

MR.. DICKINSON ON THE W ISE-DONNE1LY LET
TER.--In another page we copy from the Rich
mond Enquirer very curious correspondence
between the Hon. d. S. Dickinson, of New
York. and Mr.. Thomas Fitnam Of Washington,
on the subject of the private letterfrom Cover
nor Wise to Bernard Dennelly. Mr.. Fitnam
writes to Mr.. Dickinson to the effect that he
had learned from friend that a common ru-
NOR prevailed in Richmond to the effect that
Mr.. Dickinson was ian enemy OF Governor
Wise, and had been denouncing him for his
Donnelly letter." Mr.. Fitnam did not believe
the story. but thought it due to Mr.. Dickinson
to give him an opportunity of contradicting it.
The Sage of Binghamton replies in a charac-
teristic letter, in which he piously drags in
"the Day of Judgment to his aid, and brands
the statement as an idle and malicious false
hood On the contrary, he is great admirer
of Governor Wise, and regards the publication
Of the Donnelly letter as ''an outrage though
he did not attach much Importance to it at the
time.
We are glad to see that Mr.. Dickinson has
right appreciation of the dishonorable act of
publishing the private and confidential letter
of Governor Wise, and that he calls things by
their true names when he designates it as an
outrage. TWAS an outrage and Confidence Cas-
sidy, who set copies of it afoat for the purpose
Of having them published, gets gratuitously the
full benefit of Mr.. Dickinsons opinion ofhis con-
duct. Entertaining such sentiments, is it not
strange that, instead of taking the opportunity
at the Syracuse Convention Of denouncing the
outrage, and wiping his skirts clean of the dirt
of the transaction which adhered to them, he
fraternized with the perpetrators of the out
rage, and thus became an accessory after the
fact if he was not before? He denies that he
denounced Governor Wise, but he does not
deny that he did not denounce Confidence Cas-
sidy. Hitherto Mr.. Dickinson has reaped the
advantages to himself of the outrage, and only
now calls it an outrage when he finds the
authors Of it have sold him as cheaply as they
sold Wise's letter. for thirty pieces of silver.
There is one point Mr.. Dickinson does not
clear up, and that is the name of the party
who sent him copy. The Richmond Enquirer
very properly remarks that he fails in his
duty to the public in keeping the name back.
Let him come out, even at the eleventh hour,
and tell the whole truth.
As to the publication, Mr.. Dickinson him
self is not altogether free from the faint of
suspicion. He says he sent the copy he
received to discreet friends So he published
the letter to them, trusting to their discretion
to publish it only to other discreet friends,
some one Of whom might think it matter en-
tirely within his discretion to publish it fully
in the newspapers.
But then Mr.. Dickinson " attached little con-
sequence" to the letter. It was of little conse-
quence to him, unless so far as it served to
lessen the chances of rival and increase his
own for the Presidency. But it was of very
great consequence to Governor Wise, for it was
made the instrument of his political assassina-
ton, by which he was stabbed in the back and
afterwards, when he was supposed to be dying,
and harmless from his mortal wound. was stab
bed again several times in the stomach by Con-
fidence Cassidy, in order to make assurance
doubly sure.
Mr.. Dickinson would have played more
honorable part if he had denounced the "out-
rage" of Cassidy and Company in the begin
ming, and refused to take any advantage of it
to build up his own interest for the Charleston
Convention. He ought to have sent to Mr..
Wise the copy of the letter enclosed to him by
the Regency clique. Will he do so even now?
1t is better that he should do so late than never
But if he will not he may find it very hard to
clear himself of completely in the Confidence
outrage, and that to an extent beyond what his
friends are willing to believe. But whatever
he may do or not do inthe future, he will learn
that it were far better for his political prospects
if he had kept entirely free from contact with
the lepers of the Regency.