The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-17

Chevalier Rorney and that e5OsOOO.
We publish to-day . very spicy letter from
the Chevalier Wikof, apropos to his relations
with the Chevalier Forney. It appears, from
the note of the very distinguished diplomat
first mentioned, that he and the Chevalier For.
ney have been for many years brothers In
arms, but that latterly, for some unknown
cause, Forney has displayed the basest ingrati-
tude towards Wikof, and evinces very strong
disposition to eat him up. Forney's latest sug-
gestion relative to Wikoff is that he has been
paid by the administration large salary for
doing nothing, and that the Covode Inves-
Hgating Committee ought to overhaul the
Chevalier, and ascertain all about the facts in
the case. Wikoff replies that the Committee
will not get anything out of him, although he
knows a great deal about matters and things in
general and Forney in particular. But the
Chevalier Wikoff has an eye to business; he is
going to print book, and has no intention of
giving Mr.. John Covode or his committee any
of the rich bits which he has sailed down for
his own use.
The Wikoff correspondence, although not
over and above definite opens some new views
as to the wonderful discoveries which have been
made by the Covode Committee. This inquisi-
ton was started by Forneyin order to injure, if
possible, the character Of the President. 1t
has been going on during fortnight or more,
and the only piece Of information obtained SO
far is, that during the Presidential canvass OF
1856 the sum of seventy thousand dollars was
entrusted to Forney, to be used in bringing the
people of Pennsylvania to realizing sense OF
the great principles of the democratic party.
OF this sum, thirty thousand were subscribed
by the merchants and bankers Of New York,
twenty thousand came from Boston, and twenty
thousand from Philadelphia. According to the
evidence of Mr.. George Pitt it appears that all
this money was paid over to the Chevalier For
ney, who has never yet accounted fer single
cent of it. The money has gone somewhere,
but there are no vouchers to show for it. The
question is, then, what has the Chevalier Forney
done with that seventy thousand dollars?
We do not suppose that any one will believe
for moment that the Chevalier Forney used it
all, or any considerable portion of it, to corrupt
the free and Independent electors of Pennsyl-
vania or to subsidize the immaculate press of
that State. We believe that the Chevalier For
escapade must have given 1t pretty severe
shaking up, but even politicians have little of
the still small voice. They are so tender in
their suscepibilities that they very rarely ap-
ply funds raised as brides forvoters to any such
wicked purposes. The money is generally CIV
en- away to missionary societies, or kept care.
fully out of the canvass, and snugly in the
breeches pockets of the distinguished gentle
men who are expected to disburse it.
Presuming that the Chevalier Forney is not
an exception to the rule of his class, we may
proceed to draw differences from existing facts
as to his disposition of the funds entrusted to
him. It is very well known that after the cam
paign of 1856, the Chevalier Forney's am
| bition was to obtain seat in the Cabinet. He
opened correspondence with the Cheva-
lier Wikoff, with q view Of inducing
the latter to use his influence with the New
YORK HERALD, so that that journal might urge
Forney's claims to the place of Postmaster
General. The correspondence was quite
lengthy, and is, of course, rather spicy. The
upshot was that Forney's designs were accom-
| plished, 80 far as the HERALD was concerned,
but Mr.. Buchanan. even then, left poor Forney
| out in the cold. Mr.. Buchanan was proof even
to the influences of Bennett and the HERALD
The venerable statesman at the head of the
government was sound as q rock on this ques-
tlon, and would not have Forney at any price,
| The HERALD was magnanimous; Mr.. Buchanan
| just. He knew Forney well. His further ope-
| rations, including his bolt from the democratic
/ party, are fresh in the public mind. Now, to
put the matter logically, Forney has had three
! special objects in view-one as to the HERALD
and the place in the Cabinet; next, the estab-
lishment of his Press, and, finally, the destruc-
ton of the democratic party in the Central
States. It is not impossible that he might have
| used some of the seventy thousand dollars to
| further his projects. How much did he give
| the Chevalier Wikoff for his influence with the
HERALD? Did he, like the administration, pay
Wikoff "heavy salary for doing nothing?"
The HERALD recommended him out of pure
good nature; but as there is no such thing as
disinterestedness among such men as Forney,
he might have paid, or promised to pay, some
immense sum for Benefits good word. Let
us know all about it.
Next we find Forney establishing a daily
newspaper in Philadelphia, on an extravagant
scale, and organizing bolts from the admins
tration platform in New York and Philadel-
phia. The Press has sunk good deal of
money, and there have been lavish expendi-
lures by the Forney clique on other accounts.
Altogether the Chevalier must have had a
rather good time of it, with round sum of
money at his disposal, and no one to call him
to account for the manner in which it was dis
bursed.
1t seems very probable, from all the facts,
that the money raised in 1856 from opulent