The New York herald., 1862-03-03
The Chsvalier wikor and the Hiekm.l

from the Chevalier WikoR, In which he
gives us the details of his recent imbroglio
with the Judiciary Committee Of the House Of
Representatives. It will be found in another
column. This committee, it will be re-
membered, was instructed to investigate the
facts concerning the government censorship
of the press, and the Chevalier Wikoff was one
of the witnesses summoned by the committee,
and was imprisoned for refusing to answer
question put to him by the chairman, the
Hon. Mr. Hickman, of Pennsylvania. We
find this full, true and particular account
of the latest adventure of the erratic Cheva-
lier as racy lively and interesting as his former
diplomatic revelations or his description of his
courtship and its consequences. 1t contains,
however. not only food for mirth, but also for
reflection; for, ludicrous as the persecution and
imprisonment of the Chevalier my appear in
the narration, their obvious intent was too
meanly dishonorable to be allowed to pass
with only smile and without the severest cen.
sure.
AS far as he is himself concerned, the Cheva-
lier Wikoff evidently regards the affair as q
good joke, carried, perhaps, little too far.
With fippant ease he passes from Willard's to
the Capitol, and is equally at home on the floor
OF the House or in the dungeon beneath. Like
Mark Tapley, he is most jolly under difficulties,
and his nonchalance, sang troid and uniform
good humor demand and receive our sincere
admiration. Handouts or bracelets, rack or
a couch, q cell or boudoir, the society OF
or oil fn
Waller. His wit, his satire and his rhe-
toric are equally at the service Of the
Hickman committee and his guards dog
Jack. In the dirty confines of q cell-half
coal hole, half kennel-he coolly puffs his
segar, politely receives lady visiters, and calmly
notes down observations upon the American
and European methods Of female education.
Such man would fan himself in Iceland, wear
an overcoat in the Black Hole of Calcutta, be
in paradise at Fort Lafayette. and transform
the Eldridge street Jail into a palace He
ought to be Immediately dramatized by some
embryo Bourcicault. His invincible selfpos-
session outrivals any "London Assurance" His
cave scene surpasses that Of the Colleen
Bawn" He endures prosecutions with far
greater patience than poor "Uncle Tom or
the revised "Octoroon." He is more woird'
unique and interesting than the phantom"
We cannot extend our praises, however, to
the honorable gentlemen of the Hickman in
QUESTION. The Chevalier tells us that they are
eight in number, and that their appearance is
respectable. Their number, therefore, falls
short of that Of the Muses., and their personnel
is very much better than their proceedings.
Finding that the Chevalier was not connected
with the HERALD, and had sent us no kilograms
about the Presidents Message, the committee
dropped the subject of the investigation en-
tirely, and proceeded to lombard the witness
with inquiries about the private, social and
family affairs of the White House. The Cheva-
lier lodged these queries with the tact he
had imbibed from his diplomatic nurse, Lord
Palmerston, and with the agility of rebel
soldier during the attack upon Fort Henry. AT
last, a gentleman who happened to be upon the
committee as Lot was at Sodom, protested
against this prying into private affairs; but he
was incontnently snhbbed by the inquisitive
Hickman. and subsidized Then the committee
agreed upon test question, which Hickman
imagined would be the key to the knowledge Of
the good and evil Of the White House. The
name of the Chevaliers informant about the
Message was demanded. The Chevalier fell
back upon his chair and his honor, and refused
to answer. Hickman and his fellows exchanged
wise looks and knowing glances. All! There
was secret, then! They had thought so all the
rVl ho
they were about to hear. The Chevalicr's per-
sistent silence added confirmation strong as
Holy Writ to their acute suspicious. They
threatened him with the consequences Of his re-
ticence, gave him forty eight hours for reflection,
and adjourned in high glce.
Few men are capable of forty-cight hours
continuous reflection. The Chevalier Wikoif is
more observant than philosophical, and is not
among the rejecting few. Consequently, in the
time allotted to him, he only succeeded in insti-
tuting a doubtful historical parallel between
the Chambermaid Committee and the Star
Chamber. His great sagacity and clear eye
glasses enabled him TO discover, however, that
the committee expected a startling revelation
from him. Alas! he had no such revelation to
make. What then 4? His imagination was
vivid, his invention marvellous, and the temp
tation strong. How difficult and unlovely
truth appears when a falsehood is obviously
expected, and will be more welcome, satisfac-
tory and desirable. To his credit be it said
that the Chevalier, not yet ready to tell the
truth refraincd from the lie which tho commit
tee openly invited and took the consequences
of silence. lie was forthwith conducted to tho
bar of the House, and vote instead of drink
was taken. With the celerity of bill on the
last night Of the session, the reticent Chevaler
was put through the usual forms, and found him
self in contempt and dungeon. There he as
sociated with rats, slept on an iron rack, and
endured his confinement as well as could be
expected of graduate of the Fortress of Ham
n Ill ~C -