New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-31
lCouunnrstedt ,,.,,,
WgD yROTE "ROCKNE 70 SLBEP' AoIHS"'


To- tho vcor 1904, the Rev. Jedidiah Morse,
N D. OF Boston. charged Win N"''NS P'''l 'i
tD celebrated New England authoreSs h'r p"' u'"'9
ms, in their savage assault, and succeodcu
IN nearly destroying the good mans hamo "uu PVPy
1910 ,or..tc,l with singular pertnaoity III P"ylHB
or the pnhlic sympathies which were easily won "'
woman even rs against clergyman, un'h '.no 49,
had FOR a careful iuquston, when, not ony wa
charge completely disprOyod. but thoIo wac -
- tho astonishing fact that she lad herse IaAeh run
"'t -, ., IN. amount OF one-third OF tho vol
o.ho claimed for her own; whether legitimatey' I'M
der tho rs and Practice Of historical composition
not we do not assume to say Iherou!on' "O"'
became silent as 10 tie issue With IT Morse
case similar in many Of its features Is now OeIo!0
49,, ,i;. mind IN winch Mrs +. C. ARers Allen, OF NH
n,a disputes with Mr. A. NJ. W. Bah OF New-JerSey 'no
antbor.bip OF popular poem. Ard while IL womb DC az"
urd TO nsinuato the man in this ISSUE must DC s
because the lady was sonccd IN tho other IL Wouo DC
onav unclndid to lean toward the ladys claim because
she confronts man. -, ,.,.
I,tbe matter could be dwared 70 mere strife FOR the
d,s b,,ors or even 10 question Of veraeity between
individuals we should say, lot them ana thelr HeI"
settle it in private, rs best they may b"' '
poem his been adopted as one OF the cohnoN noS''o
treasures Il has won way TO multitude OF he"rS,
and Tim. commands general interest in the history oi
IT'S making Tie literary public are, for their OWL s"Ae'
beholden TO just settlement Of the claim
fraud which nurebukcd, may lead to endless imita-
,ops Aeorzng the sense Of justice The confidence oil
fine Old at u criticism into cOnfusion must De eauu'uy
scrrtr,z.l and an the name OF common sense verdict
given in the only wayin which such things can DC aV'uF
Gated and stamped out A New-Jersey legislator Is
GOOD target for q fling, and the frailiy OF woman
susRes an apt shakcSearean quotation; nut Jokes ana
iuucc rarely strike hands Wit may enVch DEBATE uV
se must cast the issue. Any adro thief may turn the
iole on YOU before gaping crowd but You are master
Of tho situation WHOM it to tho evidence, before
twelve men sworn and trusty.
Aside from graver motives the curiosity Of the general
reader will be amply repaid by consideration OF s
e a. phenomenon of literature. The history OF it is
extraordinary. - -, ~. s.orzos ,yos "a.
serted IN June 1865 when she said IN puDhsheu etlc
81 certainly wrote the song IN question ana sent II o
italy in May. 1862 TO The ihIadeph'd SGtHGGy htSy
posi.v and again (which wrote ana publshc1 i've
wears ago" subsequently she included this poem IN her
Volume of writings published In 1876 ny 1cAn0I "
on the part Of Mr. Ball. It asserted that he had as
early as 1897. written poem of fifteen stanzastheSe
same six with sght discrepancies lncluiedMl.n VIII
his friends had been long familiar hr9ggh p N1ic %
forfeced In 1851 while lie on his way 10 CaIoria
mr % a. Morse Of Cherry Valley and Endorsed by Mr.
Luther r. Marsh Of NoTNork Soarge Circle OF i.ehus
guage Of The latter IN spite q his chiyalre fotbeaT,
snce toward his chief contestant Mr. Ban was driven 70
manlng couded with the suspicion OF having puI 5orh
unfounded pIeenSlons rms VmaG t Eind No
sane man win Imagine that these gentlemen VINO pro
duced Il would recklesy peril Their soea standing as
men OF honor, ability. and Literary 9tlanMsns, IN tGo
atuitous defense OF cause IN which they had no con-
Adence or I'm cheating the pablo with sham evidence.
The simplicity aud dignity OF this defense were worthy
Of all praise 1t was largely commence 5y yo PIE an
debates: and with the strong array OF evidence must
have esd %s fe brs %s " attacks witch followed
chvarc champions who had not an excuse IN I1c Po,
Ocation of single harsh or ungenuemany WorG Sor
cerning these champions and their Vagafes' We nave
so Sot with the bunderngs of these
Mrs Akels mow Mrs Allen enters the arena ID poi'O
through the following letter;
RICHMOND, Va Aug. - 1857:
have waited a long time before addressing you hop
ing that yorr conscience might loIes o Yd , So n
appear 10 appreciate my forbearance, Sothng remains
tbe inter falsty Of the claim which you have made 10
the poem Rock to Sleep substantially as appears
DO 80 well aware as yOu and myself You know That Is
yours that you never saw tu1ti you saw IL "a pnI;
and both know that your sn " ths hins was MOI
employing tie sham chivalTic sugarcoating which yon
offer me in your pamphlet nave no OcG,. ly ''OUs
radng before the world your sOcaed original draft OF
planned aud cooy executed piece Of viany serious
crime, surely for the gain which you hoped thereby 10
achieve But win do you the possible justice 70 cay
that perhaps you have not been fully aware Of the
gravity OF your cfesc against me- and the harm which
The theft Of literary production Is the most mschey
OF all theits Any other loss OF properly or belonging
may be suffered without corresponding loss Of credit
ciot'1DC or AN Ingenious invention of his without cast
ing any shadow on his epuatiOnthel loser has only The
loss Of his property bear But II one steal his published
novel VI poem the victim not only loses his own bat
thereby actually accused OF theft and fasehoOd himself
although be remains quite passive III the affair for with
the great pubic the silent party always the wrong
Here then is one phase OF The wrong you have done
your influence reaches and convnces FAR as
your published pamphet Is read ana believed, stand
the most Illuminating and neXcusable FORM since the
crime is not crime of necessity nor OF provocatlon but
Of the weakest and most prade vanity and there an
other phase OF the wrong 10 has been said by FOR
that you have habitualy published poems, part
y because Of your mOdesty and partly because have
been favored by fortune 70 have been obliged
70 write for money IKE professional poet The CUES
being abstract idea, Of which, il atterly seems differ
e.. IeoPle nave GOSS @ .ne 9lesII3h
Happy he whose worldly circumstances allow him 10
keep his talent laid up in napkin TO be goated over
in admit, however that have been less for
tunate than YOURSELF that has been necessary FOR
to place q money value on nv literary labor and TO
receive pay therefor DO YOU see then, THAI In
addition 10 this gross SANDER my private character
this accusation Of dishonesty and fasehood you have
done the serious injury OF damaging. not ruiniug
my Of subsstencei For what editor publisher
convinced by yOur pamphlet would thereafter purchase
ny work Would every one OF course utterly refuse
20 accept pay for articles which he believed might
turn out tO De not only old, but stOenl
have this suggestion 20 make TO you IL is that yOu
promptly make u such apology and reparatiOn as
st lie your power II il, OF course late expect
yOu to do s from any Of justice toward me for
had ay feeling 81 this kind been possible 20 you, ths
pailph e oaldneye been written. But matters
sand u VIII Ne your best course IN merely selfish
view your present ambiguous silence II not going
lie end Of the Here Is your pamphlet
tered broadcast the land, boldly claiming my liter
AIRY property your own and denounclng me as al i'm
poster aud aSsaler Of character Here newspaper
articles written procured by your friends or yourself
accusing me TOdndly Of fasehOOd ana theft In INTENT
utterly destroying my good name, both literary and per.
sOna Do won not see that this Is what the books call
SANDER aud a. such, clearly aeonabe IN any court IN
Here too is only evidence, but positive proof, that
you have, before THIS instance, appropriated literary
property which yours and that you have lately
been ted having done. These facts stub
bOru and. taken with others which Will not now emu
merate make plain and strong case against You. You