The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-09
New York Letter.
Mr.. WhaIley and the Tichborne Claimant
Retirement of MIR. Stebbins and its
Cause-vain Tricks in SOciety-Dr. Aver

Mr.. WhaIley and the Tichborne Claimant
Retirement of MIR. Stebbins and its
Cause-vain Tricks in society-Dr. Aver
| the PecteraI King and the Tribune.
| NEW YORK, Aug 7th, 1878.
| Mr.. Whalley, M. P. has actually come over
here to raise money for the Tichborne claim.
ant. 1t would be difficult to conceive of a more
have cost this country no end Of money, but
it has generally been expended on our own
soil, and for the purpose of prosecution more
largely than defense. On what possible pre-
text this putatve impostor can find claim
to American sympathy passes all ordinary
comprehension. 1t is trial for perjury. The
prosecution has been sustained by a crowd OF
witnesses the proof being apparently exhaus-
tive and overwhelming, that he has deliber-
ately undertaken one of the most stupendous
frauds ever known in the annals of the world.
In furtherance of his nefarfous project, he
has wantonly assaulted private regulations in
a manner calculated to bring down upon him
the excavations of all decent people. His
gross impeachment of the chastity of Lady
Radcliffe, is an act of such ineffable baseness
that life in the galies would be an made
quate expiration of it.
The only mystery about this extraordinary
litigation, is that il has been suffered to weary
the patience of an English Court so long. 1t
will be remembered that in the civil action,
the jury brought the trial to an abrupt con-
clusion without waiting to hear the side of
the heir at law. But then that was not until
they had listened for twenty-seven days to the
opening speech of counsel, after spending
months in their seats hearing testimony in
support of the claim, most of which was
mercilessly rfddled and shaken to pieces by
cross examination.
For nearly three years this gigantic mount
ebank, huge of stature, coarse in appearance,
ignorant and boorish in the extreme, has oc-
cupied larger share of the attention of the
British public than the Prime Minister.
Throngs have gathered about the portals of
the court to get a glimpse of his entrances
and exits. He has been toted through the
provincial towns as show. Bonds have
been issued and sold to raise money for him.
He has been the most conspicuous, impu6ent
and persistent pauper in the realm.
Many people call him 'clever'' because he
has kept out of penal servitude so long, but
probably the real secret of all the fuss he has
occasioned lies in the fact that he is attack
ing family Of the privileged classes. The
common folks have got the idea that he rep
resents democracy in crusade against aris-
tocracy Somehow they do not stop to con-
slider that genuine democracy inlbues its dis
disciples with the sturdy independence which
prefers honest frugality to knavish luxury.
If this fellow were the real hei. of baronet-
cy, he would have no stronger hold upon the
hearts of the masses than any other scion of
his order. On the contrary, If he is merely
pretender, as the weight OF evidence clearly
goes to show, he degrades human nature de-
plorably, and helps TO controvert rather than
maintain the theory that honor and nobility
are the common heritage of all men and do
not take their root in an ilustrious ancestry,
and derive their nurture from gentle blood.
1t can hardly be apprehended that Mr..
Whaley will meet with any success in his
Quixotic mission, but it seems very proper
thing for tue journals of this country to give
him timely notice that such creature as his
bulky client, can find no favor in the great
Republic of the new world, and that our peo-
pie have no such antipathy to titled classes
as would lead them to abet their spoliation
by swindling.
The retirement of Hon. Henry G.. Stebbins
from the Presidency of the Department of
Parks occasions universal regret among the
class of citizens whose aim it has been to
elevate and purify our municipal service.
Mr.. Stebbns, perhaps more than any other
man holding Office, filled the measure of per-
feet fitness for the place he occupied. He is a
gentleman of graceful carriage. cultured mind,
refined tastes, and high toned integrity 1t
is pleasant thing to see person, with all
the means sand resources necessary to the
enjoyment of the recreations of life-with a
fine ear for music, and an appreciative eye
for art, devoting his time and talents with
assiduous industry TO works of public utility
Yet, with the exception of single term in
Congress- single long session, in fact, for
he resigned his seat because he took issue
with his Democratic constituents on the sav-
cry question, thereby proving himself wiser
and more far seeing than they-Mr. Stebbins
has held no other station than that of Park
Commissioner. The office carries with it
neither salary nor Ito an honest man, as he is J
perquisites. From the inception of the Cen
trail Park, saving during the comparatively
brief interval of the Ring supremacy, he has
been leading spirit in that great scheme for
promoting the health and increasing the at
fractions of the city, which has led to the
creation and characterization of those beautiful
resorts, where the rich and the poor alike can
breathe the pure air of heaven under grateful
shade trees, and amid gushing fountains.
That Mr.. Stebbins should have relinquished
position congenial to his tastes, and for
which he possessed the double qualifications
OF natural adaptabity and long experience,
has elected many expressions of SUNRISE
as well as .of disappointment The
simple truth is, he has not received that
cooperation and support from the Executive
department to which he was entitled
He is not man to brook unwarrantable
interference, and as soon as he found that
there was disposition to reduce his commits
sion to subordinate bureau of the personal
government, which has recently been project.
ed in and around the City Hall, with Have
! meyer for Caliph and Charlick for Vizier-