National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-27
WALT WHITMAN.
REMARKABLE DEFENSE oFHIs BOOK.

York Tribune of Thurdny, and Is remarkable
literary philippe against New England methods.
II also contains interesting matter that has not
before appeared in print lie says;
SIN: ! have Just learned the details Of an out.
rage so signal In It's character and so sinister in
its bearings rs to become, In my Judgment, a mat
tor Of the widest public concern The first edition
Of Walt Whitman's poem, Leaves OF Grass" was
issued In 1855, the work receiving then the cordial
and unqualified commentator of n number Of
leading minds, both in this country and Europe,
foremost among them Emerson. In afer yenrs,
from men less gifted, without. fame or weight as
critical authority, but controlling access to the
press, yirulent abuse followed, such as by fatal
law Of our form Of civilization, every work ofevery
kind whether literary or scientific appears
doomed to receive, II Of marked novelty or origi-
nality but the book continued It's issues, pub.
lished by its author,
CONSTANTLY AssAILgD
and passionately defended, and winning from
time to time at home and abroad, from scholars
and men Of letters Of the rank OF Thoreau, sum.
nor, John Burroughs, Rossetti, Clifford, of London
University Tynel, OF Dublin University; Ferdl.
nnnd Freiligrath. Ruskin, and others, euogies so
ample as to more than atone for the eeusures OF
the small, and to forecast the verdicts Of the
future. Finally, afler over twenty five years OF
combat dGrkened by frequent acts Of persecution,
and involving bitter suffering TO the author, the
CHhIuNleT VI ltIt DOOk leCclNcu tne
sion Of an offer Of publication from the house OF
osgood & Company, at Boston. In May last, year
ago, they opened negotiations with Walt Whit
man, and finally secured contract with him for
ten years, on his express stipulation that
THE BOOK SHOULD BE PUDlIsIED
without any excelsior. In November the new edl-
ton appeared. aud went into active circulation
for the three months following But on the LIST OF
March that line of the author of Leaves Of
(TQsS.' all the more OulluOug In it, significance
for its colorless simplicity of statement In which
lie records the never-ending andacily OF elected
persons received one Of its most Infamous Illus
tratons. On that date TING Boston state district
attorney, Mr.. Oliver stevens, addressed letter TO
statutes against obscene literature" and requiring
It's suppression under the alternative Of prosecu-
ton. This amazing demand appears to have been
subsequently modified into req uiremont for the
EXPuRGATroS or CERTAIN PASSAGES
from the volume rs the condition OF its continued
publication. OF course the author denied that bis
work, covered by the respect and honor Of the
best and purysi men and women Of the century,
was n contribution TO "Obseene literature" and
refused compliance with the insolcnt requirements
of the state district attorney. / have no terms
that can express the sorrow aud disgrace of what
followed. IL is all contained in three words: the
publishers quaiel, Last month, April, they
abandoned the publication, and the volume ceased
TO ISSUE Mr.. Oliver Stevens triumphed; and for
the first time, believe, in the history OF this
country, an honest book, the work of man Of
greut and admitted genius, has been suppressed
by nn officer of the law II II were not for unduly
trenching upon your space, would like to show
pronounued Obscene and demanded expurgated
The list furnished by this holy and intelligent
man is before me, and has twenty-five specihca-
tons
FOUR OF THE PASSAGES
specified relate to the poets democratic theory OF
hmm" ,,irysj IorSy.jIanticai viii, fhc f,m"i,s
der"rntpn of Noyalist6nt :" tho Iodvis The tenn uIe
Of the Holy Ghost and involve specially, in one
oreans If chaste love Another nas,age descrihes
he identifcation through sympst6y of ones self
with la,yisss or low dnlSn u.erspns aiTtb mas
sage under ban Is devoted To- thcmalestic anniln.
citation OF woman as the matiix of the genera;
tuns--the doctrine that her greatness Ii the mould
prescribed passage consists OF ten pictorial lines,
worthy of sEschy lus. III which the poe describes
the grand ehd tetriplc dRllianee Of TWO eagles
high alott III the bright air above river road.
seventh passage specially required 10 be expnnged
Is me poem hoply entltleu 10 u Common frOstl-
tute III say molly, because even the large sense
OF the composition is enlarged by us utle: The
piece Is simply indicative OF the attitude OF ideal
humanity III ms age toward even
THE LOWEST OR MOST DEGRADED,
and Is conceived throughout I'm the sublime snirit
| of our iimes whose theory nbandons no one nor
ANYTHING 10 loss or ruin recognizing emeliuration
as The law of laws, and good as the final destiny of
all. 1t is incredible that poem whose whole
staple on the iacc OF H. Is 10 assure the uniortu-
male Alesdaleh tnst not unlll nature excludes her
SINH shv W AZ , iVin yVSuSto uiiI II,
| sympathy ana 70 promise nef lhe redemption OF
tne superior diewl0se ehiire tnesis II plainly
|
| human asccnson-shouid appear 10 any mind as
| an expression Of obscenity. However, us Sweden.
s s 70 of tn pr e
,hn 800 o,I,1Ia3 q Wn,na' Waits ca Ne ~ 10
The defenso of this poem is TO carry with it dis.
| honor, i court That dishonor. Nothing that tho
splendid oratorlc music, has more the character
OF tanctus; nothing in modern literature is
decaralon Of The absolute condiioning power Of
| seN-h 1eclhrhtlun US Simply true nS suDnme-lhe
poet using nupuhllmagcry aBlhnihh ana Ezekiel,
'S "'' 'Ao pioP PuS ann, or,,,,r, -, ,orrs
| 40. ia uN -. Vi'ih.,lAL ruL
in an exalted affirmation OF the vital provocative
effects Of his book upon the het Is to
conviction of lofty mission-the CONSEQUENCES in
one form or another, Of every philosopher, every
apostle, every poet VINO mas worked MS lhOught
of eVeTS soMsT Of the sh sf Who Mo has
looked beyond me moulding hatteds OF the pres
ent 70 me next nses-ihe emlnehliy pure, the emil,
| nently enlighlehed, me superenhently judicial
Boston district attorney considers o6seenel The
| remaining fourteen passages marked by his con-
| domination heeu hnt discuss, as they are all IN.
clnded IN me iisI tutloh OF tue WORK lhdorsed by
| Emerson, ana III order tnnt II may be seen
WHAT EMERSON THOUGHT OF THRn,
| and also in what terms he welcomed the book,
hre leave 10 here repruduce The letter he SEM the
| author upon It's original appearnnce;
| CoScoRp. MASS. July 81. Is55
DrApsIu. am mai bInd 10 Ire ISorih n lin ,vo,
derful gt Of Leaves of Grass" find il the most
extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America
has ye! eon,ren,ed. i am very happy IN reading Il,
| i am always making OF what seemed the sterile and
stingy nature az il loo much handwork or TOO ni,ic
| lymph In the temperamentwere making our Western
wits fat and mean:
give yon Joy 81 your nee and brave thonght, !
nsa ~ Iraainent svhtc 50 da,igh,s ~ e eou
| i1rpe perceplon only can inspre $50 ""N "'''
j greet You at the beginning of great career
which yet must have had long foreground some
where for such start rubbed my eyes little "a