New-York tribune., 1891-05-01
MIR. WILFRID MURRAY.
AND THE ACTION FOR BREACH OF PROMISE
AGAINST MR.. WILLIAM HENRY HURLBERT.


will for the present prefer to call him. The
William Henry Hurlbert of the pre-Evclyn-Ells
davs il o more, but WllfTid Murray Is an iro-
nerishaJ, NJ creation and there those who think
Mr. Hurlbert may take much pride In one name
os in the other They seem, at times inter
cbaneeable or indistingushable. but then at othei
times Mr.. Wilfrid Murray has TO be discussed az
n separate individuality, either real or imaginary
So for convenience sake. will, in the course Of
this letter. refer to Mr.. Hurlbert as Mr.. Hurlbert.
II he should discover the other Mr.. WilfTid Muir
rav and produce him and prosecute him. and II
should turn out that he wrote the letters which
our fellowcountryman imputes TO him. we shall
air rejoice.
We are. of course interested in all that con-
Germs an American ex-American abroad
question was put to him on this point curing the
trial, and this dialogue took place
Are YOU an American citizen at this moment1
Always AS / had the honor to be born ~
American citizen, em one
And proud of your nationality
Never spoke disparagingE of the people OF th'
United States?
/ think not.
A cautious answer The eolloquy occurred dur
ing the cross-examinatioD, and sounds as IL
meant 10 lead up to something, but the some
thing never came. AS so often happened, Mr.
Candy, O. c., laid the foundation Tor an at'acK
which he failed to deliver Mr. HurlDert has
been fortunate in many things during the trla
of this cause in none more than IN the counsel
oppo.ed to him. The question Of Mr.. Hurl0erts
nationality has, of course, been raised in other
ways The papers have raised It, They have
taken good care that the British public should
understand that the defendant is an American Dy
birth, and not an Englishman. The Iournah
which like us the least, which are on all oc
casons the most ready to discredit America, ar
thoee which insist most strongly on the .Ameri
can origin of Mr. Hurlbert. Some Of these pas
sages seem to indicate an acquaintance wiCh the
American part of this gentleman's career. VIII
quote one or two Indeed. should be glad II
this letter could consist entirely of quotations
did not the etquete OF journalism forbid oay'
one of the leading journals of London;
I'VE have it on the authority Of the Attorney
General that breath of suspicion has never tain'en
his fair fame Such declaration. coming from
such a quarter, covers, of course, the defehdanbs
American as we'll as his English career. His rel
low-ctizens on the other side Of the Atlantic
knowing tie purity OF his life and manners w'u
rejoice in the result Of this trial.
The irony of this is perhaps too delicate for
the British reader but you will be in no doubt
as to what is meant The Attorney-GeneraFs
mower of belief is known 10 De great IL is
matter Of comment in the profession SO 1t Is
elsewhere since the Parell Commission. IL Is
remembered that the AttOrney-General told his
political friends they could go to sleep in peace,
for he should prove the Parnell letters up to the
hilt. And now he is cruelty reminded-so is
the journal for which he then appeared-that ne
has had 70 give up Pigott and that his confidence
laee thaD lie
Hurlbert The writer proceeds:
THE wire that carries the report of the verdics
might, by O suitable adjustment of the apparatus,
bring back their sigh Of relief at the news The
wire does not always do it's duty
It did not in this case. II any opinion has been
formed or expressed in America about MIR. Hurl
bert and his verdict, il has not been transmitted
to this side OF the Atlantic. We do not know
whether you ire anxious TO claim Mr.. Wllfrld
Murray Hurlbe:s1 as an American, or would like
him TO pass in this country as q type of the
American of whom other Americans are proud.
So Of Mr.. William Henry Murray. Arc you proud
of him? But questions may become too numerous.
Mr. Hurlbert's Americanism has, / suppose.
been questioned on the ground that he has shown
an imperfect sympathy with American ideas. Most
Americans. for example. are Republicans. Mr..
Hurlbert not very good Republican in the
to call him. in the too picturesque phraseology Of
the period Coppcrhead. lie is not a good Re-
publican here The Republican principle in
Europe finds in him not friend but an enemy.
He has written book about the French Republic,
full of bitter hOstiltieo to the Republic and to
French Republicans a leading journal of Paris
refers to it "with acerbty," ard leading journal
of London observes:
Mr. Hurlbert did indeed write about the Re.
public, as he wrote about Ireland, in manner
that some of us thought grossly unfair. II seemed
shocking to have these statements go forth to the
world as the Kings evidence of a Republican and
American
This does not seem to make due allowances fof
the eXisences of Mr.. Iiurlbert's position. He
may for aught know. cherish profound faith in
the Republican principle. Circumstances, however,
led him to become an agent of the Orleanist Pre-
tender. lie wrote his lampoon on the French Re.
public in that character, capacity. 1t does not
follow that he expressed his personal convictions,
if convictions he have. lie the paid facto-
tum of those princely conspirators, one Of whom
you lately received with many tokens of esteem in
the United States of America. 1t seems to have
been part of the bargain that he should write a
book against the French Republic. Whether that
be so or not, the book was published while he was
receiving wages from the Orleanists and expressed
their views if not Mr.. Hurlberts There may Ia
Americans who would shrink from taking French
gold in payment for services against the French
Republic Mr. IIurbert thinks scruples Of that
sort over nice.
In Paris, moreover, they seem less familiar with
Mr.. Hurlbert's American antecedents than soma
English writers are. One Of these says:
Mr.. Hurlbert, as an experienced journalist,
could no doubt cite many instances of men who
have been banned from all decent society on the
American side OF the Atlantic, but who have only
had to cross to this side to live In the odor OF
social sanctity Americans smile when they hear
of our attentions to these people.
Well, it is true that Mr.. Hurlbert has attained
TO certain social position in London society.