The Irish standard., 1909-10-16


Editor the Sun Sir: In the Sun
day Sun of August 20 IN. w. H."
gives a review of Mr.. Thursfield's es-
say on Paul jones'
IN. w. H." tells us: Mr.. Thurs
fields narrative is llIgely based on
what is accounted the standard Amer
lean biography of Paul Jones by Mr..
A. c. Buell."
Buelrs biography of Jones appeared
in 1900, and here is what Mrs. Regin-
aid De Koven said about Buelrs book,
in the Sunday issue of the New York
Times of June 10, 1906: THE book
(Buells Life of Jones) is based upon
a bare framework of truth and deals
in proper sequence with the chief ev-
ents of Jones' career; but it is padded
with inventions of clever construction
and of unparalleled audacity. 1t con-
tains reports of imaginary commit
tees in Congress- invented letters from
Washington, Franklin and Hewes,
false letters and extracts from imag-
mary journals of Jones himself, false
entries from the diaries of we'll known
persons-such as Gouverneur Morris
and the Duchesse dOrleans-and quo
tations from others which existed only
in Colonel Buells imagination. The
photography which the author of this
astonishing work supplies at the end
of his second volume is a masterpiece
of invention, and Is SO short sighted in
its careless untruthfulness as to raise
suspicion as to the authors mental
responsibility"
The above is but little OF what
Mrs. Reginald De Koven said in the
issue of the New York Times above
mentioned. 1 have never seen where
anyone has tried to show that Mrs.
De Koven has criticised Mr.. Buell. UNI
justly.
In view of the fact that she shows
"Buelrs Life of Jones" to be for
gerry, especially in those imaginary
documents to the imaginary commit
tees of Congress, and as "Thursf1elds
narrative Is largely based on what is
accounted the standard American bio
graphy of Paul Jones by Mr.. A. G.
Buell." what are we to think of Mr..
Thurs1eld's narrative?
If Mr.. Thursfield called his book q
novel, no one could find fault; but to
call 1t history, by repeating the fabr:-
cations Of Buell., is surely showing the
writer's of fiction how to become great
historians" by simply calling theif
novels history"
The question: What object had M.
Buell. in view when he perpetrated
such a crime against the foundation
facts of our glorious navy? He must
have had some object in view when
he manufactured such elaborate docu-
ments to imaginary committees" On
the strength Of those documents MI.
Buell. claims, our navy has been
founded. We have the secret of this
fictitious writer revealed when he calls
Paul Jones the Founder Of Our
Navy" and the only claim to this title
is the fictitious instructions to the
Naval Committee" manufactured Y.y
Mr.. Buell. in 1900. and attributed to
Paul Jones, who was dead more than
one hundred years.
The SUMS we'll known veracity, It's
love of truth at all times, will ito
doubt be enlisted at this time to reveal
to the American public the astounding
fraud of Mr.. Buell's Life of Paul
JONES'"
I would venture to say that this
fraudulent Life Of Paul Jones" by Mr.
Buell. is at present in the hands of on,
young naval officers at Annapolis and
thus the fraud is perpetuated. 1 know
that 1t was in our public libraries
here in Brooklyn, and perhaps it is
still in them for the enlightenment
of the public.
If Mr.. Buell. is unfairly criticised, lei
his critics be silenced by facts; bu
If his standard American biograpn,
of Paul Jones by Mr.. Buell' is pad
ded with inventions of clever con.
struction and unparalleled audacity.'
how can this fraud be branded and
driven to where 1t belongs except b,
I. means of the intelligent press of tn,
nation?
! There are some organizations who's
attention is being called to this mat
ter, but it is my belief that the Sun
on account Of bolstering up Thurs
fields falsehoods can do more !,
. having this outrage on history cor
! rected than any other paper can do
J., BRO. DAVID.