University of Virginia Library

FENIMORE COOPER'S LIBELS ON
AMERICA AND AMERICANS.

Having heretofore promised our readers a review of these
books, we deem the present a favorable moment for the re-
demption of our pledge, in as much as MR. COOPER has recent-
ly immortalized himself by arguing his own cause in our Demur-
rer case at Utica, and we learn that Col. WEBB, the editor of
the Courier and Enquirer, is to be tried at the approaching Ot-
sego Circuit for two several libels on the "just and handsome
Mr. Effingham."

Our readers will bear in mind, that MR. COOPER commenced
his libel-suit against us for copying a paragraph from the
Courier and Enquirer, accusing him of sueing Col. Stone in
order to get up an excitement about his Naval History; after
which we remarked that "Vain, weak, self-inflated, silly and
preposterous as his conduct has been, we do not believe him
capable of such baseness."

Now, our present object, is not only to make a critical analy-
sis of the two books before us and to demonstrate that they are
the most abusive works ever published in relation to the United
States; but at the same time to prove from their pages, that we
were fully warranted in the use of stronger language in regard to
MR. COOPER than any in which we have indulged. We
hold it to be a matter of great importance, that the public
should thoroughly understand the nature of the controversy
now pending between MR. COOPER and those whom he calls
his libellers; not that we deem it of great public importance
whether Col. WEBB, Col. STONE, THURLOW WEED and
ourselves, should be successful or unsucessful so far we are
concerned, but because MR. COOPER'S success or failure
in his vexatious libel suits, is to determine the all-important
question, whether, hereafter, the Press of our country is to be
prosecuted and punished, if it dare to vindicate our people and
our institutions from the base and interested slander of fo-
reign book-manufacturers, or from the still more despicable
assault of one of our own citizens.

The first great point is clearly to understand the author's
object in these publications; and, this being ascertained, we
have only to quote from the works, to exhibit in their true co-
lors, the character of the slanders heaped upon our country
and every class of society of which it is composed. In the
preface to Homeward Bound, dated April 1838, (the work
offered in London and Paris in June,) the author says, "It
was commenced with a sole view to exhibit THE PRESENT
STATE OF SOCIETY in the United States, through the agency
in part of a set of characters with different peculiarities, who
had freshly arrived from Europe, and to whom the distinctive
features of the country would be apt to present themselves
with greater force, than to those who had never lived beyond
the influence of the things portrayed."

The persons referred to, as "freshly arrived from Europe,"
are Mr. EDWARD and JOHN EFFINGHAM, EVE the daughter
of EDWARD, and Mr. PAUL POWIS, alias EFFINGHAM, he
proving in the sequel to be the son of Mr. JOHN EFFINGHAM.
Now, in reviews of this work it has been charged that in
Mr. EDWARD EFFINGHAM, Mr. COOPER had delineated a
character intended for himself, and that his leading object, in
addition to making money out of the publication, was to give
himself and family a fictitious importance in Europe—a harm-
less vanity, with which no one would ever have interfered if
he had not, at the same time, traduced every thing American,
and grossly slandered each and every class and portion of our
people, whose manners and customs he attempted to de-
lineate.

After the distinct avowal to the world—for the work was-
published simultaneously in London, Paris and Philadelphia,
—that his "sole view" was "to exhibit the present state of
society in the United States," the reader of course is bound
to presume that in describing classes Mr. COOPER selected
from each an individual, one who should be deemed a fair spe-
cimen of the whole body. Thus, when he brought forward a
lawyer, his object being to give to Europeans a comprehen-
sive view of the profession of the Law in the United States, it is
to be presumed that the character delineated is a fair sample of
the profession—one, by whose sentiments, manners, and con-
duct the whole profession is to be estimated. And so with
the editor, mechanic, or any other class. Mr. COOPER, ar-
guing correctly upon this point, adopted this course; and
accordingly, in order to give Europeans a just idea of "the
present state of society in the United States," he introduces
into his work the family of EFFINGHAMS alias COOPERS, just
returned from Europe; an Editor by the name of STEADFAST
DODGE; a Lawyer, whom he denominates ARISTABULUS
BRAGG; two private gentlemen, Mr HOWELL and Mr. WEN-
HAM; all the literati of New-York, and a packet captain,
TRUCK.

These, with the exception of several females casually
introduced, are the personages in whose conduct and conver-
sation the people of Europe are assured by Mr. COOPER, on
his veracity as a gentleman and his character as an author,
that they will find a faithful picture of "the present state of
society in the United States."

In the first place let us prove the identity of Mr. COOPER
and Mr. EFFINGHAM, and then see what account he gives of
himself and family, and, in that, discern the real object of his
works.

In Mr. Cooper's early work, entitled the Pioneers, he de-
scribed the region in and about Cooperstown, where he was
born and which was first setttled by his father, who was an
honest hard-working wheelwright from New Jersey: a man
who boasted of his humble origin; and who, in after life,
when by his enterprise and integrity he had become a large
landed proprietor, and colonized a portion of the wilderness,
was in the habit of proclaiming to his guests that the vehicle
which brought him and his family into the wilds of Otsego,
was the work of his own hands. He knew no pride but that
of developing the resources of his infant colony; and the com-
panion of his bosom was equally humble and unassuming.—
The daughter of an honest huckster woman in the Philadel-
phia market, she never in the hour of prosperity, forgot her
orgin; but used frequently to make her boast, that many and
many was the time that she was compelled to send our author
to bed by "early candle light," in order that she might wash
and dry his only suit of clothes! In the work referred to, in
which the early days of Cooperstown and the COOPERS are
described, the place is called Templeton and the Cooper
family denominated Temple; and in the work before us, the
Effinghams are described as the descendants of the settler
of Cooperstown, which is still called Templeton. The grea-
ter part of the scene of the last two volumes is laid in Tem-
pleton or Cooperstown and on Lake Otsego, the name of
which he retains throughout, in order that there may not be
any mistake with regard to the place and the persons intended
to be delineated. But to make "assurance doubly sure," the
author brings into the work the whole story of his grievances
in relation to "the three mile Point," with which the public
are familiar as a controversy between JAMES FENIMORE
COOPER and the good people of the village of Cooperstown!
Mr. Cooper's Card in regard to this matter is before the
public—so also, is the history of his libel suit against several
editors for having dared to comment on the Point controversy.
Now, with these facts before the public, let the reader note
the following extracts from page 228, 229-30, '31, vol. 1, of
Home as Found: *

"By the way, Miss Effingham," he said, "I suppose you
flatter yourself with being the heiress of that desirable re-
treat?"

"It is very natural that, at some day, though I trust a very
distant one, I should succeed to that which belongs to my
dear father."

"Both natural and legal, my fair cousin; but you are yet to
learn that there is a power that threatens to rise up and dis-
pute your claim."

"What power—human power, at least—can dispute the
lawful claim of an owner to his property? That Point has
been ours ever since civilized man has dwelt among these
hills; who will presume to rob us of it?"

"You will be much surprised to discover that there is such
a power, and that there is actually a disposition to exercise it.
The public—the all-powerful, omnipotent, overruling, law-
making law-breaking public—has a passing caprice to possess
itself of your beloved point; and Ned Effingham must show
unusual energy or will get it."

"Are you serious, cousin Jack?"

"As serious as the magnitude of the subject can render a
responsible being, as Mr. Dodge would say."

Eve said no more, but she looked vexed, and remained al-
most silent until they landed, when she hastened to seek her
father, with a view to communicate what she had heard. Mr.
Effingham listened to his daughter, as he always did, with
tender interest; and when she had done, he kissed her glow-
ing cheek, bidding her not to believe that which she seemed
so seriously to dread, possible.

"But, cousin John would not trifle with me on such a sub-
ject, father," Eve continued; "he knows how much I prize
all those little heir-looms that are connected with the affec-
tions."

"We can inquire further into the affair, my child, if it be
your desire; ring for Pierre, if you please."

Pierre answered, and a message was sent to Mr. Bragg, re-
quiring his presence in the library.

Aristabulus appeared, by no means in the best humor, for
he disliked having been omitted in the late excursion on the
lake, fancying that he had a community-right to share in all
his neighbor's amusements, though he had sufficient self-com-
mand to concela his feelings.

"I wish to know, sir," Mr. Effingham commenced, with-
out introduction, "whether there can be any mistake concern-
ing the ownership of the Fishing Point on the west side of
the lake?"

"Certainly not, sir; it belongs to the public."

—

carricature of Miss Kemble taking porter and roast beef from
the steward of a packet-ship after an attack of sea-sickness.

Early in the summer the Effinghams (Coopers) leave
New-York for their "Hereditary Estates" in Otsego, and on
their embarking on the Hudson we find the following reflec-
tions:

The American spring is the least pleasant of its four sea-
sons, its character being truly that of "winter lingering in the
lap of May." Mr. Effingham, who the reader will probably
suspect, by this time, to be a descendant of a family of the
same name, that we have had occasion to introduce into
another work, had sent orders to have his country residence
prepared for the reception of our party.

They approach the Highlands.

"I must confess, Jack," said the mild, thoughtful Mr.
Effingham, "that these rocks strike my eyes as much less
imposing than formerly. The passage is fine, beyond ques-
tion, but it is hardly grand scenery."

The character of our countrymen in regard to a fondness for
change is thus described:

"A dozen years, Ned! You name an age. Speak of three
or four, if you wish to find any thing in America where you
left it! The whole country is in such a constant state of
mutation, that I can only liken it to that game of children, in
which as one quits his corner, another runs into it, and he
that finds no corner to get into, is the laughing-stock of the
others. Fancy tha dwelling the residence of one man from
childhood to old age; let him then quit it for a year or two,
and on his return he would find another in possession, who
would treat him as an impertinent intruder, because he had
been absent two years. An American 'always,' in the way
of usages, extends no further back than eighteen months. In
short every thing is condensed into the present moment; and
services, character, for evil as well as good unhappily, and all
other things, cease to have weight, except as they influence
the interests of the day."

Eve, the heroine, thus describes New-York:

"I expected to see a capital in New-York, Grace, and in
this I have been grievously disappointed. Instead of finding
the tastes, tone, conveniences, architecture, streets, churches,
shops, and society of a capital, I found a huge expansion of
common-place things, a commercial town, and the most
mixed and the least regulated society, that I had ever met
with.

On approaching Cooperstown the conversation turns upon
Mr. Cooper's house, which, having been the residence of his
father, had passed into other hands, some thirty years pre-
vious, through the medium of a sheriff's sale, but which, we
understand, a connection of Col. Webb's resold him on his
return to the country for mere cost and interest, and which he
has certainly improved with great taste and judgement, and
rendered superior to most, and inferior to but few residences in
Otsego.

"As my house came to me from my father," said Mr.
Effingham, across whose mild and handsome face a smile
was gradually stealing, "I knew its history, and when called
on for an explanation of its singularities, could refer all to
the composite order. But, you, Jack , have supplanted all
this, by a style of your own, for which I shall be compelled to
consult the authorities for explanations."

Now, was this written for the meridian of Coopers-
town where the history of the "Hereditary Estate" is well-
known, or was it not rather designed to impress his European
readers with an idea of his being a different person from his
countrymen—one nobly descended—whose forefathers were
knighted centuries ago —who resided on his "Hereditary
Estate" surrounded by a dependant peasantry, and sustaining
all the baronial customs and manners of a long line of noble
ancestors? We shall answer this question as we proceed. —
[Page 167, vol. 1.]

The progress of society in America, has been distinguished
by several peculiarities that do not so properly belong to the
more regular and methodical advances of civilization in other
parts of the world. On the one hand, the arts of life, like
Minerva, who was struck out of the intellectual being of her
father at a blow, have started full-grown into existance, as the
legitimate inheritance of the colonists, while, on the other,
every thing tends towards settling down into a medinm, as
regards quality, a consequence of the community character of
the institutions. Everything she had seen that day, had
struck Eve as partaking of this mixed nature, in which, while
nothing was vulgar, little even approached to that high standard [EOF]