some comments
of his own in regard to Cooper. "He was, as is known," said he in (p. 191)
his second notice, "pretty generally despised abroad. He is now
equally distinguished at home." The editor then went on to speak of the
act of meanness, as he termed it, which had excited the contempt of the
novelist's neighbors; and that the more precise account now furnished by
the "Otsego Republican" would rather increase than diminish the measure
of scorn that had been aroused. Much was Weed's surprise when, on the
18th of April, 1840, he received a letter from Cooper's counsel
requiring a retraction of what had been said in 1837, and a further
statement that it must be made within a certain time or a suit for libel
would be begun. He treated this notice cavalierly. He was amused by it
even more than he was astonished. As it had taken three years for Cooper
to bring the suit, he concluded that he would take three weeks at any
rate to reply to the demand for a retraction. A second letter from
Cooper's counsel, dated the 4th of May, met with the same neglect.
Accordingly on the 25th of that month he had the pleasure of announcing
that he had been sued for libel by "Mr. John Effingham."

The case after being put off once on a very frivolous pretext, came to
trial at the Montgomery circuit of the Supreme Court, held at Fonda, in
November, 1841. When it was called Weed was not present, nor was counsel
for him. Cooper consented to have the case go over for a day. It was
then called again. Nothing was seen of the defendant, nothing had been
heard from him. The case was accordingly sent to the jury with a speech
from the plaintiff's counsel. A verdict of four hundred dollars was
returned. Weed arrived at Fonda the evening of that day, and wrote
anonymously to the "New York Tribune" an account of what had taken (p. 192)
place. In some of its details it was more entertaining than accurate.
The reason he gave for his absence from the trial was that he had been
kept at home by severe illness in his family. But the result enabled him
to notice in this manner the sum awarded by the jury.

"This meagre verdict under the circumstances is a severe and mortifying
rebuke to Cooper, who had everything his own way.

"The value of Mr. Cooper's character, therefore, has been judicially
determined.

"It is worth exactly four hundred dollars."

For the publication of this letter a suit was immediately begun against
the "Tribune." But though he wro