Mr. Thrasher's Book on Cuba.

The very valuable and instructive book on Cuba, which was published in New York last season, by our fellow-citizen, Mr. John S. Thrasher, has been recently made the theme of discussion, by a complaint made in Europe by Baron Humboldt, that Mr, Thrasher omitted a material chapter in the work translated, of which the Baron is the author.

We publish below the article in which Humboldt makes this criticism, and the reply which Mr.

Thrasher has put forth in New York. Mr. Thrasher explains that he published every thing from Humboldt contained in the volume, which had reference to the subject of Cuba, up to the point at which Mr. Thrasher's personal inquiries and investigations commenced.

There is no ground for imputing any mutilation or suppression.

While on the subject, we may say that the book of Mr. Thrasher is one of very great interest, very full of important and carefully prepared information on the state, progress, and prospects of Cuba--social, political and material--and the most complete exposition of the whole of the "Cuban question" which has yet been published in this country, and ought to be universally read.

The card of Humboldt, which follows, pays a high tribute to the literary and statistical merits of the book, which has such substantial claims to American study.

The following is the article of Baron Humboldt, which he caused to be inserted in the Spenersche Zeitung:

Under the title of "Essai Politique sur l'Isle de Cuba," published in Paris in 1826, I collected together all that the large edition of my "Voyage aux Regions Equinoxiales du Nouveau Continent" contained upon the state of agriculture and slavery in the Antilles.

There appeared at the same time an English and a Spanish translation of this work, the latter entitled "Ensayo Politico sobre la Isla de Cuba," neither of which omitted any of the frank and open remarks which feelings of humanity had inspired.

But there appears just now, strangely enough, translated from the Spanish translation, and not from the French original, and published by Derby & Jackson in New York, an octavo volume of 400 pages, under the title of "The Island of Cuba,"

by Alexander Humboldt; with notes and a preliminary essay, by J. S. Thrasher.

The translator, who has lived a long time on that beautiful island, has enriched my work by more recent data on the subject of the numerical standing of the population, of the cultivation of the soil, and the state of trade, and, generally speaking, exhibited a charitable moderation in his discussion of conflicting opinions.

I owe it, however, to a moral feeling, that is now as lively in me as it was in 1826, publicly to complain that in a work which bears my name, the entire seventh chapter of the Spanish translation, with which my "Essai Politique" ended, has been arbitrarily omitted.

To this very portion of my work I attach greater importance than to any astronomical observations, experiments of magnetic intensity, or statistical statements.

"J'ai examine avec franchise (I here repeat the words which I used thirty years ago) ce qui concerne l'organisation des societes humaines dans les colonies, l'inegale repartition des droits et des jouissances de la vie, les dangers menacants que la sagesse des legislateurs et la moderation des hommes libres peuvent eloigner, quelleque soit la forme des Gouvernements. Il appertient au voyageur qui a vu de pres ce qui tourmente et degrade la nature humaine de faire parvenir les plaintes de l'infortune a ceux qui ont le devoir de les soulager.

J'ai rappele dans cet expose combien l'ancienne legislation Espagnolle de l'esclavage est moins inhumaine et moins atroce que celle des Etats a esclaves dans l'Amerique continentale au nord et au sud de l'equateur." A steady advocate as I am for the most unfettered expression of opinion in speech or in writing, I should never have thought of complaining if I had been attacked on account of my statements; but I do think I am entitled to demand that in the free States of the continent of America, people should be allowed to read what has been permitted to circulate from the first year of its appearance in a Spanish translation.

Alexander von Humboldt.

Berlin, July, 1856.

Mr. Thrasher's reply is as follows:

To the Editor of the Herald:

New York, August 13, 1856.

Dear Sir--I have noticed in your journal an article which has been published by Baron Humboldt in the Spenersche Zeitung, in relation to my translation of his essay on the Island of Cuba, published by Derby & Jackson.

As your readers may be led to infer that I have willfully mutilated a work of that great writer, I request that you will publish the following explanation.

Being destrous of placing in the hands of American readers such information in relation to the Island of Cuba as my studies had enabled me to obtain, I made the translation referred to, as being the best work I had ever seen on the subject.

In undertaking this labor I was not aware that any English version of the work had ever been made, and I used the Spanish edition for text simply because, being ignorant of the French language, I could not translate the essay from that tongue.

As it was written thirty years ago, during which time the material development of Cuba had been very great, a continuation of Baron Humboldt's remarks became necessary, in order to bring the subject matter up to the present time, and this labor I have inserted in notes.

In carrying out the design of a work on Cuba, I deemed that I could not take up the subject at a more appropriate point than that where the illustrious author had left it in 1825.

The chapter complained of as being omitted is a distinct essay "On Slavery," and is so entitled in the volume where it is published.

Cuba is only incidentally alluded to in it, while it begins with this express declaration:

"I here close the Examen, or Political Essay on Cuba, in which I have presented the state of this important Spanish possession as it at present exists."

Baron Humboldt's complaint is not that I have mutilated his essay on Cuba, but that I have not published all the matter contained in the volume from which I have translated his work on that important island.

I would add that so one entertains a higher or more sincere regard than I do for the great and venerable name of Alexander von Humboldt.

I would ask those journals that may have alluded to or published the article in question to publish also this letter.

Very respectfully, yours,

J. S. Thrasher.