The New York herald., 1849-06-11


solicited pufs in the newspapers, the good nature
of editors, and other appliances, many Of the tenn
porarv magazines of the day attain little circula
ton and notoriety; but their existence is generally
of very ephemeral character 1t Is only for brtcf
period that they burn with any degree of bright
ness before they sink in the socket for ever. One of
the journals of this description, which has recently
| made great pretensions TO commercial philosophy
and statistics, ls called the Merchants Nagasine,
published by Freeman Hunt. 1t has been puffed
and PRAISED a good deal in the way we indicate;
now and then giving tolerably good article on
commercial matters. From some recent indica-
tions however, are inclined to believe that the
little vitality which IT has possessed is about to
out into nothngness.
In the last number of this magazine, there was
a very amusing and curious article, entitled "a
Biography of person by the name of Thomas p.
Kette, which accumulated on that unhappy per-
sonage such IA singular combination of feudal and
financial honors would almost make horse
burst out into laughter. This Mr.. Kette CLAIMS to
be not only the lineal descendant Of one OF the
great barons of the feuda ages but also the origi-
nator, writer, and thinker, during the great nan-
cal revuslon III this country, of the money articles
which appeared in the NeW York Herald, and which
excited degree of attention In this community
that has been continued till the present day.
Probably the feudal and financial claims set forth
i'll the biography of this parsonage, of the same
character. We know very well that his financial
claims entirely without foundations; and it is
at all unlikely that the awfuly important ind-
viduals who preside over the College of Heraldry,
would pronounce the feudal honors to be equally
imaginary. Several years ago we were called upon
to show, by the production of number of ceri-
Gates, that the pretenslons OF this individual with
regard to financial celebrity were on a par with the
aspiring parsonage il the well known fable of
AIsop, who wasnot satisfied with the skin in which
nature had clothed him. Mr.. Kettell, a young
man without any employment, or any particular
profession, was first engaged by us in 1893, to
collect ard arrange the ship news of the Ney York
Herald and while the proprietor of this journal
made visit to Europe, he was directed to give
money and financial reports. These reports were
poor enough, for the writer knew little Of the sub
ject and his nefficency exhibited IN man
ncr not now necessary to mention more particu-
larly. They are On record and can testify.
AS early as 1885, the money articles of the He
| raid, which have been initiated by other journals,
were commenced by the proprietor of this jour-
nal, and for many years afterwards proceeded
from his own pen. Throughout the whole period
of the revulsion of the winter of 1886 aud the
spring of 1887, these articles were written by his
own hand and that was one of the most exciting
periods in the commercial history of this country.
On the return of the proprietor Of this journal from
Europe in 1888, where he had been engaged in COL
lectlng variety offnancial information, he took the
trouble each day Of instructing the writer of the
money articles, and, in fact debating the matter
which appeared in that department of the paper
Mr.. Kettel acted amanuensls, and was
merely the reporter of the ideas thus conveyed to
hm-deas which had been obtained, and condens-
ed, and arranged by the proprietor Of this paper,
after an experience and study of twenty years
devoted to these subjects. II is several years
since that young man left the Herald, and it has
still maintained its position as the leading journal
in commercial affairs on this continent, and will
continue to retain that position so long it is un-
der the present management. Mr.. kettell has at
tempted, several instances, to establish species
of rivalry to the Herald, in this respect, and we
believe that the True Sun was the fourth case of
failure. That is the best possible evidence of the
real character of the pretensions now set up for
him, in this be-pufied and vaetudlnarian maca-
zine.
The financial honors of the young man, Kettel,
are, therefore, about as substantial and legitimate
or rather as fabulous, as those claimed on account
ofhis descent from some great feuda baron of the
time of William the Conqueror, or William the
Bastard. The whole thing is the silliest piece of
mpertinence that we have seen for some time, and
is quite worthy of the Merchants Magazine and
its management.