The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-10-07
the Newspaper Investigation In England
Testimony OF q New York Editor.

Our readers will ind in our columns to-day, some
minutes Of evidence taken before Parliamentary
Comm sion recently, in reference to newspapers in
the United States and the STAN and advertisement
duties in England. The Commission was in session
for some time, and appointed during the last
session Of the British Parliament. Ga. object in
publishing what our readers will find in the New
YORK HERALD Of this morning, is to place before
them the testimony Of our amiable abolition and
favori.e cotemporary Horace Greeley, Of the NeW
York Tribune, on the subject of the investig alton
What will be mos. lmired in Mr.. Greeley's testi-
mony is the perfect clalance with which he lays
down the law in reference to postage on newsps-
pers in the United States, the free and easy man
ner in which he speaks of the American press gen.
orally, and the sang troid with which he expresses
his opinion concerning the New YORK HERALD.
The public will doubt express their astonshment
how such humble man as Mr.. Greeley assumes to
be, could have had the fortune, good or bad to be
so conspicuous in England as he was during his
brief sojourn there. In New York he dresses very
stability; here, however, he is the poor mans
friend. But that character would not do in Eng.
land. In Europe, he puts fashionable suit
of clothes, wears kid gloves, and the shabby editor
is found addressing antisavery societies, acting
member Of jurors at the Worlds Fair, ready
witness before Parliamentary committee, SC, Sc.
According to his evidence before the Parliamentary
Commission, he certainly prepared his answers to
the irterrogatories addressed to him, before hand,
and ratified them out with volubility that he is
incapable of under different circumstances.
But let US refer to his testimony.
The editor Of the Tribune makes some serious
errors in his answer respecting newspaper postage
in the United States, as readers will perceive
by reading it; he says that the carriers of daily
newspapers, in New York, have a property in the
right to receive such journals for the ward, and to
distribute them in that ward. 1t is needless to say
that no such right of property exists. The carriers
of the New York papers can be dismissed at any
time by the proprietors of the journals which they
distribute, with or without cause. To admit such
right, would be to place the proprietors, to GER
tain extent, a. the mercy Of the carriers, and to
give them permanent and tangible interest in the
papers they serve. This is entirely inadmissible,
and is not to be thought Of The matter has recent
ly been so decided in courts of law. But these
not the points to which particularly desire to
refer, and therefore, shall pass on to one or TIVE
questions and answers to which we wish to direct
public attention. Mr.. Greeley was asked, sis
scurrility or personality common to the publca-
lions in the United States % To this Fourierite
and abolition cotemporary REPLIED cit is not
common; it is much less frequent than it was, but
it is not absolutely unknown" Again: "Are there
papers published in New York or in other parts,
which may be said to be of an obscene or immoral
character 70 Answer: "We call the HERALD q
very bad paper-those who do not like it; but that
is not the cheapest" Again; elias its The
NEW YORK HERALp's) circulation increased during
the last few years or otaerwisel' Answer Z"
think it has rather increased, not diminished.
lis that influential paper in America 70 81
think not'
Now we desire to show that Mr. Greeley did not
speak what be knew to be the truth in these parti
culars. He knows that scurrility and personality,
of the worst character, chsracterizes portion of
the newspaper press here and he is we'll that
his journal is notorious for IT, For years past
he has had the character of being the most vulgar
and scurrilous editor Of . public journal in the
United States. 1t only short time since that,
in addressing William c. Bryant, the American
poet, who is as well known in England as he is in
the United States, and who, whatever may be his
dement's, has always ranked in society as gentle.
man, he used the following polite language
" You lie, villain. wilfully, knowingly, lie''
Well may Mr.. Greeley say that scurrility is not
absolutely unknown in the Newspaper press of this
country but If he had added to his answer, Z" for
it appears in great quantities in my own paper,
and from my own pen," he would have been exact
ly right. But this occurred some time ago, and il
might be supposed that Mr.. Greeley had learned
better manners sin,e. Let US see how this stands.
Within the last few days he used the following
choice language towards one Of bis contsmpora-
ries -
Neighbor you addicted to falschood very slight
temptations but this Il scandalous baeess abomin
able lie that cannot suffer IT to pass unreproved
Remember that We brand IL your forehead base,
psSsi ~aIeOu3 .eunihoes ,aA,ehoou' anu chafse you
with showing TO be such when you uttered it. VIII
you attempt to justify 1t
If this is net personality and scurrility of the
most abominable description, we should like to
know what else it is. And yet this is the gentle
man who openly AYERS {" We call the NEW YORK
HERAlp q very bad paper" Here we see person,
notorious for personality and s,urrility, in his cha
racter as editor-a propag lndst Of infdeiy in its
worst forms ameng the youth Of the lsnd-a person
who, editor, has exerted his utmost to bring the
Christian religion into dsrepute for years past,
who has been engaged with all bis energy in sap
ping the undatons Of all true religion, and Of
society, and substituting the vague theories Of mad
men in their stead, deliberately saying that the
NV YORK herald is bad, that 10, an immoral
josrnal, ard that scurTlty and personality is not
absolutely unknown in American jou nalism
We perfectly agree with Mr.. Greeley, that sour
rity and personality are not absolutely unknown in
the newspapers Of the United states. But. orderto
show the pUblic, and the parliamentary commission
who INTERCEPTED him in Engla what the gentle
mans character for truth and veracity is in the
United States where he is better known than he is
in England we shall give few remarks, whi,h
adore seed to him when he figured in the House Of
Representatives in Washington, in which body be
very soon found the level which all deuagogues
reach. when placed among their superiors Sc
Extracts from the Congressional Globe
Mr. TurSsR, q Illinois, Dec q. said - tie had only
say that when that article penned the individual
who wrote IT, Horace Grecley) was either ignorant.
grossly ignorant Of the facts Of which u treated or viii
fully corrupty lied. from beginning 20 end