Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-09-22
JAMES GORDON BENNETT.

JAMES GORDON BENNETT.
The position held by this man is altogether
anomalous. He is rich, yet he has no friends.
He wields a certain (destrus,ive) power, but he
has no party, and belongs to no set. He may
make the tour Of crowded opera-house, or
walk down long street, and meet with no re.
cognition. He is universally known and uni
yersally cut universally dslked and very ex-
tensively read. He has not particle of talent,
nor the least smatiering Of knowledge, nor any
pretense to principle or setlous opinion; yet he
has held the position for twenty years Of lead
ing public instructor and all the talent, knowl-
edge, and principle Of this community, leagued
together for the express purpose OF putting him
down, could not shake him in bis position. AT
the very time when he had TO withdraw his boy
from New York school because the other boys
spent so many Of their leisure moments in tor
menting him, the Herald was to be found in ev-
cry bar-room, In every reading room, and in
one-half of the drawing-roouis Of the city We
know Of no individual who has held position
in any community like that Of James Gordon
Bennett in this.
The lately published biography Of this sin
gular person is a very tedious production, and
adds scarcely anything to our knowledge Of his
career. He was a poor low-born, Catholic
Scotch boy, Of whose early life little is known,
except that he was obstinate and wilful, and
that he ran away from school. He came to
America in his twentieth year, landing at Hal
ifax. For many years he was very poor and
perfectly unknown. He taugh, school at Hal
fax, but with small success. Ho made his
way to Boston, and after living for some time
on the brink Of starvation, obtained a situation
as Proof-reader in printing -ofice. In the hope
Of beitering his fortune, he removes to New
York; tries TO set up school, but fails tries
to procure employment in the press, bat cannot.
He gets an engagement On Charleston paper,
and removes to that city, where he resides for
a short lime. Coming back to New York, he
struggles long with poverty, attempts again to
get employment in teaching, delivers lectures,
writes for the papers, sets up paper Of his
own--tbe Nar York Couyier-which fails i'm
mediately. Years pass in these frnitless efforts
10 get his head above wafer, during which he
acquires some reputation in New York as an
unscupulous writer for the press. In 1929 he
was one Of the editors Of the Courier and En-
qfirer, and he retained that situation for three
years. He then established daily two cent
paper called the Globe, which fingered one
month, and died. Removing to Philadelphia,
he became partner in the Pennsyirdnian, in
which capacity he became so unpopular that he
was obliged to retire, and returned to New
York.
But fortune was about TO turn. In 1885 he
began the publication of the Herald. He had
scarcely any capital, no credit, no friends, no
party. But he had learned his trade, and he
knew his public. His object was 10 have in
every number something which should make
people talk about the Herdld-somethine out
rageously impudent or silly, or obscure, or
abusive. No subject was sacred, for he be-
lisved nothing; no man was safe, for he had no
friends. He always had the knack Of making
Ills feaders Laugh, and the foating population
Of a rich commercial town are foolish people,
and can be made 10 laugh very easily. The
trick succeeded. People bought the Herald
':jusi to see what the fellow had to saw" and
tie HsTa'S aouTished. As his means increased
he made extraordinary endeayors to get early
and full intelligence, and to procure lively re-
ports Of local events. BY necessarily issuing
extras. he associated in Tho n,h,;. nina ne
idea Of n,,r, with the name 81 ,ha u.saSJ "a
far n lone time !, wa. oans,.,,, t,,;an.s a..
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,aks tho H,rau Tha a. .s~, 'sssaaiy nns-.~ Il;
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mated a suggestion for ,bs nubEc cood U;.
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