Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-04-14

being maligned and misresresented. Well,
then, we can assure them that this book of Bar
NUNS which we doubt not will have very
considerable circulation in this country is cal
culated to do them more harm than anything
that was ever written by an alien"
Afler quoting Barnum's remark that he had
never contradicted the statement that the whole
Joice Heih affair was an imposiure, coniriyed
by himself, long since publicly made, tho wri-
ter remarks.
"What does thisamount to, but an assertion
that in America at least, il is better to be ac-
counted clever rascal than an honest man =
Again we repeat that this is a matter for the
Americans TO take up. il is for them to de-
eide whether Barnum has lbeled his country
men, or whether the general moral tone prcya-
lent on The other side Of the Atlantic are such
as he insinuaios it TO be. For Barnum's pre-
tensions are very largo. lie represents him
self now, not only as opulent, but as being
man of high consideration aud he attributes his
position to practices inconsistent with common
honesty. Is ho right or is he wrong in his es-
innate We cannot say. Impudonce like this
baiIles speculation and we must leave him to
tho judgement Of his countrymen.
Near the close Of the article arc the follow
ing passages
"lf we could enter with anything like
feeling ofzesl, into the relations Of this exces-
siyely shameless book, we should be inclined
TO treat its publication as the most dating hoax
which the author has perpetraied upon the pub
lic But il has inspired us with nothing but
sensations OF disgust for the frauds which it
narraies, amazemeni at its audaciiy, loathing
for its hypocrisy, ahhoncnee for ,he morally
wreiched man who compiled H. lie has left
nothing for his worst enemy to DO he has
fairly gibbe,ed himself No unclean bird of
prey nailed ignomniously to the door Of barn,
can present a more humilaiing Phineas TAYLOR
Barnum. than he appears in his Autobiography
"The book, hoteyer, may be useful. ii
dscloses much Of which the public are not gen
orally aware and is, in fact the profoundest
and most severe satire written upon the mod
ern system Of newspaper puiiery and deceit
Advertise . says BaTnum; and, in the main,
he is perfectly right. The power of the press
is prodigious, but, like all ether powers, it
may be fearfaly misapplied OF course SO
long as advertisements are, in their own char
aoier unobjectionable, they must be inserted
If man chooses TO aver that he yends the
bes, wine, meat, bread, tea, sugar, breeches,
or boots in the community, he is entitled to say
so, taking the responsibility of making his
yaunting good These things do not derange
trade the serious evil commences when jour
nalisis pledge their reputation for the excel
lence Of things which they know TO be truly
unworthy, or for the authenticity Of deceptions.
In America, it would appear, judging from
Bamum's revelations, that the press is general
ly venal. lie takes every opportunity to at
tempt to disguise that the preliminary Mermaid
pulls were written by himself How then
came they to be inserted We would ad-
wise the American editors, ii possible, TO wash
this filthy witness from their hands, otherwise
it will be difficult to acquit them Of direct com
plicity with Bamum. Such at least, is the
deduction which every unprejudced reader
must make from perusa Of his book but as
the man is obviously not to be relied on this
may possibly be a slander. In Great Britain
the character Of the press, generally speaking,
is high but it might yet be higher. We
know that whenever there is case Of palpable
abuse, corrective is sure 10 follow but we
wish that there were fewer instances ofabuse.
Above all, we would impress most strongly up
on our journalists, who have most important
function to perform, the absolute necessity
which exists Of applying themselves vigorously
to the detection aud exposure of the frauds
which are now constantly attempting to be
palmed of upon the public"