The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-05-01

very plain that no fugitive slave who once |
reaches the North can ever be sAturned to his |
master.
Pubnc2 Exoitsns.ts and the Growth Of
Newspapers.
In the history of the newspaper press
there have never before been two such
days Of excitement and business pressure
q Saturday and Sunday last On the Satur-
day the number Of HERALDs sold was up
wards of 100000, and on the Sunday
7,OOO These are the largest issues ever
made by q daily newspaper, either here or
abroad. On former occasion our sale reached
$1,000 in one day, our average circulation be-
ing 10000. At the time this was thought ex-
traordinary, but 1t has been thrown into the
shade by these later performances. 1t may be
supposed that the causes which lead to these
sudden expansions of circulation are temporary
In their effects. Such, however, is not the
fact. It IL only because they exercise
permanent influence on the prosperity and
progress Of journalism that we deem them
worthy Of notice ct all.
The Newspaper business Is unlike every other
in the conditions and manner of its growth.
Commercial establishments, generally speaking,
are built up by slow gradations, and owe but
little to the influence of extraneous causes.
Although capital and activity undoubt-
eddy do much for them, yet they
do not supply all the conditions of success.
Competition reduces these two requirements to
a uniformity of chances among but too many.
1t Is only the confidence of the public In the
superior skill and resources Of particular
establishments which carries away the larger
prizes. Confidence is, however, q plant of slow
growth, and hence 1t is that we rarely find great
commercial success attained by any but diff
cult and progressive stages.
In the business of newspapers the contrary
result is observable. 1t sugments BY fits and
starts which bid defiance to regular calcula-
tons. II a speculator were to commence
newspaper tomorrow with five hundred thou
sand dollars capital, and were to propose to
himself to accomplish certain results within .
given space of time, as dry goods merchant
might safely calculate to do, the chances are
that he would fail. Nearly mil
lion OF dollars was sunk in the Lon
don Daily Necs before 1t attained a
circulation Of five thousand copies, although
its proprietors calculated on beating the Lon
don Times out of the field. The Daily Neus,
after twelve or fourteen years of existence,
has still but an eighth part of the circulation
of the Times, the penny papers having struck
in between it and the imaginary results which
{ ctoH 20 Had fha huc haau
one Of mere progression, to be effected by the
force of capital alone, the Neps would not have
remained so many years in nearly stationary
position before the establishment Of the penny
dailies cut of all hope Of Q further increase.
The experience Of ell great leading journals
proves that increase Of circulation Is spas
modic rather than regular, and Is due more to
the influence Of events than of mere business
activity Thus great public excitements do
more for newspapers In this respect than any
other impulse that can be impaired to them.
II was the anticipation Of the government de-
spstches from the field Of Waterloo by the
London Times that gave 10 that paper the
first large addition to is circulation. The
agitation which pervsdsd the public mind
In England created an immepse demand for the
paper, and although with the subeidence Of the
excitement considerable portion of that de-
mand fell or yet sufficient remained TO form
such bssis for further operations that Its con-
ductors were enabled To turn 10 profitable &C.
count all minor sxcitemcntA The career
of the NEW YoRk HERALD offers precisely
Al ~ g. IA hss II
greater part Of Its present immense circulation
In large instruments, due 10 exciting events,
and its ability to crafty the public thirst for
news on the epgrossiDg topics Of the day. Al
though, a. we have already observed, the ex-
traordinary demand created by occurrences Of
unusual interest necessarily declines again, it
invariably leaves q considerable addition TO
the previous circulation, when the paper has Q
reputation for news enterprise.
This increase, however, Il only valuable In
proportion To the amount OF advertising Pc
tronsge which II brings Any addition that
may be made 10 our circulation, South or West,
il but of little importance to us, as IL merely
adds 10 our expenses without bringing us any
! compromising return. The circulation on
which we rely for the steady profits Of our
paper Ia derived mainly from this great
commercial city and from q vicinage ex-
tending 10 about two hundred miles be-
yond or around II, where We can de-
liver the paper at breakfast time. Whatever
may be the influences, political or otherwise,
which disturb the rest Of the Union, they do not
afec, us at ALL In pecuniary point of view,
therefore, 1t matters but little 10 us whether
the HERALD enjoys . large circulation East,
West or South. The fact that II does 90 IA
merely proof TO us that the political course
that we pursue Is acceptable TO the great mas
Of independent thinkers throughout the coun-
try.