Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-13
Bepnetps sMerald,' - ssThe Infamous Her
nId,n az Daniel O'Connell Characterized

We first heard of James Gordon Bennett
in 1882, in connection with the New YORK
"Courier and Enquirer" The Committee ap-
pointed by Congress to investigate the affairs
OF the United States Bank, had made q report,
in which the name of James Watson Webb, OF
the Courier aud Enquirer" figured consplcu-
; ously as a 5or7oper, toitAout security, to tho
amount of upwards Of fifty thousand dollars.
The Jackson newspapers commented with free
dom upon this loan to Webb, in connection
with the fact that his paper, the Courier and
Enquirer" had changed from a violent anti
bank paper to an equally violent bank paper in
the brief space Of a month. To Tindicate his
| personal consistency" Webb announced that
the anti,bank editorials were not written BY
himself, but were the productions Of an nssls'
tant, named James Gordon Bennett, "an enemy
of all banks" and tho said James Gordon
Bennett promptly volunteered bis certificate in
proof Of the assertion Of the percussion lock
proprietor CT the "Courier and Enquirer"
In the fall of 1882, Bennett started a daily
paper in New York city called "The Globe"
which sin q fash expired" almost si,nultane-
ously with its advent Next, We beard CT hin
in connection with the Philadelphia P%ennsylva.
| MAN, of which he was assistant editor for a brief
! period of General Jackson's second term. He
lost his position in that Journal, as was under
stood ut the time, by writing an lmpertincnt
letter to General Jackson, which prejudiccd the
interest of-the paper. Subsequently ne re-
turned to New York aud commenced tho pab-
~licatiou Of toe New York Whig," an anti
Democratic Journal, as its naule implied. That
paper " ~sprouted up and rotted down" at near.
IL The same moment, as Col. Benton once SAID
OF another attempt at a newspaper establish
mcnt. Not long afterwards, "Bsnnett's Her
aid" made its appearance, with q motto to this
effect: Love all the pretty girls; 60 to church
on Sunday, and kick all parsons and politicians
to the devil" The Herald vas then merely &
local paper, taken up with the gossip and scan
dal of Gotham. According to common rumor
it was kept alive and fostered by black mail
leyics upon merchants aud other classes Of
business men, husbands, wives, etc. The trial
OF r. p. Robinson, for tne murder Of Ellen
Jswelt, added considerably to the peeuniary
resources Of the Herald, if the following state.
ment Of some Of its contemporaries is to be
credited. Pending that remarkable trial, Ger.
tain wealthy young gentlemen Of Nav York
received an intimation Fl om Bennett taat their
names would sppear in the Herald as acqusiat'
anccs Of the heroine Of the tragedy whereupon
they made a liberal contribution of hush money
to the Hera!d.nan which enabled him to go CT
rejoicing in his own licentious course.
He shortly afterwards enlarged hs paper aud
Introduced into it some new features which
caused i. to be read By respectable peo'
| pie. "Ths money articles OF the Herald" writ
ten by Prentiss Kettel), attracted attention
throughout the country. They were continued
for several years, and were received rs the
most able aud nost reliable financial reviews
to be found in the American papers. The COM
mercis! feature of the HERALD was attractive,
but no one looked to any other department OF
it Tor truth, dscency or honesty. True, it was eS'
t~ensively read and patroni1ed, as all sensation
Journals will be in the Northern States; but no
one attached the slightest importance to any OF
its opinions on any question whatever. About
the year 1912, Bennett visited Dublin and
sought 81 introduction to Daniel O'Connell,
but the great Repeater" Indignantly replied
to the Individual who bore the card Of intro
duction, tina. lie did not desire to see the editor
Of tho. infsnous paper, the New York "Hs.
raid"
! When he became ricn, Bennett aspiTed to
social and political distinction. In the Prcsi-
Dental canvass Of 1852, he committed tie
Herald" to the support Of tue Democratic can
didates; ard, after" the election, ne claimed The
French mission as tho reward Of his services
in their behalf. The refusal of Franklin
| Pierce to recognize the arrogant professions
of the upstart editor brough: down upon
his head all the walls o! tho "Herald's" wrath.
From that day to this poor Pierce" has been
! necessarily denounced by Bennett IS verse
than a thief and an assassin.
II the campaign Of 1856, Bennett sold him
| self to the Abol;tionists, and played second ed.
| die to Greeley in support of Fremont. The
| Herald continued its attacks on Buchanan
till the spring Of 1857, when it suddenly chang.
| ed its tune towards that sold public functiona.
ry," and soon became his defender and sup
porter. From 1857 till April, 1851, the "Her-
] aid" defended the South against the assaults Of
| the Abolitionists, and advocated and maintain
| cd the general principles upon which the Gov
eminent of the Confederate States is founded.
, Some two months since, Bennett vas ordered
| By the Northern mob 10 run up the Yankee
Gag over the Herald Office, and the order
was instantly obeyed. The Herald" imme,
diately gave the lie to every thing it had said
against the Abolitionists, and it has ever since
! been trying 10 supplant the Tribune" as the
| organ Of Black Republicanism, by a degrading
s~srvility to Lincoln, Seward, and company
! The Herald" is now one Of the most incen-
| diary, insurrecLionary Abolition journals in
the North, not excepting Garrison's Liberator.
Such is the past history Of the New York
! sTIerald"-'the infamous New York Herald -
| as O'Conneli most appropriately characterized
it.
! 4 NEW PAPER IN FIRGINIA-We have seen
a copy Of q paper just started in Alexandria,
| 70. 1t is printed on the press Of the "Senti.
mel" and with the type Of the Gazette" Ooe
half il Dutch, the other Black Republicans
] translation Of the former would probably de-
stroy the distinction; 1t contains tho proceed
ipss of a pretended Union meeting in Alexan-
1 J-2, :, ,,b;cb tho nrincinsl characters Hcre n