The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-05

How TO TEST THE CIRCULATION OF THE HERALD
AND Irs CONFERENCE.-THE Little Villain''
OF an obscure newspaper in this city is in such
desperate way to get exact information about
the circulation of the HERALD that he proposes
to pay $12,500 for it in the shape of a gambling
bet. Where, we should like to know, did our
poverty stricken contemporary get the money ?
At what pawnbroker's shop in Chatham street
did he deposit the stock of his paper in order to
raise the wind! But, srpposing that lie could
scrape together so much of other mems money,
which 1t must be confessed is violent pre-
sumption, or granting that he has on hand so
much cash that he can fairly call his own-a
still more outrageous supposition-we do not
want to take any mans money without giving
him fair equivalent for It, Betting on GER
tainty is considered so dishonorable that the
sporting fraternity, and all who are in the habit
of making bets, unanimously agree that the
man who bets about matter Of which he has
certain knowledge is not only not permitted to
win, but forfeits his own stake. Perhaps the
Little Villain, now on his last legs, calculates
to get $l2,500 from us by laying this gambling
trap for our feet in order to prop up his ricketty
concern little longer. He is well aware that
we are sure our circulation is fivefold greater
than his, and consequently to accept such a
wager would be unfair on our part.
Betting, however, even when fair, is against
our religion, and we cannot consent to let him
have the information he seeks in that way. But
as he makes pitiful appeal to us, we will let
him have it gratuitously. Let a committee Of
three be appointed, the Little Villain to name
one, we another, and these two to select a third
man. We will submit our books for the last
twenty years to their examination, and we will
give them every facility TO ascertain our circu-
lation during that period, provided that the
Little Villain will do the same as regards his
bantling journal from the time it came into ex-
istence up to the present date. Let the q nlts
of the examination in both cases be published
and the world will then see who is telling the
truth and who is not.
This is our way of giving our contemporary
the information he desires. If he does not like
it, then we have another proposition to make
The time is approaching that the Postmaster
gives his advertising to the newspaper of high.
est circulation in this city, as he is bound to do
by law. Let our contemporary apply for it.
We will do the same. Let the books of both
journals be laid before the Postmaster, who
can thus satisfy himself as to the circulation Of
each. Let his decision be published in both
papers Immediately after.
Such are the tests by which we propose to
have the circulation question settled. Has our
contemporary any objection to offer to them? Il
50, let him state it. If he has not, then let the
matter be disposed Of at once, when he will OBJ.
tain gratis all he wants to know. For instance
he will discover that the circulation of the He
RAID did not reach $4,000 yesterday, but only
100000. Let him accept this free offer, instead
Of sporting Sl2,500 not his own, and let him
apply all his surplus cash, as far as it will 60
to the payment of his debts.