Evening star., 1864-05-13
Correspondence with P. I. Barnum.
MR. BARNyM CONSENTS TO WRITE
= FoR
THE REV YORK MERCURY,
AT THs RATE OF
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS A wEHK.

ONE YEAR
1t will be seen from the subjoined letters that
Mr. Barnum, at the earnest solicitation of the
proprietors of THE NEW YORK MERCURY, has
consented to write for the columns of this pa per
a series of articles to be entitled "The Ancient
and Modern Humbugs of the World - for the sum
of TEN THOUSAND PouR HULDsED DOLLARS:
NEW YoRK MERCURY OrF1oR,
ll3 Fulton street, April Is, 1864.
DEAR SIR: For what sum will! you write 60, pub,
Fifty two articles-one per week for one year-upon
THE Ancient and Modern Humbuss of the
Wo5ia' An earv renS xs
yours Proprietors Of The New York ksMssn: Mssour:y.
AMERICAN MUSEUM, April g, 1854.
GENTLEMEN: Yours of yesterday is received
but but 10 amusing and gratifsing the public to srte
io' ' w PT BARsux.
'osSS.p P,eie,ers aaia,ss Of ane Ns,S York erey{
NEW YORK MERCURY OFFICE. April y, 1854.
DEAR Ram SIR Our Object is the same as yours-te
end we devote our time, capital and whatever
visit to our columns IN S for the Of
that you will reconsider the matter, We make the
following, offer:
dollars S 4oo', payable in weekly sd stall
ments of two hundred dollars $500 each for one
posed IN our noethe articles to
respective one e. COLUMN NJ tor morel The topic,
viii give you an Opportunity Of e4psninx air your
views on very curious and fruitful theme and
of illustrating them by incidents which have come
travels in both hemispheres, and while catering
for the amusement Of the public through long
Your professional "reminiscences, given in your
peculiar original and humorous style, wsuld we
have no doubt, form rare chapter of Wit aud nd
Romance in the history Of pc pular entertainments
% nna not
tory of Ancient and Modern Humbnss, but prefer
rather that you shall not keep eacks good snec-
particular beet.
Although the pecuniary consideration may be
Of small consequence to one who can make m oney
30 readily, perhaps the thought of ninistering to
the enjoyment of half a million OF readers per
week, for a twelvemonth, may Undue. you. on re-
Election. to comply with our request. Hoping for
a favorable answer,
We remain sincerely yours
CAULDEKLL Whitney.
AMERICAN MUSEUM, Apri 2s. 1864.
GENTLEMEN:-iou ou are irrepressible, We're it not
that know you to be live" men who publish a
Wild mistake: but az yon GENERALLY RteW SI,s
you are about. am bound to suppose thatit is not
made at random or on false grounds. Thi consid
izing sense of the value of notoriety THAI have
ever before experienced: D!smissing. therefore,
hazardous speculation, and adopting yeur ,stimate
of my own commercial value, I frankly ascede to
your proposition. have always held it as maxim
that man should make profitable use Of Es gifts
whatever they may be, always provided that he
uses them legitimately; and know of nc way in
thar for the deieetetion Of the people. '.'
Holding self in readiness to commnce the
series at any time, and accepting your suggestion
to Introduce prominently into the papers tie fun
of snecdote. incident. and information a.ouired
during my long experience as a caterer or the
worlds amusement, ana. gentlemen.
Your considerably astonished friend and sryant
IT. BARUM
Messrs. CaxldreR + Whitney.
new YORK MERCURY OFFICE, April .: 1854
P. Barnn'n, Esq:
DEAR SIR:-Perhaps it lay relieve yourmipd to
know that expect to take the lion 8 shae of the
profits of your papers on the Ancient and Modern
Hum bugs Oft World"
Inclosed s yoq will find our check for two hundred
dollars t$aO) for your first article whic h he hi nd
enou Eh to send us at your earliest convenience
Please supply US punctually with an article every
week, and believe us, >'''
Very truly. yours
CALDWELL Il Whitney
Mr.. Barnum's papers on THE ANCIENT Ann
MODERN HUMBUGs OF THE WORLD" to which tbe
above correspondence refers commence in THF
NEW YORK MERCURY of May %, now ready a,
all the news-depots in the Union
READ THE FIRST LETTER!