Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-07


literary characters in this country is con-
temptible. In short, he is a simple ca
terer to the vicissitudes of public taste,
having in view only the requirement
of money.
HENRY J. RAYMOND AND THE TIMES
This is diplomatic man and diplo-
matte paper; its editors are men of
decided capacity. Its articles are well
written, but those who are familiar with
the science of the sanctum cannot
fail to see in every position assumed by
Mr. Raymond or the Roman some deeply
hidden purpose, and it is this circum-
stance which iGpairs the real efficiency
both of the man and the paper. 1t was
give to Raymond the sobriquet of Little
Villain" Raymond enemies are always
in dread of some sudden opening Of
masked battery But it should be said
for Mr. Raymond, notwithstanding the
popular impression, he will not sacrifice
friend nor is he illiberal in admitting
into his paper long communications hos
tile to his own sentiments. In his pri-
vate relations he is very much respected
and is amiable almost to fault Indeed,
his urbanity leads a close observer to sus-
pect it to be mask to cover some deep
design. The paper is very respectable, but
its circulation is far less than the Herdlds
and less than the 1ribunes including
the weeklies of both.
HORACE GREELEY AND THE TRIBUNE.
Here we have man of decided char
acter, and a paper always consistent.
Horace Greeley is an honest, earnest
humane man,.in for every reform which
he considers conducive to human happi-
ness. If he believes thing to be right,
it matters little to him if all the world
should denounce il, he would fight for it
as bravely and consistently as if it was
the most popular idea extant Mr.
Greeley is practical editor and essen
tally a working man, and few men in
his profession have attained more wide
spread reputation than himself He was
an early Aboli;ionist, and for many years
his course has been SO consistent that
even Southern men always accorded MIN
a large share Of respect. The Tribune
has always been a leading paper e.,
it has led and built up public opinion.
Adopting definite principles, it has pur
sued them with a pertinacity which has
at least commanded the respect of all,
and often the admiration of his enemies
That many of his views are radically
wrong is not denied, but Mr.. Greeley
does not deem them wrong, for he has
the honesty and moral courage to ac-
knowledge the errors of some Ethiopian
isms as quick as any man living.
The Tribune is read and patronized
principally by the Abolitionists of the
country, and though the circulation of
the daily paper out of the city is COM
parativeIy small the weekly is extern
siyely read in all parts Of the country,
Even the enemies of the Tribune and of
Mr. Greeley will believe any statement
found in the columns ofthat paper. Ex-
cepting the Netcs, the same cannot be
said of any other of the great dailies of
New York.
BEN WOOD AND THE NEWS.
There is more individuality in the
Ne,cs than in any other Of the metropol- |
itan journals, not that Mr. Wood is al !
ways the writer of the editorials in his 4
paper, but they all bear the impress Of
his mind and policy. No article appears
in that journal that is not first submitted |
to him, and shaped to meet his precise |
views. His bold advocacy of the rights
of the South during the war commanded |
the admiration Of that people, as well as
their gratitude, and if it excited the won
der and even hatred of the supporters OF |
the Federal Government, it also com
manded their respect. az
r.. af hot hn
did not suppress the
Neps and imprison Mr.. Wood. But the
truth is, the Government dared not do
so. Ben Wood, with rare sagaeity, had
champiohed the cause of the working
men; his journal was the friend of the
Irish and others of the laboring classes,
and they are a power here. The sup
preston of the NeDS would have led to .
a mob and riot, during which the es-
of the Abolition journals |
would have been sacrificed TO popular |
fury. 1t was, then, the interest of these |
and of the wealthy men of |
the city that the Neics should not be in
terfered with, And this is why King
Stanton dared not exercise his preroga
tive. Ben Wood sprung from the peo-
Pile, and has been educated in the harsh [
school of adversely, which, doubtless,
mas hardened some of the finer feelings
of the man; but he is, nevertheless, very
liberal when properly approached, and |
am sure his charities amount to greater
sum than others whose names are osten-
paraded before the public. Mr.
Wood possesses great fortune. By the
yav he is n native Kentuckian, having
been born in Shelbyville.
THE NEW YORK WORLD,
Manton Marble, editor, is an enterprising
paper / believe it commenced as
journal, but subsequently James
Watson Webbs Courier and Enquirer
vas merged into it, aud advocated mod
rate Republican doctrines. Subse-
luently the present editor obtained the
control, and during the war it was what
S now more widely than favorably known
IS war Democratic paper. 1t is EN-
nently Bohemian" which means it
toes in for that which will pay. Its edi-
orials are sharp and caustic rather than
or profound. 1t has no
weight with the Democratic party or
hardly with a clique of the party, the
Albany Regency" for instance, of
which it would like to be the organ-if it
ould. But Dean Richmond, Cagger q
%. know the value of the article they
purchase and have no use for the World
his paper is excellent as a newspaper,
1ore readable in fact than the Herald.
doubt that it pays much of dividend.
'hese are the leading dailies of New