Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-14
The Young Men of the New York Press

From the New York Independent Ith.l
It is a striking fact that the number OF
young men prominently connected with
the New York press as writer's, IL sgreater
now than at any former period. Although
the editors-in chief of several Of the lead
ing metropolitan journals are veterans,
yet the chief editorial work OF these
Journals is done by men between the
years of twenty-five and forty. William
Cullen Bryant idles when he pleases,
leaving Charles Nordhoff and Augustus
Maverick to edit the Ere,Rng Post Hor-
ace Greeley is like father among sons
in the Tribune Office. 1t is true, Sidney
Howard Gay, lately the managing editor
of that journal, is on the shady side OF
life yet he has just gone of TO the White
Mountains in search of the lost sunshine,
leaving John Russell Young to be his
brilliant successor. George Ripley, the
ripe literary critic, is on a wedding
tour in Europe, leaving his pen to Mr.
Hassard. Geo. W. Smalley, who a few
years ago was rowing boatraces for the
glory of Yale College, and who first
made his literary reputation by his mas
terly report in the Tribune, OF the
b title of Antietam, is already one OF
the ablest writer's, as he is one OF the
noblest men, Connected with the American
press. Then, too, in the same office, are
Clarance Cook, waging war against all
bad pictures and some good; Edwin IL.
House and William Winter, dramatic
critics; Nathan Urner and Kane o Don
mel, comparatively new arrivals IN Go
than Albert d. Richardson and Jun
ius H. Brown, who came very near being
made old by Castle Thunder and Sails
bury prison and Professor Schem, who
would have been young enough to men
ton if this article had been written ten
years ago. The Times, in the absence
of Henry j. Raymond (who is just hnd-
ing out how much less influential his
congressional chairis than his edtorial),
is conducted by Franklin j. Ottarson,
gentleman who, we believe, is never re-
membered to have been young, but who
is the kindest Of editors to Juvenile ap-
plcants with manuscripts; for we hap
pen to know of youngster whose hrst
piece of newspaper writing was accepted
and printed by Mr. Ottarson, then city
editor of the Tribune. But all the rest
of the Times men, we believe, are
young-Stilman S. Conant, the two
Swintons. Edward Seymour, Henry D.
Winser, and the rest-though we believe
we ought to except Mr. Morrison. In the
Herald, James Gordon Bennett, Junior,
is learning his fathers trade of newspa-
per management; but we are unable to
say whether or not his youthful pen is
vet a competent master of that elegant
and Addisonian English wherewith the
editorials of the Herald so charm the
North american ReUieU. Manton Mar
BILE. chief editor of The World, is a gen.
tleman whose politics are very bad, but
whose editorship is very able. George
William Curtis, the editorial writer OF
Harper's Weekly, is not the youngest OF
young men; but we trust the years VIII
be many before he shall grow old. The
Nation is edited by E. l.. Godkin and
Wendell Phillips GarrisOn-both young
men. Mr.. Sweetser, of the Round Table,
we take to be rather oldish and mel
lowed man, judging from the sweettem-
pered, humane, and serene tone with
which his columns usually refer to his
editorial neighbors. As to Bayard lay
lor, Richard H. Stoddard, Grant White,
and Joseph Barber, we are little doubt
full of their ages-but we give
them the benefit Of the doubt Edmund
C. Stedman, the poet, is still in the early
morning Of his song. Frederic B. Per
kins, born magazine writer, is lending
a young mans energies to the galaxy
Charles d. Gardette, John Alden, Barry
Gray, c. ID. Shanleys and DR.. Stiles, of
the Historical Magazine, might all be
much older, and still young George W
Bungay has Just renewed his youth by
taking charge of the Herald Of Health.
Colonel Halpine and Private Miles
O'Reilly, those interesting twins who
edit The Citizen, cannot pretend that
their united ages are over thirty-fve, and
George Alfred Townsend, the co-editor,
is much younger Eugene Benson, the
art critic, was boy only yesterday. The
Anti- Slauery Standard begins its new
volume with Aaron NJ Powell-the
youngest man who ever edited it. On
the other side Of the East river is Ed
ward Cary, the indefatigable young editor
of the Brooklyn Union We presume
that the journals Of every American city
are equally crowded with young editors.
Solomon thought il good for a man to
bear the yoke in his youth; and nothing
in this world is more like bearing yoke