Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-07-18
Choife a9,isfellanv.
Gossip About Writers.

H.f. Gossip About Writers. ."
From the New York Evening Gazette.
JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG
Has been more written about since his
advent in New York than any Young
journalist of our acquaintance; his years
and responsible position on the Tribune
furnishing themes for paragraphs with
out number. He was born in Chester
Co., Pa, in November. 1910; went to New
Orleans in his twelfth year to reside with
an uncle, who reared him, his parents
having died in his early childhood. He
was educated in high school, and re-
turned to Pennsylvania in 1855, and, fol-
lowing his uncle's counsel, learned to
set type, though not in any printing office,
in Philadelphia, and acquired consider
able dexterity as an amateur in the Faust
can calling. He enjoyed the reputation
of very indolent but decidedly clever
boy, who had no fondness for regular oc-
cupation. After devoting year to print
ing he studied law, and was in time ad-
mitted to the bar; but never practiced,
some natural vocal defects, which he did
not care to overcome after the manner of
Demosthenes, an exceedingly shrinking
and sensitive disposition, and a strong
bias in favor of writing, carrying him, in
1857, into journalism.
He began his career as prOOf-reader
on the Philadelphia Press, at S4 a week
(men of family often grow rich and
wretched i'm that city, at the present day,
on S15 "a week, while twenty dollars is
considered princely compensation on
the banks of the Schulkill,) and, in 1859,
became reporter, through the influence
of DE-. Mackenzie, on the same paper
When the war broke out, he entered the
field as military correspondent; wit
messed the first battle of Manassas, and
remained with the A rmy of the Potomac
until the spring of '62. He then went
back to Philadelphia, and was made chief
editor of the Press, intermediately and
spasmodically editing the other of For
ney's "two dailies,n the Washington
Chronicle. He worked very hard for
nearly three years, and wrote many ar
ticles that were exceedingly clever, and
where but in Philadelphia. During 1865
he had difficulty with Forney respect
ing the dismissal of One'of the employees
of the office, when Young took decided
and manly stand, and sooner than be
guilty of any injustice, very chivalrously
resigned his position; the entire staff of
the paper going with him.
He then came to New York, and was
three months Jay Cookies agent for pop
ularizing the eseventy-thirty loan. After
leaving Cooke, hethought of going West
but meeting Sydney Howard Gay, then
managing editor of the Tribune, he made
an engagement to write some editorials
for that paper. They We're noticeably
good, and a departure from the dryness
and heaviness that too often characterize
the fourth page of that able journal
They attracted the attention and elected
the commendation of Horace Greeley,
whose chief manias do not include praise
of his associates, and Young was regu-
larly employed as an editorial writer.
When the difficulty occurred between
the stockholders and Mr.. Gay, and the
latter gentleman resigned, Young was
offered the managing editorship, and ac-
cepted it. He is very ambitious and a
brilliant writer, and has during his twelve
months of management contributed very
largely to the interest and variety of the
Tribune; though his regular duties are
quite enough to absorb all his time in
that position. The articles that were
deemed his best were a review of James
Buchanan's book and Greeley's "Amer-
lean Conflict" over both of which HI. G..
grew tumultuously laudatory. nH.
The Tribune gave Young the privilege
of expending fifty thousand extra the
first year of his management, and the
paper certainly improved. But of late it
Is understood the stockholders-some of
them, at least-have been seized with q
paralytic attack of economy, and have
hampered and fettered che managing
editor, according to the established action
of share-held establishments, until he
considers, we suspect his position more
of q bore than beatitude. He has dis
covered that events instead of men edit
the Tribune, discovery likely to prove
fatal to personal ambition and energy
in such a position as he holds.
Every newspaper should be an auto
cracy, and until 1t is 1t can never be what
it should. Where adozen men are i'm
terfering and counseling and complain
ing, the manager is merely such in name,
shortcomings OF, the journal over which
he holds a barren seepter. - .trioq an
Young is not yet twenty-seven, quite
boyish looking with his smooth face and
difiident air, red-haired, blue-eyed, slight
and above the medium size; very courte-
Gus and conciliatory in manner, too good
natured perhaps for his position, but a
clear-headed, conscientious, and capable
journalist, iand writer who has few
equals. in grace and power and brilliancy
In the United States. hHih 1ifllida
WENDELL PHfLLfPs.
The publication of his, volume of
Speeches and Textures gives Mr.. Phillips
a place among writer's, though, wherever
our Language Is spoken, he is, and always
will be known as ''the silver-tongued
orator" 'i'l! ''''' ''. ~
Thirty-two years ago q young man,
fresh from the law school at Cambridge,
stood upon the steps of the Clifton House,
in Boston, looking on at an infuriated
mob who were dragging a bareheaded,