Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-01
IN EXPLANATION.
John Russell Young Makes Con-
fSSSiOn.
He Reflects upon the Corrupt
Press of New York.

The EUening Post oi Thursday evening
publishes the following letter from J..
Russell Young:
To The Editor OF the Evening Post:
I thank you for the spirit Of your COM
tnents on the recent publications in the
Sun, II tue latter alternative proves
true, the whole press will receive from
this case q check to its influence, stain
on its character, the effect Of which may
counteTbalsnce many years OF upright
and honorable labor of others in the SER
vice OF the public. It will certainly now
be more necessary than ever for sll
members OF the press who wish to save
it from disgrace to join, not in merely
denouucing the impOster now exposed,
but il keeping the rest of the profession
entirely above all kindred suspicion. /
am content to accept the Judgment.
What l have written, I have written !;
what have done, have done. / take
the fullest responsibility, and do not
write this in q way TO escape from it.
IremembeT writing many letters. do
not remember writing Others. l nave
not seen them. The person TO whom
they were written had been my school
mate and friend. The friendship was
broken by misconduct in business in
terest, in which he had bsen placed by
NV influence. When be left l was me-
naced with two publications. L was told
a small sum of money could suppress it.
My reply was that l had written many
things which did not care to see printed.
My letters TO nay wife, my diary, my
correspondence generally, could not be
msde public without annoyance. had
written nothing which could make me
lose the respect OF any one who knows
me, OF course l am sensible of the error
OF having had this correspondent. For
that mistake 1 cannot make sufficient
explanation. For twenty-f 70 years
had looked upon him as friend, when
I should have known that he was merely
= dog. | gave him confidence, personal
association, generous bounty and char
itv, when TO him essentially charity was
precious, / should have tossed him the
crumbs snd bones from my table. That
gqs my blundeT. There are men who
hold in our social economy the same re-
Iation which Vermin hold in nature.
regret the same distinction has finally
crept into the press. When any scoun-
drel has private letters to sell he may
find 4 market in New York newspaper.
he will not only have them printed, but
so dexterOusly arranged and clipped and
commented upon, that matters which
were never in his mind, and circum-
stances which never existed, Will be
made TO appear as his life aRd speech /;
and though the simplest transactions in
will be spoken Of IS crimes, and the
courtesies Of life will be held az CLOSING
conspiracy and intrigue, If there are
phrases which have no meaning, mean
ing can be invented, and with en- editor
fertile with his pen, there is no limit to
his invention. / do not believe in suits
for libel as a general thing, but L have
given the editor of this print an oppor-
lunitV to explain and defend this trans.
action with private correspondence be-
fore jury OF his countrymen. Having
done this, ! have only to say there Is
nothing in these letsers which Fcannot
explain whenever an explanation is pro-
per. It is not proper here and now
This publication is psrt Of determined
effort to drive me from the Tribune and
press of this city. 1t is only the culmi-
nation OF a conspiracy which has lorg
been engendered. ] am satisfied it has
taken this shape. IL has brought to me
unexpected and precious evidence Of
friendship, and from no men more
warmly, L am proud to SPy, than the
generous, noble gentlemen with whom l
am associated in business.
am respectfully, your Obedient ser
want, JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG