Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-08-27
Henry j. Raymond.
.uToBIoGRAPmoAL FRAGMENT
From the New York Times.

destined to have permanent interest to
his countrymen. His career, though
brief, was very brilliant one, and gave
promise Of the most exalted civic hon
ors. We are not surprised therefore, to
learn that among his papers was found
the commencement of an autobiography
which, though like most autobiographies,
is only fragment, happily gives details
Of that period of his life usually least
accessible to the biographer In reading
this brief memorial Of Mr.. Raymond's
early struggles with the world, our read
ers will feel new respect for the talent
and energy by which he triumphed, and
those who are beginning life under SINH
lar disadvantages will derive from his
example and success fresh encourage
ment.
have been very much interested in
Mr.. Greeleys recollections of his early
experience in newspapers, and especially
in the establishment of the Tribune. For
/
some reason or other, everybody, l be-
lieve, finds something especially interest
ing in the details of the rise and progress
of newspaper but my connection with
Mr.. Greeley at that time makes it quite
natural that my interest in it should be
even sharper than that Of the public at
large. The generous appreciation which
Mr.. Greeley expresses, now that more
than quarter of century has elapsed,
of my services at that time, is especially
grateful to me. | was with him less than
four years, instead Of eight, as he says !;
and, though did work, believe, quite
as hard during that time upon the Trib-
une as he now gives me credit for having
done, | think | have worked still harder
for good many years since that time.
But | certainly deserve no special credit
for it in either case. | did it from no
special sense of duty-still less with any
special aim or ambitious purpose. l
liked it; knew no greater pleasure,
having had but little experience then
and am free to say that | have found
only one since.
Mr.. Greeley speaks more slightingly
than / think is just of his previous efforts
in editing newspapers-an especially of
what was my earliest favorite among
newspapers-The New Yorker. I made
its acquaintance in the winter Of 1885,
when, being but fifteen and too young to
go to College, for which ! was better pre-
pared than my father was to send me, |
had undertaken to act as clerk in coun-
try store for the magnificent sum of $75
year. / did not like the business, and
as time hung heavy on my hands drop
ped in at the post-office and asked what
was the best newspaper to subscribe for.
The postmaster threw me half a dozen
which had been sent to him by the pub
fishers as specimen numbers; and after
due deliberation l selected the New York
er as the one which promised to be the
most interesting and instructive. l sent
, my s3 subscription, received the paper
, in return, and thus began my acquain-
J tance with it, which was uninterrupted
until in 1S41, aided, perhaps, to kill it
/ certainly at its funeral ceremonies.
i Mr.. Greeley speaks deprecatingly Of
its neutrality in politics and its meagre
, election returns. Yet those very features
gave him solid reputation much more
widely than he has any notion of, and
} laid the foundation of his future author.
, ity and success. There was candor in
r its discussions-a fair examination Of
: both sides of the political topics which
9 divided the country and readiness te
E give due weight to the arguments of al
a opponent, which, combined with great
: clearness of thought and command o
: the subject won for the political articles
h of the New Yorker very high degre'
: of influence and respect. know tina
a they made far greater impression upor
: political opponents than the vehemen
n party diatribes which then, as now, wer
r regarded as so much more effective. Ant
# the election returns of the New Yorker
e for years, commanded degree of respec
e to which none of the party journals o
r the day could aspire. They were regard
l. ed as unbiased by party feeling, perfect.
/. honest and coming from well-informe'
IS and thoroughly reliable quarter. Th
= New Yorker was as great an authorit,
# in that section of the country, on election
y returns, as the Mercury (the weekly edi
g ton of the Journal of Commerce. unde
l. Mr.. Gerard Hallock-and when the vel
y dict of either Of those journals came t
r. hand, all disputes on the subject ceased
d The reputation which Mr.. Creole
re thus won for himself in the New Yorke
d was of very essential service to him i
We his other journalistic efforts, long afte
h the New Yorker itself ceased to exis
N The calm, dispessionate character of il
is articles-their strength of argument a
m the more conspicuous by reason Of th