The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-01
YOUNG VS.. DANA.
The Great Newspaper Wnr-IIOrace Greeley
ENpIpins the Cnse nj Lennfh.

The Great ;eyn N;eWyspGHperr Wnr,-Horase Greeley
The New York Tribune of this morning contains
the following article on its editorial page by Horace
Mr. John r. Young has been for some four years
employed on the Tribune and for nearly three years
has held an important though subordinate position
shown package OF what were said to be (thOugh
not not signed with his namel his private confidential
letters, written mainly in 1861 to his most intimate
friend from boyhood and the associate
IN IN, some newspaper enterprise or enterprises at
Philadelphia. With these letters were two
or three others-also strictly private in their
nature - which said to have been
friends and business associates-the purpor of the
whole being that the writer's were in great straits for
money to sustain their enterprise or enterprises and
that they suggested to, and discussed with each
other various plans for filling the aching void They
were also troubled about the lack of news for their
banting, and (being refused the dispatches Of the
Associated Press any terms resorted to shifts to
supply the deficiency. Interspersed with these were
various anticipatiOns, specuatons criticisms on
certain of his associates i'm the Tribune ONCE etc
such oftener written than read by any one but
the person specially addressed, and which make no
appeal to the Judgment sympathy of any other.
These private letters, or portions of letters, gar
nished with sensation headlines and spicy COM
ments, often wholly unustitied by the text, filled
some four columns OF the SIMS editorial page, and
were introduced with due flourish as the exposure
of a plot whereat Integrity must stand aghast and
Humanity veil her face to hide the crimson of her
agoniZng bushes.
The Sua, we are sure, does us injustice in assum-
ing that this journal has any reputation for un-
earthing and publishing such stuff as this. Three
ourhs OF it was matter in which the public had and
could have no legitimate interest, the blaZOning Of
which could crafty no decent curiosity, and to
print which at all was simply an outrage. MI.
Young assures us that while he wrote some OF the
private notes therein attributed to him, he is
quite certain that the rest Of them never
nowed from his mind or pen, or else they have been
so garbled and transformed to change their mean
ing entirely. All must know that language is often
used in the freedom Of friendly intimacy which,
though innocenty meant, would sound badly if over
heard by strangers. Thus A says to his next
friend b, 81 am abominably hard up, and
must strike ,o some one one for $1,000 before
must induce some one TO pay him or lend him that
amount; yet the words are susceptible OF quite
different Interpretation. There are few who write at
all freely, in the confidence Of close intimacy who
have not written some sentences which they would
be startled to find printed aud coldly criticized by
strangers as expressing literally their purposes or
The charges on which Mr. Young stands arraigned
by the Sun on the strength OF these letters are sub
stantialy these:-
l. Having exaggerated conceit of his own abli-
ties and qualifications for Journalism with cores
ponding pefectve appreciation of the merits of some
of his present or recent associates.
2. Abusing his position on the Tribune and his IN
nuence a journalist TO promote his private ends,
and especially to procure loans or subsidies for his
| or his friends Philadelphia venture or ventures.
B. Betraying the confidence reposed III nm by ths
establishment to transmit surreptitiously the des-
patches OF the Associated rress 10 ms fnladephia
Journal or journals not entitled to receive them
With the first of these imputatons the pubic mas
| no proper business the second we are confident Is
false and unfounded: the third we trust VIII prove
equally so; but this involves the interests OF others
whose right to searching investigation Is unques-
| honable, no matter what they must think OF the
| means whereby it has been rendered necessary we
call, therefore, upon our partners IN the AssOchteu
| Press to institute forthwith a rigorous scrutiny,
| before some impartial arbter or tribunal OF the
charges against Mr.. Young with regard to the des-
| patches OF the association, proposing 10 take no
partin that scrutiny unless made the party de-
| fendant, but insisting that Mr. Young, or whoever
| may be suspected or implicated, shall not be stabbed
in the back but shall have the fullest opportunity IOT
| explanation and defense. We need not add that we
consider the onense alleged very grave one espe-
clally II the offender be one hOnored and trusted as
| Mr.. Young has been But, pending such scrutiny,
we beg that IL be understood that Mr. Young has not
| been removed, nor suspended nor in any manner
| condemned by us, has been mistakenly asserted
by the Sun, and tcegraphed all over the country. II
| is not our custom 10 pass Judgment on any one on
| the strength OF me3a indictment, especially when
| the finding Of IL was plainly impelled by envy, ma
| lice, ana bligllted aspirttions II. G..