New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-06
" THE IMPERIALIST."
WHAT 1T WAS, AND WHAT IT WAS NOT-THE
END OF A SENSATION.

ysJisf publication were surprised at the revelations
made ia an article In the last number OF The Ga'aIy
Il the story written by the person who disclosed inc
schemes of his comrades not false the color he gives
It's remarkably So For this colorng the able gehue
man who prepared that article from the notes OF per
,on who declined 10 acknowledge his own communica,
aon Is not responsible. In giving the moli'os o."
sequence OF the facts about The ImpeTahs| uls'o.s
deny that conscientious motives nave any ms
20 do with this recital IL comes loHi -
Indignation any disnteresed person feels az Hoi"i
fraud The information given IN May OF june las
by the person who started the idea OF ne 4"p,
and who aerward sent It's story to me od'a|y' anu ~
Ing attention TO that article another PRINT srONe 10
throw the odlum OF the project on Con- Logan anu inc
GRAND Army of the Republic These assertions OF mine
40 not need 10 be made twice, as they come ron
no secondhand authority The gentlemen OF position
and culture" quoting from The GALAXY article VINO
we're founders, editors and writers OF IHs W.,
periaisi are ithree young men, toleraby wen
known in New-York newspaper offices. Two were
Americans and renegade Republicans. One had gone so
far rs to carry torches in Union League PROFESSIONS anu
talk patriotism hercey at the curOstone and attempted
to enlist the war; but the protesatons OF his irehus
especially his lady friends held his loyal ardor in check
During the last campaign he occupied his fertile pen
with writing editorials alternately for Grant and Sey
nour with possible consulate in view which ne Iohuy
hoped to secure by his dsinterested labors whichever
side might The list Of cOnsulaes was hed put MS
name was not on it, and the death Of hope from Repub
ncan Government left him an ardent Imperiaist
The second is an Englishman, who has the best
claim to sincerity of belief Of any one OF the
rumvlrate. His position at the time Wasa subordinate
one in the freight business He however is the only one
Of the three who deserves in the least the dsncton OF
culture The others graduates Of freshwater col
eges with post graduate Of bad French novels
and provincial Italian The third is the working editor
Of a small financial paper very young man-so young
that difficult characterize him further All three
we're Bohemian Of Bohemia in the eminent degrees OF
rrI,o afnrf M
,ouId force its way to notorious success by
the "undraped" odousness OF It's principles was
suggested first Of these men after an apprentice
ship to Pomeroy's Democrat The idea Is not new TO the
world. The devil is always ready to accept uneondi
uonal surrender matter how poor the victory may
be. Walker the flibuster, Capt. Kidd, the great
marine, Cesarian, and the renowned captive and cove
nant keeper OF Ham sufficient instances. Model
artists and opera boue In smaller way succeed on the
Iame principle The charge Of imperial ambition against
the President-nomnate furnished significant opening
FOR INSCRIPTIONS talent to enlarge during the
intervals Of "paragraphing" at eight cents q
inc. The paper proposed WAS not started during
the campaign because 1t would injure the pros
poets OF O consulate for Nos one and
two of the triad When the ingrautude Of republics
demonstrated and consulate TO be had, the en-
CINE Of destruction was set to work
Three men In the hall bedroom Of New York board
nghouse, conyersing in whispersw The dread portrait
Of the fills with They drink Death to the
OF the toOthmug, the minute and melOdramatic manu-
script does not inform US South America felt the i'm.
pulsoD and trembled with earthquake few months
Readers will remember that the issue of The I'm
periaiist was followed in time by the Coliseum
Festival in Boston and the capture OF Reddy
the Blacksmith, TO say nothing Of the May
anniversaries. Who has not ferOcOus
spaniel howl menaces at the moon. and the moon mme
diately pass behind cloudi "The night was far ad'
vanced when the meeting broke mp" as 1t is apt to be
when good fellows drink Death to Republics" In flowing
bowls two-shing tumblers. There was fierce storm
of rain and lightning at the time the meeting broke up
there often is when there is lightning. At any
rate this complimentary token on the part Of the heav-
gratefully accepted the sincere element Of the
dramatic for which the souls OF the conspraor hirsted
Talking in whispers had brought a delicious feeling Of
insecurity and the sweet portens Of Government espion
age. dark.lantern would have added solemnity
to the scene. People darklanterns about
dangerous or dirty deeds, and cannot
sea why not to darken the light as to
converse in whispers Treason has been printed taKed
and shouted this country for the last forty years,
whenever any took it into his insane head to do So
The plan or plot of The Impeiais and the T. C. l. o.
might have been discussed the ordinary room at Del
monico's, or in the Wallst. Exchange, and nobody
would have lifted finger to prevent. Government
would have read stray copies at the breakfast table and
laughed over the fne editorials wasted the scheme
The editorial corps might have worn diadems IN the
streets with InperalSi bazoned in 'front.' and nobody
would have felt mucn nurt. Inc element OF secrecy
is captivating 70 young minds, such as school
girls who prefer an assgnaton IN the kitchen garden,
or an eOpement the Daniel Drew to acquaintance
sanctioned by all the family BOwery boys would de-
light ia the description Of this midnight meeting, the
sensible editor OF The GALAXY did when he shook
with laughter over this highly drawn bit Of
sensation sketch and admitted too good joke TO be
lost The sententous words, 1--WE may hang separately
or together" inpart fine and fearful relish to the
scene Bless you do you think those would peril their
necks any principle whateyeri They knew that their
secrecy and courage and audacity were mere shams,
and the strength Of the government they attacked was
at once their license and security. Their audscity,
alias &" cheek" otherwise impudence, was that OF
child who kicks a visitors shins with IMMUNITY secure
that he won't be punished in company. There is
dacity which is genius; there Ia another quality OF 1t
which is simply cowardce.
The fact is this These three we're In expressive
phrase either "hard up" impatient Of nOtOriety.
am inclined 70 set down the latter motive to the youngest
and most prosperous Of the three good advertising
device srucku by the leader and second together
both claim the Every obnoxious idea hourshes in
safety this favored cline why should not they play
out their charming conspiracy "NO OF my readers
says the writer, "can have forgotten the excitement
which this Imperial bomb-shen created" So far
from this being the case most readers for the
first time informed that such bOmbshe had been fired
but some Of them remember the burning Of Greytown
during Pierces administration which furnishes paral
lei such Of the press Of England and America "saw
in It the defiance Of party strong enough to make public
ts aims and plans" win be pleased to know that
was the neat little advertising scheme Of adven-
turers irresponsible unprncpled Bohemians," who Dor
rOwed hundred dollars TO start their quack poll
teal idea and who would have found 1t unpleasant
to have had to refund that amount if the American
public had been less credulous. The designation
ibOye inserted repudiated by The GALAXY
hticle. Why Nobody knew enough Of the matter