New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01
THE SUNNI. JOHN r. YOUNG.
Ihe Sim of Yesterdav SAYS I:

The Sun of yesterday says:
THH TRIBUNE pretty fair newspaper; but does
not keep verJ well informed respecting hs events Of the day
For instance published nothing about the celebrated exposure OF
the transactions Mr. John Russell Young except note from Attorney
Brewster denying that he had lent money to Young but admit
ting tb, b. had frequently Mr. Youngs alter Mr.
stockton help the struggling Morning Post THH
TRBUsR attend closely o"hat going on In the
world or 1t will lose reputation Perhaps however will soon have
new managing editor then will publish the new" ''n"
Comments by The Tribune
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 in its Editorial
department. Late last week, we were shown
package of what were said to be Though not
signed with his name) his private, confidential
letters written mainly in 1867, TO his most in
innate friend from boyhood and the associate
in some newspaper enterprise or enterprises at
Philadelphia With these letters were two or
three others-also strictly private in their ma
turc which were said to have been
written by his brother and by Others OF
his intimate friends and business asso-
ciates - the purport Of the whole being
that the writers were in great straits for money
to sustain their enterprise or enterprises and
that they suggested to and discussed with each
They were also troubled about the lack of
news for their bantling, and (being refused the
dispatches of the Associated Press on any
terms) resorted TO various shifts to supply the
deficiency. Intersperscd with these were vari-
GUS anticipatiOns, speculations, criticisms on
certain of his associates in THE TRIBUNE office,
&C., such as oftener written than read
by any but the person specially addressed, and
Il L., I'D, - ,,n
patty of any other. These private letters, or
portions of letters, ganished with sensation
head lines and spicy comments, often wholly
unjustifed by the text, filled some four col
umns of The Suns editorial page, aud were
introduced with due flourish as the exposure
of a plot whereat Integrity must stand aghast,
and Humanity vail her face to hide the Grim
son of her agonizing bushes.
The Sun, we are sure, does us injustice in
assuming that this journal has any "repata-
"tiOnn for unearthing and publishing
such stuff as this. Thrce-fGurths 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 outrage. Mr. Young
assures us that, while he wrote some of tho
private notes therein attributed to him. he is
quite certain that the rest of them never
flowed from his mind or pen, or else they
have been so garbled and transformed as
to change their meaning entirely. All
must know that language is often used
in the freedom of friendly intimacy
which, though innocently meant, would
sound badly if overheard by strangers. Thus
A says 20 his next friend y, al am abominably
st 10 tor Q
"before Saturday night" meaning only that no
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 sem
fences which thoy would be startled to find
printed and coldly criticised by strangers as
expressing literally their purposes or cOnvic
tions.
The charges on which Mr.. Young stands ar
raigned by The Sun on the strength Of these
letters are substantially these
/. Having an exaggerated cOnceit of his own
abilities and qualifications for journalism, with
a corresponding defective appreciation of the
merits of some OF his present or recent asso-
ciates;
2. Abusing his position on THE TRIBUNE and
his influence as a journalist to promote his
private ends, and especially to procure loans or
subsidies for his or his friends Philadelphia
venture or ventures.
8. Betraying the confidence reposed in him
by this establishment to transmit sureph-
tiously the dispatches of the Associated Press
to his Philadelphia journal or journals not en-
titled to receive them.
Vita ne first of these imputatiOns the
public has no proper business; the second NO
are confident is false and anfounded the third
We trus. will prove equally so; but this in
wolves the interests of lothers whose right to
q searching investigation is unquestOnable, no
matter what they must think Of tho means
whereby it has been rendered necessary. We
call, therefore, upon our partners in the Asso-
ciated Press to institute forthwith q rigorous
scrutiny, before some impartial arbiter or tri-
bunal, of the charges against Mr.. Young with
regard to the dispatches of the Association,
proposing to take no part in that scrutiny un-
less VIC are made the party defendant, 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 for explanation and defense. We
need not add that We consider the ofcnse