The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-12
JAMES GORDON BENNETT.
The American Press on the Founder Of
the New York Herald.

From the New York Pathfinder, for June 10.l
The leading incidents in the life OF James Gordon
Bennett, the founder of the NEW YORK HERALD and
the most extraordinary journalist the world has
ever known, have been given to the public by the
most prominent ofhis contemporaries, accompanied
by such eloquent tributes to his original genius and
unparalleled enterprise reflect the highest honor
upon themselves as well as upon him. His trials
and triumphs, his perseverance,, industry, courage,
farsghtedness, and those other high qualities which
dignity manhood and made him the foremost OF all
Journalists form priceless lesson to the young and
frendless and have won him an imperishabe fame.
He was happy to have lived beyond the allotted
age OF man, and long before the sunset OF
his useful life to have seen the fruition OF
his fondest hopes-the establishment OF the NEW
YORK HERALD as the acknowledged leading news
paper OF the world. That remarkable journal Is MS
monument, and in it, in one sense, may be sad 10
be his resurrection: for, though his body be lleess,
his great spirit still breathes in the columns ne
planned and in the forces he organized, daily IN
structing and doing varied good to the world upon
the same wise, generous and comprehensive scale
which he conceived and vltalized so long me
monarch OF daily journalism Is dead; but the great
creation OF his genius survives. carrying out ms
IDEAS to the profit OF all readers Of all classes illus
that the soul can never die While it would be I'M
reasonable to mourn at this new and solemn IN
stance that
All that live must die
Passing through nature to eternity.
for he long ago passed the borders or threescore
and ten, it is natural that such an event should
inspire q wish that those who have been so useful
TO the human race might be exempted from the
common lot: yet that wish were selfish which would
deprive them Of their reward on high.
Mr.. Bennett died in the seventy-seventh year OF
his age, having been born about the year 1885, He
was of Catholic French parents and born IN Scot
land. He died calmly and without pain. He left
this busy world
Not like the quarry slave at night
red To \
BY an unsatring trust approached his grave
About s p him M and lies down WI to Pleasant Dreams
From the Galveston Cexas) Civilian-John S.
Thrasher.l
On the 1st day OF September, 1865, while walking
with Mr.. Bennett in the grounds of his villa at Fort
Washington ne said to the writer of these lines,
'To-day is my SEVENTEEN birthday" He was born
at Keith In Banffshire, Scotland, OF an ancient JAG
obite family. We have heard him on several occa-
sions in hours OF social intercourse, playfully de-
fend himself for his editorial asperites towards
England, saying, "But neither nor my ancestors
ever took the oath of allegiance to the House Of
Hanover" In conducting the HERALD Mr..
Bennett followed no existing form of journalism,
nor did he travel In beaten paths. In his long
career as the founder Of new system he showed
himself to be possessed OF the inventive genius
CURED to meet Its frequent and numerous demands.
AS an editor he applied in journalism
in Recommendations must be ruled in
accordance with, not against the popular feelings
and impulses" He was probably the best living
judge Of the tone and temper of the American
people.
In exercising his Judgment as to future events, it
was favorte practice OF Mr.. Bennett to follow the
plan which acquired for SOuthey great reputation
for political sagacity in the editorial direction of
the quarterly ReoielC during the NapOleOnic wars.
He would draw parallels from history, particularly
Roman, and deduce the event in the modern
parallel from that which attended a similar COM
binaton In the historical era. On one OF these
occasions he stopped abruptly in his comparison
and explained to us :-'rThere Is one thing need
sadly in history nobody has given the history OF
the jobs.n
The history Of the HERALD for the last thirty
years is the history Of Mr.. Benefits laborious and
useful life. AS the journal rose In prosperity and
influence he rose with it, gradually withdrawing
from IL the personalities which had marked its
earlier career. But he never sacrificed its nde-
pendence. Az success raised him to a higher and
wider sphere of duty he proved equal to all Its de-
mands upon him, and his true greatness became
more widely known and more generally admitted.
Now that he has passed away. and time Is calming
the passions that were evoked during the strug gle
for success. his merits will be revealed more justly
as the founder OF "the journalism u the tuture"