The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-06-05

the country than that at Cincinnati did
or that at Baltimore will, because every.
body knows just what it will do. The
machinery Of the party throughout the
country Is SO completely in tho hands Of
those in the interest Of GRANT that his
denomination has been u thing virtually
accomplished for months, in fact, from
the day he abandoned his one.tcrm doc.
trlne and determined to have second.
Knowing this, tho country has looked
to this convention rather as one of form
than Of original action. The fight over
the Vice Presidency is comparatively
unimportant, and there is no great anxi.
ETY. about the platform, as there is no
presumption in favor Of any striking
departure from the accepted tenets of the
party.
The Late James Gordon Bennett.
James Gordon Bennett was born in the
early part Of the year 1895, in the little
village of New Mill, Keith, BanfFshire,
Scotland. He received a strict classical
and ecclesiastical education at the Roman
Catholic Seminary at Aberdeen, and was
intended for the clergy. In April, 1910,
however, abandoning all ideas Of joining
the priesthood, he came to America, and
commenced work as school teacher at
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Thence he removed
to Boston, thence to New York. 1t was
with difficulty that he secured the means
Of existence; indeed, report has it that only
his finding a silver quarter in one of the
walks on the Common, at Boston, saved
him from starvation or suicide. In the
fall Of 1910, he became proof reader in
the publishing house OF Wells s. Lilly. In
1922 he removed to New York, having
signalized his residence at Boston by. the
publication Of q volume Of poetry strong.
ly tinged with the morbid philosophy Of
Byron. In NewYork he was identified
most closely with the old Courier and
Enquirer, then the leading journal of the
country. Half otis matter and all Of its
spice flowed from the facile pen OF the
needy young Scotchman. 1t was him
who inaugurated the Washington cores.
pondcnce, giving it lively personal and
social tone, which was generation in ad-
vance Of his time. After troubled lie,
during which he appeared as writing
MASTERY q lecturer on political economy,
and an instructor in short hand,
and after one or two endeavors
to start party organ-notably the Penn.
SylOonian, at Philadelphia-Mr. Bennett
founded and started, in May, 1885, the
New York Herald. It's currently report.
cd that had his then editor possessed dis
cernment sufficient 10 see how valuable
an assistant he had, the Herald would
never have been started. A difference Of
50 q week, no small item when q man
was paid SIS q week and contemplated
matrimony, lost good sub.editor 10 the
Courier and revolutionized American
Journalism. The Herald was first issued
in cellar in Ann street, the editors
desk consisting OF board placed on two
flour barrels. Advertisements were
written out for the patrons Of the new
paper by its indefatigable editor. Exhaus.
tation seemed to him an impossibility.
Besides his office work, from six to eight
columns Of matter Of the most widely va.
ried character flowed from his pen daily.
ass paragraphist he was without peer
or rival in his day; he was prompt to seize
upon the popular side Of every question,
and utterly regardless Of clamor or con.
slstency ip its advocacy of opposition. a
fortunate contract with popular physi-
clan tloated tho Herald over the financial
difficulties which invariably attend the
starting Of a anew paper. It became fash.
ionable TO decry the Herald, which was
the first step towards reading it. In its
columns appeared the first commercial
article ever published in America, which
lin that cru ofwild cat drew an immense
number Of readers. The great fire in
New York in 1885 afforded MIR. Bennett
an unusual opportunity, Of which he
profted to the full His reports were
marked by the descriptive power Of
Dickens and the Vraiaembtitude of Defoe,
His history after 1s40-when the Herald
became apower in the lands the his
tory Of the Herald. Ills motto was, "News,
news, news" and carrier.pigeon, pony
express, telegraph wire, steam yacht, all
were pressed into his service. In 1854
he was offered the Ministry to France,
Since 1857 Mr.. Bennett lived in complete
retirement at his country seat at Ford.
ham, occasionally-and only occasion.
ally-dirccting the course of his paper by
telegraph. In his retirement it is under.
stood that he became a staunch deyofee
of the Catholic faith. His death leaves n
void in American journalism which can
never be adequately filed. Not that
there are not men as clever or outspoken,
but because 1t was his fortune to be clever
and outspoken ut critical tide in the al.
lairs Of journalism. What he began, Fred.
Hudson and J.R D. Putnam completed.
This, however, detracts in no measure
from his excellence and high renown as
the father and originator of the modern
school Of American journalism. His per.
sonal virtues will long survive him. No
needy artist OR struggling Rttsrateur ever
found the portals of James Gordon Ben.
netts heart closed against him, and for
hismuniacent charities and muldtudin.
Gus kindnesses tho world will forgive and
softenits verdict as to many Of hi, char
Gcteristic asperities.
The PuuADRlrnlA Enqutryr is so up.