Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-08
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1873,
James Brooks

The death Of James Brooks one of the
alitors of the New York Egening Fr-
prs,y, and Representative in Congress,
at this time and under the circumstances,
is peculiarly sad and impressive, The
telegram, announcing his death, informs,
as we have all along known, that "he
had long been in feeble health
from, as he himself frequently said,
the effects of fever contracted in
Asia" The fair inference would be
and such was, probably, intended-that
his death was occasioned by the fever.
II is doubtless true that it was one of
the causes. but we fear that the moving,
fnal cause was bitterness Of feeling and
shame occasioned by the Credit Mobilier
disclosures We say this in all kindness
and charity, with the greatest respect
and admiration for Mr.. Brooks great
abilities, both as a journalist and states
man, and with the tenderest sympathy
for bis family and friends, and without
one thought of casting repoach upon his
memory. II is an excellent maxim that
the errors of the dead should be buried
with them, although it is sometimes
necessary that their faults and foibles
should be remembered as warnings to
their fellows against the commission of
similar mistakes. Their errors, as well
as their virtues, may be instructive when
properly considered We do not intend
nor would this be proper occasion
rG speak, generally, in reference to Mr..
Brooks connection with the institution
named Whether his connection there
with was proper or improper, or wheth-
er he had, in fact, any connection at all
with it, are questions about which men
differ and will continue to differ Mr.
Brooks name was injuriously connected
Herewith in a committees report. on
the floor Of Congress and in the public
press, and this was enough to crush and
break down his proud and sensitive spir-
it, his system already enfeebled by dis
ease, and whether guilty or innocent,
hasten the fatal termination of his dis
casr. II is better the truth were spoken,
So that other statesmen, taking warning
therefrom, may escape the like ship
wreck Thus much we eau say without
trenching on that tenderness for the
memory of the lately dead, which APP
proved custom and propriety demand.
James Brooks was, take him all in all,
remarkable man. He was born in Port
land, Maine. in 1910, was a clerk in a
store, q school teacher, fitted for and
graduated at Waterville College, studied
aud practieed law and ''became connect
ed with the press as the first of the Wash
ington correspondents, then as editor
and afteFward as among the first of for"
eign correspondents for American news
papers" His first connection with the
newspaper press was, we believe, with
the Portland AdUertiser, during which
time he made an extensive tour of Eu-
rope on foot an account of which was
given to the world in the AdUertiser,
copied extensively in nearly all of the
newspapers of the country, and, after
ward, published in book form. His
travels throughout this country were,
also, extensive, at time when 'travel-
ing" was rare, as were his tours else
where, that to Asia being mentioned in
the telegram announcing his death. At
ter being a member of the Legislature of
Maine, in 1885, he removed to New
York, where he established the ErpreSs,
the first number of which appeared
June Goth, 1886, as decidedly whig"
newspaper. The subsequent course of
the Express as whig, then "know-
nothing, and, more recently, as dem
Ocratic organ are too well known to re-
quire more than this passing mention.
The same may be said of his political
course as a member of the New York
Legislature, and constitutional conven-
tion. and, for fourteen years, of the
lower house of Congress. His career
has been wide, varied and, in the main,
honorable and useful. We regret his
death, as a loss to journalism and to the
country His district in New York city,
peopled as it is, could not be represent,
ed by an abler or better man. We re
gret too that he was called away ere he
had had the opportunity to vindicate his
official course and clear the cloud which,
to some extent, surrounds his name and