The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-13
John Thaddcus DcInuc.

LANE. in consequence Of increasing bodily
iniirmtics. was compelled to withdraw
from that close personal supervision of the
columns Of the Thundcrer which for the
previous six and thirty years he had been
In the habit of exercising. The effect was
Immediately felt. The weakness and incon-
sistency shown by the Times throughout
the later stages of the Eastern compli-
cations have for some time past been n sub
jcct of constant remark i'm London: and the
personality of the late editor has derived
additional importance now that il has be-
come apparent how utterly dependent the
leading journal was upon his guiding genius.
The loss II Mr.. MowBR,Y MORRIS few
years ago was the first serious blow to the
old management of the Times. For nearly
thrty-fvc years Mr. MORRIS and Mr. DE-
LANE who were hruthcrs-in-law, governed
the paper automatically. In his way Mr.
MORRIS was quite as remarkable person as
Mr.. DELANE and n peculiarly fitted for the
functions which dcvolvcd upon him. The
whole business management of the concern.
its internal organization, its finance" the So
lection OF foreign correspondents, the quar-
tiers Of the world in which they were to serve.
and all communications with them were i'm
the department of Mr.. Morris. In fulfilling
these latter functions II will be seen that he
intrcnchcd largely upon what usually falls
under the editorial management hut the co.
operation of the hrothers-in-law was so per-
feet. and their confidence in each Others
ability was so great. that there was no
clashing. The one point upon which they
were both jealous was any Interference
In - .
chief proprietor. So long a. his income re-
manned undimni-hed. they insisted upon
absolute freedom from all control; and. in
deed, SO essential was this to the success
81 the paper, and 80 completely was their
paramount authority recognized. that No.
interference Of this sort was attempted.
D Mr.. DELANE directed the policy Of the pa
per, selected the subjects for the daily arti-
Giles, and in n short written memorandum
prescribed the character and tone Of each
article. This memorandum his practi Used
stan had learned To expand and express in
style SO similar to each other that
one Of the most striking features Of
the paper was it, uniformity. Though
he never wrote an article himself,
Mr.. DELANE spent every night. from ~
O'Clock to in the morning. correcting or
adding to those which were submitted Ia
him. On nights of late Parliamentary de-
bates, the slips containing the stenographic
reports arrived every quarter Of an hour.
A. soon as they were written out they were
handed to the leader writer, who was
necessarily obliged to form his concm-
sions as the debate was progressing.
These were in turn handed to Mr.. DELANE,
to be revised. and the result was an able
resume in a leading article issued at seven
in the morning of debate which had only
terminated at O'Clock the same morning
Besides the leaders, Mr.. DELANE carefully
read through the entire sheet before il went
t. press. His great faculty was in his power
az adapting and altering the style Of other
men to suit his own ideas, and in his extra
ordinary sagacity in choosing the subjects
t. be treated and the line to Toe adopted.
OF late years ii has been charged against
Mr.. DELANE that he was too fond Of mixing
with the great world, and of receiving their
adulatiOn; but there can bc no doubt that
the terms Of intimacy on which he lived with
the leading statesmen and politicians Of
both parties gave him an insight into the
hidden springs OF the political machine and
grasp OF the situation which was not pos
tihle except to one behind the scenes
Hence it was that notwithstanding the lit
erary talent with which some Of the other
London journals were conducted those who
wished reallyt know what the leaders of the
country thought about subject looked to the
Times. Thus though not the organ Of any
party, II was admitted to be the mouthpiccc
Of the governing classes, and the extra
ordinary prestige which ii enjoyed abroad
was due to this cause; but IL was Mr. De
LANE who maintained that prestige, by the
authoritative and even arrogant tone which
was the principal characteristic of the pa
per. The supreme disdain. the nsular scorn.
which made England dislikrd abroad was
faithfully represented in the columns Of the
Times; lust as the timid sentimental.
Ism, the inconsistent twaddlc for which it
has of late become conspicuous, may.
indeed. represent n section of the com
immunity which has recently acquired some
prominence. though DELANE and Now
BRAY MoRRIs were the last men who would
have permitted the views Of this partv TO
Grd ovnroooi,u In tho o,,Ii,,,, ,...ii,i...I go.