The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-11-17
HENRY ]. RAYMOND.
A Journalist Who Wearied of tho
Pen.
gorge Alfred Townsen

UooIbo AltI6u IOWnBenu,
Henry J, Raymond never had any acquain-
lance with after l met him in the peninsular
campaign He was medium-sized, sallow-
skinned man, with very vulgar nose, some
thing on the negro order, and ragged black
viii kers combed out from his cheeks He
was neat in his drSss and very particular in
his behavior, being suave, disliking to have
quarrels, and although he would pass any
whrr) for gentleman, careful person would
him twice to see whether beneath that
pL..lible and almost engaging manner there
lay happy mind at ease with itself. He was
on Of the most rapid workers on the newspa-
pc .'yess in his time, and wrote pretty hand
o yery clear copy He was reporter-not
extraordinarily and McElrath once
told me that The Tribune made its first
strides to circulation not through Gree
ley's editorials, but through Raymond's report
college education and started in at the birth
of The Tribune about l9ll, at SO a week
Ten years later he started The Times, having
qUarrelled with both his employers, Greeley
and Webb. Whom | had my brief acquaint-
ance with Raymond The Times was about
eleven years old and q financial success, and
Raymond had been acknowledgements Of
New York and published the organ of Lin
coins administration being in with Seward,
while Greeley was i1ten3ely anh-Soward.
Raymond had come on the pres3 50 young and
advanced so rapidly that his facul les were
altogether ahead of his judgment While he
was more popular than Bennett ard Greeley
in miscellaneous circles, he had not their
pride III his profession and was seeking to get
popular honors. He was q Waspish nun,
Notwithstanding his 0groeabeuess, and had
very little liberalty or philosophy Success
was his idea Of life.
There wero original and vordant spots in
Greeley, and even in old Bennett, on which
one could rest; but Raymond was the spirit Of
motion, flexible. ,impid, toerably thin, and yet
he believed that he was alto either more Of a
man than any of his contemporaries; and many
other persons thought 30 too.
Raymond told me lying in bed one night on
the peninsular that hoWls tired of newspapers
and newspaper writing, and pi1ed Tor public
life He was an agile parliam2ntarian which
is the mark in most cases of man more adroit
than honest. His fayoyito field was in the
state legislature or in cony antion, whore he
could extract an advantage by sharp practice.
] said to him. "DOn't You think publishing q
great newspaper like The Times is place of
more power than holding a political Office at
the hands Of a parity" He said thai he had
lost his enthusiasm for newspaper work, that
it was very hard work and did not give him
scope enough
While editing The Citizen one day wrote
comparison between Greeley and Raymond,
giving Greeley his ideal place as man Of
sincerity, Of simplicity and Of humanity, while
/ expressed nearly the same views of Raymond
that are here set down. Mere success, without
some force Of character somewhere, and that
an honest force does not constitute a great
man. All Of Raymond's work seemed, after
little time, to be unsuggestve. ! possess his
life of Lincoln" published in 1864, to assist
in the denomination of that president There
is not a sentence in it showing that Raymond
was thinking person, or had any particular
delcacy of expression In short, he was a
newspaper hack for whom this world was
good enough, who naturally followed the re-
spectacle side that is the majority, but out of
whom could come nothing but worldly grace
and facility. He was sent to congress and at
once struck out to be the leader. That fatal
facility soon made him Knocked for his uncer-
tainty on things of principle and while he
could talk more glibly than almost anybody in
congress, his record there would be cipher
We're it not for the severity of some of the re-
parties he received.
One member said to him when he asked to
be paired with some Democrat GAS the gem
tleman is generally on both sides of every
question perhaps he can pair with himself.
Greeley gave Raymond the name of the Lit
tie william Raymond took hard advantage Of
all Greoley's errors of good intent, such as
trying to stop the bloodshed during the war
aud come to some accommodation.