The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-09-08
Jere Black and the Peoples Voice.
how the Fauntsr Of tAs New York Herald"
Convinced the Great Jurist.

Nv" tae EeAnlef oI tAe neW 1ork heralG I
Convinced the Great Jarist.
Washington, d. c., Aug. 93.-l
Anecdotes of the late Judge Jere !
Black are circulating freely. On |
his last visit to Washington, a year |
ago this month, he told q CORES
pondent that he was present at an |
interview of the elder Bennett |
with President Buchanan in 1858. |
Buchanan asked Bennett how he
had made the Herald such a pros.
porous paper. "The peopla,n re.
piled Bennett, support the Her
aid, and | act on the principle that
the paper in turn should support
the people. | try to make it re.
fiex of public opinion, and to fol.
low rather than to attempt to lead
the public.' Judge Black did not
like this policy, and bluntly told
Bennett SO; he thought the con-
ductor of newspaper should have
fixed convictions of his own. Il
do not believe,n said he, sin the
old adage, 'Vox populi vox Del"
President Buchanan was surprised
at Blacks brusqueness, Bennett
was not surprised, but a tritle mad.
The Judge undertook to squelch
the editor. "Mr. Bennett" he
said. "allOw me to ask you a ques-
tion. lfyou had lived in the time
of Christ, when the interests OF
humanity were at stake, when the
Saviour of the world was on trial
before Pontius Plate, would you
have been on the side of the mob,
the rabble OfJcrusalem, who cried
Cruelty him. or would you have
been Oh the side of the Son OF
Godr Buchanan was about to
interpOse, thinking Bennett was
tloored. The editor, however, was
quick with an answer. la that
broad Scotch accent, which came
to him in moments of excitement,
he said: "Mr. Black, | should
have been on the side of the null
titude who, as you say, cried Cru.
cify him. Had he not been cruel
fed, Mr.. Black, where to-day
would have been your hope of sal.
yation.n The Judge put no more
questions. The elder Bennett had
given him his sockdologer.
When President johnson was
returning to Washington "sftel
swinging round the circle" he
stopped at Baltimore and address
ed a crowd IN front of Barnum's
hotel. johnson made one of hi
random speeches, brimmipg ovel
with patriotism and illusions tt
his devotion to the constitution
lie was applaudcd to the echo
and was delighted with the effec
of his oration. On returning t.
the parlor Judge Black was th'
, first to greet him. "Oh, Mr.
| Black" said johnson, "thc voic'
of the people is the voice OF God
"You don't believe anything of tn
! sort,r said the Judge, mindful o
his experience with Bennett, a."
do,r was the Presidents reply. ="
, believe it more now than ever
D did.n Suppose" said Black, 18th
4 people were to ask you to d
| something contrary to law, woul
+ you violate your oath of office an
t do iti" "No," answered johnson
+ II would say then that the vote
+ of the people should be on tn
!. side of law.n "Well," said Judg
;. Black, suppose you had lived |
the days of Pontius Plate and ha
s witnessed that immortal scene
y liberating Barrabas on demand
/. the mob and turning over Chris
l. for rrucifixion, would you have r.
n parded the voice of the multitud
II on that occasion as the voice
l. God ~ President johnson mu
@ have heard of the Bennett episod
e At any rate he WAS equal to Il
k occasion. "Mr. Black" said h
k "you forget that l have had the a
vantage of eighteen centuries
@ history. With the light have t
d day, | certainly should have be-
Of on the side of Christ.
d, Judge Black collapsed. He WI
le ever afterward prepared to let Il
10 assertion that the voice Of Il
a, people is the voice of God go u
fe questioned.