Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-11-15
JERE BLACK AND THE PEOPLES
VOICE.
How the Founder Of the New York Herald and
Andy johnson Convinced the Great
Jurist.


year before his death, Jere Black told
correspondent that he was present at
an interview of the elder Bennett with
President Buchanan in 1868. Buchanan
asked Bennett how he had made the
Herald such a prosperous paper. "The
people" replied Bennett, support the
Herald, and act on the principal that
the paper in turn should support the
people. try to make it a reflex OF
public opinion, and to follow rather than
to attempt to lead the public Judge
Black did not like this policy, and
bluntly told Bennett so, he thought the
conductor of newspaper should have
fixed convictions of his own. 81 do
not believe" said he, '.in the old adage,
'Vox populi vox Del, - President
Buchanan was surprised at Blacks
brusqueness. Bennett was not sur
prised, but trifle mad. The Judge
undertook to squelch the editor
"Mr. Bennett, he said, 'sallow
me to ask you question. If
you had lived in the time of Christ.
when the interests of humanity were at
stake, when the Savior of the world
was on trial before Pontius PLATE,
would you have been on the side of the
mob, the rabble of Jerusalem, who
cried Cruelty Him.. or would you
have been on the side of the Son of
GodT' Buchanan was about to inter-
pose, thinking Bennett was hoored
The editor. however, was quick with an
answer, In that broad Scotch accent,
which came to him in moments of ex-
off bn a.. IA n
have been on the side of the people, /
should have been on the side of the
multitude, who, as you say, cried Cru
city Him. Had he not been crucifed,
Mr.. Black, where to-day would have
been your hope of salvation.n The
Judge put no more questions. The
elder Bennett had given him his sock
dologer.
When President johnson was return
ing to Washington after .sswinging
round the the CIRCLE he stopped at
Baltimore and addressed a crowd in
front of Barnum's Hotel johnson
made one of his random speeches,
briming over with patriotism and allus-
ions to his devotion to the constitution.
He WAS applauded to the echo, and
Nto OCiiSu lCu Will the tuecb Oh MS ora
tory. On returning to the par!or,
Judge Black was the first to greet him.
''Oh, Mr.. Black" said johnson, 1.-THE
voice of the people is the voice OF God.n
You don't believe anything of the
sort, said the Judge, mindful of his
experience with Bennett II do" was
the Presidents reply. Il believe it
now more than ever / did, Sup
pose" said Black, ''the people were to
ask you to do something contrary to
law would you violate your oath OF
office and do if?'' NO" answered
johnson. 81 would say then that the
voice OF the people should be on the
side of law ''Well' said Judge
Black, suppose you had lived in the
days of Pontius Plate and had witness
ed the immortal scene of liberatino
Barrabas on demand of the mob and
turning over Christ for crucifixion.
would you have regarded the voice
of the multitude on that OCCASION as the
voice of God?" President johnson
must have heard of the Bennett episode.
AT any rate he was equal to the occa-
sion. Mr.. Black" said he, you for
get that | have the advantage eighteen
centuries of history With the light |
have to-day, | certainly should have
beer on the side of Christ" Judge
Black collapsed. He was ever after
wards prepared TO let the assertion that
the voice of the people is the voice of
God 90 unquestioned