The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-02-06
THE ELDER BENNETT.
Hon. John Russell Young's Recollectlons
of the Great Journalist.

Hon. John Russell Young's Recollectons
of the Great Journalist.
al first saw Mr.. Bennett in 1864, when
l came to New York with mess3esto
him from Mr.. Forney. Mr. Forng had
some ideas about being a member OF
the Cabinet of Mr.. Lincoln, and there
were good reasons why he expected
such recognition. l came to New York
at his request to see Mr.. Bennett. ]
was introduced to him by Hon. John
B. Haskin, then member of Congress
from Westchester County. ! went to
Fort Washington one snowy night and
saw Mr.. Bennett for the first time.
From that began, an acquaintance that
lasted until he died He was then an
old man of nearly seventy. with Curl
Gus humor. He talked until late in the
evening. He hadan interesting Scotch
accent. He told me about his early
days and his firsteditorial, on the battle
of Waterloo, in Scotch newspaper,
and | remember he impressed me as a
combination of Horace Walpole and
Cobbett. He was to me always very
kind. He had the genius of journal
ism, streaming humor, fine head,
utterly indifferent to public opinion and
political relationships, profuse in per-
sonal courtesy and with strong admit
ration for both General Jackson and
General Grant
Il remember when General Grant
came to New York in 1869 or 1870 he
said to me: i owe great deal to Mr..
Bennett. He has treated me with kind
ness from Fort Donelson down. wish
| could make some return; but he wants
no Office, takes no part in politics, asks
for no appointments, despises patron
age, and | can not do anything for him.
ought to do something to show my
appreciation of his profound and per.
feet support | said to him:
"'You can only do one thing for Mr..
Bennett, Mr.. President Go and see
him
Horace Porter, think it was, was
with the President, and he said: Yes,
Mr.. President, l don't think you can
do anything better than to go and call
on him.
Il gave him Mr.. Bennett's address,
and General Grant went with General
Porter and sent up his card. He
thanked Mr.. Bennett for his uniform
and strenuous support us General and
President, and said he knew he could
not return Mr. Bennett any Office or
dignity or courtesy that would be &C
ceptable to him, so he had simply come
to say to him that he was not unmind-
ful of the support he had always re-
ceived from the Herald. 1 saw Mr..
Bennett that evening and he referred
to. the visit. They had talked good
deal about Jackson's administra-
ton. Mr.. Bennett said to me
that he had told General Grant that no
man had had such an influence in the
country since Jackson's time, and Gen
eral Grant would have his perfect and
assured confidence as President. Gen
eral Grant was afterward extremely So
licitous to give Mr.. Bennett some indi-
cations of the appreciation he felt.
But that was out of the question. Mr..
Bennett would accept nothing from
General Grant except the assurance OF
his personal friendship and regard, and
so it continued to the end of his life. u
"What do you think of the elder Mr..
Bennett as Journalistic"
81 think, taking the whole history of
journalism into consideration. Mr. Ben
nett was its most original, daring and
audacious example. His independence,
his courage, his honor, his knowledge
of the world, were remarkable. He
brought into journalism the principles
he had learned as boy from Cobbett
He tried to control events. He made
the paper he founded the embodiment
Of what journal should be. y Chicago
Times