The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-07-08
Especial Correspondence.l

His Work Commands High Prices.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, July 5.-The publishers of
New York have been interested by the an
houncement that ex-senator Ingalls, is
busy upon a work which is not exactly an
autobiography nor history of political
affairs as he knew them from personal as
sociaton, but is sketchy work of men
and events mainly of contemporaneous
history Mr.. ingalls, has been, since his
retirement from the senate, pretty busily
occupied with his pen and he finds, just as
Mr. Blaine did, that the destinations of the
library and study are almost as great as
those of public life In fact, before Mr.
Ingalls, entered public life he had almost
determined to take up literature as per-
manent profession, although he was law
yer of considerable practice.
1t is believed by publishers that such
work as this would have wide sale. Mr..
Ingalls, style is not confined to that vigor
Gus, incisive and epigrammatic characteri-
cation of public measures which made his
oratory a conspicuous feature of senatorial
life while he was a member of that body,
but he possesses the power of suiting his
style of composition to the subject. In
private life he is most delightful racon-
teur No man in the senate, in the late
Senator Conkling's opinion, was able better
to tell an anecdote than Ingalls,, and Conk
ling himself was an admirable story teller
when he was in the mood for it. This
power Senator ingalls, carries into written
narrative, and he is able to write descrip-
tive passages of great brilliancy and
beauty. Therefore a work of the kind
upon which he is now engaged, while it
will be sure to reveal Senator Ingalls,
mental quality, will be likely to be diff
ferent from the published addresses and
public speeches with which people are ia
miliar
Senator Ingalls, composes easily and yet
with utmost pains, and therefore it is not
likely that this book will be completed be-
fore another year. His experience goes
back to the tempestuous days when the
Kansas question was an absorbing and
thrilling question of politics. He had per-
sonal experience with the ''border ruffian'
contests, as they were called, and he knew
nearly all of those unlettered but powerful
intellects who were prominent in that
strife His recollections of them, told in
his mastery way. will be Of the highest
interest.
Ingalls, experience in the senate goes
back far enough to enable him to tell from
personal recollection something of those
great men who still remained in that body
after the war era, and if he feels free to
write with the license which he allows
himself in private conversation he can tell
some anecdotes of extraordinary interest,
which would give. with Photographic &C.
curacy and with single touch an insight |
into the characters of some of these bril- |
liant men. 1t is not likely, however that |
Senator Ingalls, will feel that he can tell |
any of the anecdotes of the executive ses-
sions unless he DISCUSSES men and ques-
tions so that he cannot be accused of hav-
ing betrayed the secrets of these gather
ings. 4
Mr.. Ingalls, commands high prices for
his work, and it is in great demand. A
weekly magazine of New York city offered
him $1,000 for a short series of articles
upon any subject upon which he chose to
write, and publishers here are willing to
guarantee him some handsome royalties
for this book of memoirs if he is willing to
contract with any of them for the publica-
ton.
Memoirs nowadays are profitable liter
airy undertakings. The memoirs of Gen
eral Grant are still selling, and his widow
has been paid over S500,000 Sherman's
memoirs gave him about all the property
be possessed outside of his salary as gen.
eral. Sheridan's memoirs yielded his widow
about $4,000. General Buffers memoirs
sold very well, although not so largely as
was expected.
When Thomas III. Benton, after serving
thirty years in the senate and two years in
jhe house, was retired to private life he
sought occupation. He determined to
write his political memoirs, and the old
gentleman sat down to his prodigious task,
which would have appalled, younger men, '
md lived just long enough to complete ]
work which has been a standard and which 7
s still selling.
Governor Henry A. Wise, of Virginia,
wrote a very interesting autobiography,
which is now out of print, but which sold,
lis son, Captain Wise, says, quite largely t
throughout the south. Ex-Governor Foote,
# Mississippi, after he retired to private
ife wrote book of memoirs which is one 1
# the most fascinating of all works of this c
lind published by Americans. The govern !
II wrote in bright conversational way,
vas perfectly frank, and in his book he
old how he acquired the sobriquet of
'Hangman" Foote, which stuck to him as
ong as he lived. This book had a large
ale, is now out of print and is highly
,rized by collectors when they find it on
I'D bookstalls.
General Joseph E. Johnston said to the
writer once that he had written his per-
onal memoirs or military history more
or the purpose of leaving on record his
Tersion of the military story of the Con-
ederacy than with any idea of pecuniary !
gain, and the sale of his book was not suf- $
iciently large to pay him for the time and
abor he had expended on writingit.
Publishers say that General Lees recol-
ections did not have very large sale, but
me of the great surprises to the publishing
rade was the comparatively small sales
which followed the publication of the
memoirs of Jefferson Davis. This may be
lue to the fact that the book is believed by
Mrs. Davis not to have been well managed
n the market, and the fact that she has
,een compelled to begin litigation indi-
ates that there may be some justice in her
complaint.
Roscoe Conkling was once offered a large
um by New York publisher for a
,ook of memoirs, but he replied that his
business took him before the bar and not
nto the parlor. Z. J. EDWARDS.
Uat