The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-06-24

ISOLATED with him in his work upon The
| Tribune that Greeley was great political
writer rather than a great editor in the
modern significance of that word. His as
sociate upon the ticket, Gratz Brown, had
been an editor of one of the leading papers
of Missouri, but he was also a lawyer.
Carl Schurz, who presided at the Cincin-
natl convention which nominated Greeley,
was an editor, and outside of his political
offices never had any other business until
within the past three years
In 1884 the Republicans nominated for
the presidency a man who stepped from
the editorial chair to the whirl of political
life, and who, when he retired in 1881 from
public life, took up the pen of historian.
For ten years priOr'tO his election to con-
gress Mr.. Blaine was an editor in Maine,
and so slight a sum as five dollars a week
perhaps caused his attention to be turned
to personal politics. The proprietor of the
Portland Advertiser once told the writer
that Mr.. Blaine wanted his salary as assis-
tant editor of that paper raised from TWEEN
ty-five dollars to thirty dollars a week,
with a contract for five years. The pro-
prietor felt that he could not afford to pay
this sum, although he valued Mr.. Blaine's
services Therefore Mr.. Blaine resigned,
resumed the management of a weekly
paper in Augusta and entered politics.
Few men of literary pretensions have
ever been nominated for the presidency.
With the exception of military heroes
every president has been a lawyer Had
Greeley or Blaine been elected, such choice
would have broken the precedent. Mr..
Lincoln did have some literary inclina-
tions, and one of the strange and little
known incidents of his career is his at
tempt to become popular lecturer After
his famous joint debate with Stephen A.
Douglas in 1858, Mr.. Lincoln had an idea
that perhaps he had gained fame enough
to enter the lecture field. He therefore
wrote lecture upon a nonpolitical sub
ject, and secured two or three engagements
to deliver it, In this capacity, however,
he was a failure, and he soon abandoned
the effort. Had he succeeded and found
that such vocation was pecuniarily profit
able, it is quite possible that our political
history might have been different.
The first purely literary man called to
high appontive Office was James X. Paul
ding, who was an old school journalist and
essayist and novelist. He served in pres
idential cabinet as secretary of the navy.
President Polk called George Bancroft to
his cabinet, and Bancroft's public repute
rested entirely upon his work as histo-
rian. Washington Irving, who with Feni-
more Cooper was the finest development
of American literature of his time was
sent to represent this government as min
lister to Spain, but the tendency to bestow
high political office upon purely literary
men did not become marked until after
the war.
When John Lothrop Motley, the historian,
icta f.Nf ba -
James, being promoted from a subordinate
diplomatic post, the nomination was re-
ceived by the country with entire satisfac-
ton, and when afterward James Russell
Lowell, who was professional literateur
and poet, was sent as minister to Spain
and subsequently promoted to the court of
st. James, the approval of the country was
and it has been said that no more
brilliant representative ever. served in that
post, although Charles Francis Adams as
minister during the war displayed extraor-
linary ability.
President Harrison exceeded any other
president in disposition to recognize the
journalistic profession. An editor was his
secretary of state, although, of course, that
appointment was made by reason of Mr.
Blaine's extraordinary political achieve
nents. But Mr. Whitelaw Reid, tie
sditor Of The Tribune, was sent as minister
% France; Mr.. Charles Emory Smith, the
sditor of the Philadelphia Press, minister
o Russia, and Mr.. Murat Haistead. the
,ditor Of the Cincinnati Gazette, nominated
IS minister to Germany, although not con-
irmed
William NJ. Evarts said not long ago that
we're he to begin his life over again to-day,
certified with his experience, be would be
empted to become a Journalist rather than
% practice law. 1t seemed TO him that the
opportunities, both political and personal
ire greater in that field.
E J. EDWARDS