PRESIDENT HARRISON'S DEATH. 101 so be it. But they will please to remember that, almost in a minority of one in the East, he favoured the nomination of General Harrison in 1836; and that his unexpected successes of this year prefigured the triumph of four years later. They will also please to remember that a great share of the enthusiasm of the Log-cabin campaign grew out of the history and character of General Harrison. And, further, that no man, confessedly, did so much to fan that enthusiasm into a fine flame of fervour spreading all over the land as the unpretending, modest Editor of The Log-Cabin. One must needs treat to some extent of historical events, when writing the life of a man who did so much to create historical events as Horace Greeley. The joy of the people at the Whig success was very great, and by no means confined to members of the Whig party. It was also manifested no less clearly upon General Harrison's inauguration, March 4, 1841. The gloom which settled down upon the majority at his untimely and sudden death, only one month afterwards, it at once transpiring that President Tyler would depart from the cherished policy of the Whigs, was most sadly depressing upon them, and not without visible ill effects upon the country at large. Mr. Greeley still continued to edit and publish both The New-Yorker and The Log-Cabin, but before the death of President Harrison had determined to undertake that great enterprise, whose remarkable success placed him at the head of the most influential profession, and made his name more, and more favourably, known in Christendom than that of any American citizen not in exalted official position. CHAPTER VII. FOUNDER OF THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. Resumé of Public Journalism up to the Time of the New-York TribuneThe Partisan Press-"Organs"-Noted Party Editors: Isaac Hill, Thomas Ritchie, Edwin Croswell, Duff Green, Andrew Jackson, Amos Kendall, Francis P. Blair, John C. Rives; "The Kitchen Cabinet ❞— The National Intelligencer-Gales and Seaton — Charles Hammond; George D. Prentice-New-York Journalism Goes to the Front-The Six-Penny Journals - William C. Bryant, James Watson Webb, and Other Journalists of the Old Régime - The Cheap Press-The NewYork Sun-The Herald and James Gordon Bennett - The Herald Originally a Journal Without Principle-A Newspaper Vacuum Thereby Caused - Horace Greeley Establishes The Tribune, Price One Cent-Its Early History - Mr. Thomas McElrath - Character of The Tribune- Devoted to the Welfare of the People - Welcomes All New Ideas Success. - A HISTORY of journalism in the United States is a desideratum in American literature. In the cause of human progress, of the spread of liberal, just principles of government, there is no single means of influence, perhaps, which has been so powerful as the free press of the American republic. This vast influence has been exercised in a two-fold manner: First, by successful attacks upon political and social ills, venerable, it may be, with years, firmly established by custom and prejudice, but prolific ever of misery and iniquity. Secondly, by the advocacy of new ideas, whose practical establishment has conferred great blessings upon mankind, and is likely to confer many more, as a logical result of reforms already inaugurated. Before the assaults of our free press many vicious institutions have fallen in ruins too long delayed; and at its magical touch have sprung up in their stead beautiful and beneficent systems. It has become itself a great institution, and, upon the whole thus far in its history, a benignant one. We speak of a college 66 POLITICAL HAND-ORGANS." 103 or a university as an institution. But a college or a university can confer its course of education upon but a few hundreds at most annually. The press has become the educator of the whole people, the presidents and professors of colleges, in many things, and the masses generally. Its pupils are all the citizens of the republic, and not a few subjects of foreign nations. The rise, progress, and great development, of late years, especially, of an institution of such vast and varied influences, is a topic for historical research and philosophical disquisition of great and permanent interest. It cannot be long till such a work as that of which I speak, shall be forthcoming. Meantime, let us hastily review so much of the history of modern journalism as will enable us to correctly estimate the work done therein by Horace Greeley.1 Up to a short period before the founding of the daily paper with which Mr. Greeley's name will be permanently connected, nearly all American journals were party "organs." This was a misnomer, or, rather, only a half name. They should have been called "hand-organs," for the palpable reason that handorgans can only grind out those particular tunes which the machines are manufactured to play, whereas the organ, in the hands of a fine performer, has illimitable musical capacity. So the party "organ" was confined to a narrow sphere, within which discussion became wonderfully acrimonious at times. and exceedingly profitless. Nevertheless, there were many surpassingly acute and brilliant minds engaged upon the partizan press of America contemporaneously with Horace Greeley's first essays in editorial composition. There was Isaac Hill, editor of The New Hampshire Patriot, of general circulation and large influence throughout New England. Mr. Hill was a man of great polit While this volume is being prepared, "Journalism in the United States from 1690 to 1872," by Mr. Frederic Hudson has appeared,—a large volume, containing immense store of curious, useful, interesting facts. A more valuable or more readable volume has not recently been published. I find myself compelled to disagree with some of Mr. Hudson's opinions, but gladly acknowledge many and great obligations to his work, which ought to be very generally read, and soon revised. ical sagacity, pluck, and persistency. He is said to have been instigator of President Jackson's war on the United States Bank, which resulted in the destruction of that once powerful institution. Thomas Ritchie had long edited The Richmond Enquirer on the platform of the Virginia Resolutions of 1798. and '99. His journal came to have considerable circulation and undoubted influence in all portions of the South. Ritchie was a strong writer, but not quite servile enough to be always in good odour at political headquarters. "It is true," said President Jackson, "Mr. Ritchie is an experienced editor, but sometimes goes off at half-cock before he sees the whole ground, and does the party great injury before he sees his error, and then has great difficulty to get back into the right track again. Witness his course on my removal of the deposits," etc. Just as if it were not possible for a President to "go off at halfcock before he sees the whole ground." Edwin Croswell and "the Albany Regency" had made The Albany Argus of great influence in New York, to be overturned at last only by the powerful political partnership of "Seward, Weed, & Greeley." There were not a few party organs in the South and West, sustaining the ruling powers, conducted by men of great experience and ability. But up to 1840, when The Log-Cabin by Horace Greeley attained a national circulation and influence, the party organs of the Federal Capital were the most widely known. Mr. Duff Green for many years conducted The Telegraph at Washington, and with great spirit and power. But President Jackson suspected Green's fidelity to "the party," and The Washington Globe was established. It was edited by Andrew Jackson, Francis P. Blair, John C. Rives, and Amos Kendall, the last three of whom were known all over the country as "the Kitchen Cabinet." It was a very powerful editorial coalition. Jackson could not write a sentence in respectable English, but he could dictate articles of great vigour and political wisdom. He dictated and Kendall wrote. Mr. Blair was a sagacious politician and a strong writer. Mr. Rives was a man of gigantic stature, imperturbable good nature, and fine mind. We have, perhaps, never had a finer editorial diplomat. Mr. CHARLES HAMMOND AND GEORGE D. PRENTICE. 105 Kendall also contributed able articles of his own to The Globe. It spoke, therefore, as one having authority, and reached every portion of the country. The party organ of greatest influence among the Whigs, up to the time of The Log-Cabin, was The National Intelligencer of Washington. The Intelligencer was the organ, in 1800, of the administration of Thomas Jefferson, being, in fact, the first recognized organ of the government in the United States. It continued to be the organ of government during the administrations of both Madison and Monroe. Thus it had great patronage, general circulation, and vast influence. Its owners and editors for many years were Joseph Gales, Jr., and William Winston Seaton, who, being excellent reporters as well as excellent editors gave their journal a value not possessed by any other in those times. When The Intelligencer found itself in the opposition, and the organ of the minority, its editorial contributors embraced some of the first statesmen of the country, including Daniel Webster himself. As a party organ it has never been surpassed in efficiency, dignity, and preeminent respectability; and it finally became a recognized authority in questions of American political history with intelligent men of all parties. The Intelligencer had many able coöperative party organs in the country; but none were more efficient, it is believed, than two Western journals, during a considerable portion of the era of party organs. These were The Cincinnati Gazette, under the editorship of Charles Hammond, assisted by William D. Gallagher; and The Louisville Journal, George D. Prentice, editor. Mr. Hammond was a man of genius; a vigorous writer; a reformer. He infused into his paper a spirit of independence, quite unique at that time in public journalism, and thus gave to The Gazette a greater influence than it could otherwise have reached; and herein he forecast the power of the independent press. In the history of all these and other party organs of the era now under review, we shall find little of permanent value; little to admire, unless it be admirable to waste brilliant talents and undoubted genius in the discussion of topics of |