Sunday Times and Noah's Weekly Messenger
Sunday Times and Noah’s Weekly Messenger, NYHS mfilm, reel 1, 1847-49. $1 year, 3 cents issue
1847
Jan
3 critical of Hutchinsons. A Certain magazine in this city, editors write long laudatory notice and pay for insertion in nearly every paper, gulls readers that critcs think his mag unequalled. Admire Pope Pius.
Feb 7 extracts fr Yankee Doodle p2 curiosities at the Amer Museum inclu Peale’s portrait gallery, remarkable fidelity for accuracy of likenesses, historical records, inclu Mrs Madison by Remb Peale p3 admire Duyckinck’s Lit World, liberal notice of Bryant, scathing but just on Geo Sands 14 publish Moses Beach’s card re Plainsfield bank 28 poem by WJW, Sidewalk Sketches (gambling house etc) by Squnx. p2 Fuller of Mirror had satire of the Star Gazers, Yankee Doodle stole it
March 7 p2 Mrs JGB letters fr Paris, ridicules her. 14 dislikes Grace Greenwood. Dislike clubs. Mentions Ram’s Horn, sorry City items man of Globe.. Franco Americain thinks revolution is coming, Sunday Times is doubtful. Yankee Doodle engravings capital 21 E Oakes Smith writes as Ernest Helfenstein, excellent authoress, woman should not depart fr true sphere. 28 Commonplaces and the Fine Arts, porterhouses ranked in accord with number and quality of engravings, fashionable restaurants have Titian, barber’s shops an undoubted correggio or copy of aRaphael, bartender expatiates on grandeur of a certain print, opener of oysters gives crit of Titian, barber talks learnedly of the Louvre, on friday pedlar of shilling romances spoke in style of reviewer. More agst Mrs JGB, esp that she has sexuality.
April 4 Yankee Doodle capital, engravings good and sketchy, politics bear agst the administration, ought to have hits on the other side. Puffs Rossiter’s Ruth and Naomi at Granite, grouping coloring, beaut combinations. Demo Rev disabuses public that Cornelius Mathews is an imitator of Charles dickens, clique of misnamed critics out to destroy him, but has a name. 11 Whittier poem. Artists and their friends enjoying the annual farce called the exhib of Acad of Design, to one gd ptg, 20 poor ones, all the faults of former years. Meritorious ptgs out of sight, wretched daubs conspic. As many ports as ever, indelicate for private individs to expose platter like physiognomies. One gem, Mtn Ford by Cole.
May 2 Duyckinck retired fr Lit World, CF Hoffman should be careful abt dealing with these publishers 9 Omoo is delightful 23 p2 Utility of a picture, reuse of engravings. 30 support fundraising for old hickory Jackson statue. where are funds for Washington monument?
June 6 publish letter explaining where Wash Mon Assoc money is. Dont want the Yucatan 20 p1 Viator writes re Wash Mon, better to donate to one in DC than here 27 EDH replies to Viator, it is educational, should be in every city. Defend C Edw Lester fr editorial attacks, gets them every year
July 4 Anglo American preaching agst Sunday papers, tho when he had a benefit concert, he sent program to Sunday papers. shouldn’t let fanatics write its leaders. Notices fowler and Wells..
Skipped fr July 11 to Sept. Admire Robt Dale Owen. think Mirror is tilting Demo.
Aug 29 Loved Silas Wright. Atwood’s port of Genl Taylor not admired in design or execution, but striking likeness, martial head. greek Slave miraculous work of art at Society library, ultra moralists have come out agst nude, wretched fanatics, we are behind the age.
Sept 5 Powers’ last Effort, visited, equal to Venus. Wax figures, Barnum having made a group of Fourierites performing ag labor to music, with Greeley in back as a Shaker. Beebe has.
Sept 12 same printer does Sunday Times and Mercury? magnif port of Pius 9 applauded in Rome here at Gothic hall. 19 Geo Lippard accuses Headley of lit theft, writers of histories mostly compilers. Broadway theater printing given to Jared W Bell, breaks moopoly of Herald. Model Artistes: Collyer’s plan thought would be total failure, moral and fastidious writers condemned it as indelicate, 12 actors, groupings unobjectionable and pretty, the Greek Slave hissed, surely what is correct in the marble can’t be so wrong in white tights and a wig. To be hoped will be dressed in nice silk dress, walking dress with shawl and bonnet. Mrs Kirkland ona awfulness of Greek Slave, we think severely correct, anatomical precision, revolving pedestal highly favorable. Chas Hoffman ed of Lit World electrifies republic with letters of Don Ho Ax of Saltillo (Hoax) is a plagiarist
Oct 3 support Mrs Mowatt, support Odd Fellows, notices govt picture gallery as dags of criminals. Takes back charge agst Hoffman. Like artist Manning in Yankee Doodle, who has been in employ of govt last few years Oct 10 promotes Collyer, notices Art Union new hall opened, new era, great praise to gmen who have contrib, puffs Yankee doodle regularly, Park Benjamin publishing New World. Design for Wash mon in Hamilton sq worthy of all praise. 17 puffs Wash mon, Onderdonk should be restored. Am Inst has mini marble busts of Clay and Webster, perfect 31 hard to read, Rotunda as repository of the arts again, ought to refund Vanderlyn his money. puffs auction of European ptgs at Granite bldgs
Nov 3 new paper ed TW Meighan, pub Barclay & Faulkner, weekly Journal of Amusements 21 Casali writing for American Review on Pope corresp for Freeman’s Journal censures Casali for infidelism 28 Dewey Fay writes on Washington Allston for Sunday Times, ice hearted men of the world crit him for not finishing Belshazzar’s Feast, vindicating anecdote. Mirror of Fashion pub by a tailor
Dec 5 Blackwood’s reviews Simms, Mathews, Mrs Fuller, Poe and Hawthorne, last only one who gets praised. Sorry Richard Adams Locke is ill. 19 Banvard a great Am triumph. Like Trimble & Cherry Wash monument, Grecian temple with dome and statue of Liberty, colossal statue of Wash in center, an observatory too. Vanderlyn offers great Falls of Niagara to AU for $500, but prefers paying that for sm pic fr artist less celebrated, a national ptg. Trib supports divorce 26 Pilgrims and puritans, New Engl Society
1848
Jan 2 Pinteux’s model artists given biblical names, but still not ok on Sunday eve for Alderman Adams of Fifth ward, arrested troupe and manager Greeley, but were back the next night. Agree shouldn’t abuse liberty. Williams Brothers of Ann st started mammoth News of the World, likes the publishers a lot. Evangelist libels firemen. Girard College should have been put in hands of mechanics. 23 Pewter Mug home of democracy, run by Mrs Lynch, had a bust of Van Buren, vandalized at Tammany hall as figure head taken fr bows of frigate Constitution 30 New Mania: Collyer caused a change, Palmo’s exhib on upper ten plan, at Hall of Novelty appeared for sixpence, Odeon a shilling, Chatham a shilling or twenty five cents, Temple of the Muses on Canal st at fifty cents etc, canal st has good oyster soup. Most men go alone, fr upper classes, cloaked, familiar acquaintances.
Feb 6 Poe’s lecture gd, implausible. 13 humbug lit, mediocre reprints. Powell at Cinti sketching discovery of Miss. Sunday Courier new, a good one. 20 Greenwood poem, Lola Montes article, and lots on Paine. p2 model artistes, correspondents ask if we can approve, we answer no, have seen them all, Collyer had novelty, but became increasingly indecent. Forlorn women who participate, Future will ban the ads. Forrest at American in New Orleans says he is leaving the stage, for agriculture, but won’t happen. Wish he had more learning. Sad re death of Cole, one of best lscape ptrs in America 27 President set aside court martial on Fremont, newsboys are part of the progressive age, old friend Jacob Barker, Adams extraordinary man. Disagree with Walsh libel conviction. All the papers understand model artists undermining virtue, society requires laws to secure propriety, or descend fr civiliz to barbarism. Last week pub sketch of Richd P Robinson, supposed murderer of Jewett. La Verdad republican principles. Mar 5 have puritanical tirades agst model artists. Continues war against them in March, 26 arrest of all we hope will terminate them, degrades character of women. Praise Cole’s Am lscapes. Longfellow too placid, not great
April 2 demos divided, Havemeyer will win, is conservative. Every woman is naturally forwarned agst seduction, don’t need laws. 30 Negro Newspapers, are used by whites as shuttlecock betw abolitionists. Mocks Beach of the Sun re Irish aid.
May 7 p1 Fashion without Taste; p2 Atlas exposing how office candidates get influence and patronage, Age of Bronze, under Tyler started. Day Book pugnacious little daily by Dr Bacon, who Webb was tried for calling crazy. Friend of Clay, handles opponents without gloves, like Mose in A Glance at NY; old style of blackguarding. Pinteux closed; Palmos trying again with model artists. Bryant on Cole. 14 Bartlett sold Albion to Young, loved Bartlett, conservative firm and mild. Prof Howles will stay on. Ram’s Horn fighting with abolitionists, editor Van Rensselaer asks us for our recommendation and we give it. joseph Barker poem on Liberty’s auction (Europe mostly)
June 4 Waddell’s new castellated mansion on 5th ave is Gothic, Elizabethan, and know not what else. Approve of our population mixing, except of black and red and white. 25 portrait of Mitchel on the cover
Skipped fr after July 2 to Sept 3 note Randolph Rogers of MI bust of Genl Cass Oct 15 Brooks is not ultra, will be ok in Congress. ea paper has a style, Bryant of Post proverbial philosophy, sententious and ponderous dignity of the Commercial, Jupiter Tonans of Courier, common sense and cool bitterness of J of Commerce, syntactical inversions of Express, rich licks of Herald, substance and shadow of Trib Nov 5 age of humbug and slang, rowdyism on the stage, vulgarise morals, local drama. 12 supported Cass, but ok with Taylor Nov 26 v crit of Forrest in rln to Macready. Punch too abolitionist. Notice Intl AU, think well of it. (they advertise) Dec 3 phreno at fault, or appearances deceptive. 10 p2 The Art Union highly prosperous, 300 artworks, many gems, congrat Prosper Wetmore and other officers, free gallery great, creates market for pics. glorious success. 24 AU is a mutual benefit society for protection of Am fine arts, annual mtg at Tabernacle gave report. Have heard questioned hi prices for ptgs of eminent, better to encourage young artists, but strike a balance
1849
Jan 14 disapprove of success of libel suit agst the Sun, agst freedom f press. Pius 9 brought all this trouble on himself 28 argue with Globe. Art Union condemned by J of Commerce and others, we think laudable, can’t know if ptgs judiciously selected
Feb 4 attack Marg Fuller as indecent 18 solicitor of the Treasury advertises auction of undoubted orig old masters, Rubens etc, why not add Rembrandt, who has been humbugging Uncle Sam? (ptgs were given as repayment for a debt) March 11 AU galleryopen, purchased elab finished beaut colored pics by Gray, equal to any in any modern school, capital Huntington, Ranney Duck shooting of striking merit, unwearied exertions of Wetmore brought AU to hi state of perfection. Series on NY particulars does editor, literati, reformer, etc
April 8 Webb and Audubon expedition in trouble, lots agst flogging. 15 Common Council $1200 for whole length ports of Taylor and Scott, Vanderlyn prob and hope Jarvis the other, like his father’s of Commodore Perry May 20 city shld look to bad conditions of the poor Jun3 Niblo and Hackett in Sun deny procured signatures to letter to Macready, but John J Hackett, son of manager asked us to sign it, which we did. Calls puritans our ancestors. 17 Crawford’s bust of his wife in the Art Union better in exquis finish and delicacy than any of ancient or modern works int he Louvre 24 admired Polk. fine port of Perry by Jarvis in City Hall, anecdote of artist at sitting for it, to get right expression, threatens to kill him July 1 want to know who got up the mobs for the Astor place riots
skipped from after July 1 to end of reel—caught Attree’s obit on Nov 25, but that’s it.
Sunday Times and NOah’s Weekly Messenger, NYHS mfilm, reel 2, starts Jan 6 1850, Noah Deans & Howard, 162 Nassau, $1 year, 3 cents. running the mysteries of London
Jan 1850
6 p2 our literati don’t write honest reviews in mags. Express is conservative and conciliatory in regard to sectional questions. 13 battery enlargement is a humbug, Sun should give it up. Tribune has. Intl AU drawing done in fair and proper manner. 20 edified by sermon agst model artists preached by Herald, gives them publicity. Ought to arrest managers not girls. Defends Willis in controversy with Maretzek. 27 Love Genl Cass and dickinson
Feb
3 juste milieu approved Clay’s compromise. 10 mtg to suppress Sunday papers, Tyng, Cheever on committee. 17 Newsboys mtg at the Park addressed by Mike Walsh, Henry Arcularius, gave Mawworms and Cantwells some home thrusts. Prints their resolution. Willis anti-semitic. Not symp to Forrest, nor to Van Burenites in Tammany
March
3 critical of navy flogging. anti women’s rights. Critical of Homestead laws. Castle Garden Union mtg, 10,000, Whiting effective. C&E when TX was admitted was a staunch champion of the south, but has been edging toward free soil and is now established on that. Notices Trumpet Blast of Freedom, disting redacteur of the Bunkum Flag Staff in Knick, now in Spirit of the Times, neat caricature. 10 Eliza Cook poem. happy with Webster. Side with Cath Sinclair. Ten Governors are good, Common Council shouldn’t give it a polit flavor by replacing them. Calhoun is inconsistent 17 Carlyle is the proto arche and daguerreo of Emerson, denounces US as bores (cannon bores and rifle bores). Mechanics Bank was incorp 40 years ago to serve actual mechanics, give them credit, but now lend to more aristo and risky class, not small loans, as soulless as any other banks, and has been losing money. Regularly snipes at Herald. Thomas L Nichols graduates U of NY, used to be an editor and author in NY, water cure physician. Sun beat Herald for city ads. 24 Powell’s Living Authors of america, Stringer and Townsend, amusing, more acid than acumen. Classes anti-renters with abolitionists. Praises sign painter Breidenbah. Defends Captain Levy, prepared for him in his court martial trial when he was accused of tarring and feathering, trial was just an effort to get rid of him, a boy testified to what was actually a v innocent punishment (C&E supports flogging) 31 Knick not Sabbatarian. Forrest in the wrong re Macready, resp for those events.
April 7 p2 Storrs in libel case, read aloud at pulpit in Braintree a paper with allegations of adultery. Knew Calhoun well, since 1811, never wanted to injure the union. Defends tea room, relic of Dutch comfort. Starting 10th volume, present owners bought Sunday Times 5 years ago, circ approx 12,000. Says mean things about Bennett’s wife. Identifies himself as a hunker, blames Van Buren for trouble in party. Mostly supports Willis in Forrest trial. 14 excerpts Thos L Nichols fr Water Cure Journal, Wm H Dinsmore corresp fr Calif. p2 Age of patnormas, geog by way of amusement, take for granted. Swisshelm one of female chorus of Trib, writes fr Capitol agst slavery, thinks city is sublime, prefer her to Marg Fuller. Williams’ Morning Star two years old, circulation 15,000, penny paper, likes them. Death of Bengough, age 39, son inlaw of Mitchell, late of Olympic, alcoholic. 21 editorial reminiscence of southern hospitality. Eliza Cook. p2 Webster was manly and democratic in standing against abolitionists, massachusetts applauded him as defending the Union, Clay also compromised, Cass and other patriots. Lots on Raphall. NAD: old and popular institution opened in Boradway, opposite Bond st, eleg pics, many of rare merit, superior to any previous. Splendid specimens by Durand, Huntington, Cranch, Mount, kensett, Gray etc. Off to a new start. Duss advert, don’t see one for NAD. 28 Not sure if Bennett or his wife writing opera crit, accuses Mrs B of making them sing at her house or no puffs, made Maretzek do this. Bennett mad at eleg double sheet of Trib. Burton complaining in the Herald that his theater not noticed. women love furniture auctions. Phreno and Water cure j big ads.
May 5 Age of Gammon: puritans’ witchcraft no worse a delusion than knockings, transcendental philosophy even supported by the Sun.12 p2 missionaries at home. calls Forrest’s home the Castle of St Aldobrand. Praise Lit World under Duyckinck, also the Two Worlds pub by Lockwood, copies their articles 19 John Savage poem. Very critical of France, freedom movements in Euro, stay out. Filibusters bad. Mildly sad re Mrs Osgood. 26 the Great Harmonia, or Andrew Jackson Davis, debunks him. Critical of socialist M Chevalier writing for Trib on France, also dislikes the herald’s corresp.
June 2 critical of too much reading, not enough thinking, will lead to too many writing. Bigot’s Sunday, puritans hate laughter. 9 journals who love Forrest have given Miss Cushman the cold shoulder. Mocks Gliddon. 16 story of lawyer Norton courting sister in law of JGB, rejected him, furnished articles against her to Judson of Ned Buntline’s Own. Norton indicted, pled guilty. Notes John Inman’s retirement fr Comm, West long assistant editor replacing him. Fee Fo Fum headline for mockng spiritual knockings. 23 if Willis really seduced Forrest wife, cudgel not enough. Sides with Willis. Critical of poet WW in Tribune (Whitman? whispering, counseling, cautioning). Surprisingly supports Bishop Hughes re pOpe. Critical of Jacob Barker. Otterson at Trib. 30 p2 NAD closes on 6th, best ever offered, 25 cents secures gall agst idle loungers and supports instruction, charitable orgs free. Of interest to every american.
July 7: likes GPR James, not Hugo and Sue and Reynolds who say they represent the people. Union and Harmony a freq headline for updates on Demo party factions. Van Burenites supporting Marcy. small black borders for death of Taylor. Think Fillmore will be liberal. Disapprove of agrarianism in trades union movement, Trib their organ, Irish tailors causing trouble. Herald defends Forrest agst Sunday press. If attack Five Points, should attack wealthy brothels too 28 Chas Astor Bristed seeks notoriety. Describes magnificence of icebergs, hues of the rainbow. Constantly puff Hoboken. Hostile to trades, adopted utopianism.
Aug 4 denigrates Garibaldi 18 Forrest’s divorce bill names as adulterers not just Jamieson and Willis, but a Raymond, Richard Willis, Wickoff and others. women slaves to their Irish servants. Revoil is the French corresp at the Herald that Noah doesn’t like. 25 rich in England pay hi prices for old masters, without proof, it is ostentatious spirit. Gems at Lovejoy’s hotel of monarchs. Carlyle’s cant, only sees rascality in the world
Sept 1 engr of Jenny Lind. John Inman industrious, NAD invited to his funeral. Praise editor Brooks’ last speech in Congress, patriotic, not bound to party. 9 diff of expression in two standard portraits of GWash, by Peale and Stuart, subj of reflecton, has of late been efforts to impeach Stuart. New set of false teeth caused the diff. 15 socialist banquet at Hoboken richest affair of the week, mostly French and German 22 defends Paine 29
Oct 6 puff Am Inst fair, continues to notice it. 13 E Hart is a true Cass and Butler man. Don’t entirely endorse Wood. 20 best poetry is in the advertising columns, has entered into business, utterly original and imbued with the spirit of the age, draws its inspirations fr the shop till. 27 Bean and Breidenbah best sign painters. Our friend Downing of oysters pub letter opposing fugitive slave bill. John Graham demo nominee for DA abused by herald, nt in a clique. James Brooks done well in Congress. Ambrose Kingsland a good mayor merchant; Alderman Kelly of 2nd too free soil. Wood is manly. Whigs nominate James Bowen in place of J Philips Phoenix, who was excellent; Bowen devoted to Seward but pro Union. Hart popular.
Nov 3 happy re finding Calhoun statue, Castle Garden union mtg. 10 Emerson poem. Happy Graham beat Bennett, he has his card in the paper. Mrs JGB responsible for attacks on Lind and Barnum in that paper. 17 praises teh modern Irishman. Am sculp admired, lately saw Hawkins bronze with force and effect, medallions, new arrival here. 24 James a Houston, best reporter we ever had in this country
Dec 1 Bennetts gone to Havana, is constantly badgering them. Hope Forrests can be divorced quickly, unhappy. 15 E Oakes Smith, one of our best female poets and prose writers, series of able articles on women’s rights, men won’t oppose demands if she gets women on her side. Rev Bellows writing zealously in opposition, but wouldn’t matter if women supported it, they would rather be petted than take their own part, she thinks it’s vulgar, only for sewing women. Women are natural conservatives, and if they are slaves it is because they like to be. Paterson denies being editor of Scorpion. 29 an ex-editor writing for the Times p1 in a series asks if we have any business with private character of an artist? only if it affects public duties. If a painter ddrinks to affect the character of his pictures, it is the public’s business, but his personal associations, politics or relig, does not affect his ability as an artist. Domestic fidelity may have nothing to do with a painter’s pictures, shouldn’t be indignant on it. Praise Webster at Pilgrim dinner.
1851
Jan 5 p1 The Art Union pro and con, defends it, painters complain the money goes to engravings, bulletins, but that educates, and makes artists popular, like printing for an orator. Favoritism is endemic, as with authors and publishers. Managers to attract subscribers must buy Huntington, Church, Kensett and Doughty, like the star system in the theater. Artists patronized send in inferior works, will damage his own rep. But it’s a lottery, and that is morally bad, and for artist in ptg for a lottery, makes him careless, and good pictures get sent to a rude log cabin. Clay predicts slavery will end when free labor is cheaper than that of slaves, that is, when all poor people are slaves together. Swill milk. 12 story of the ghetto of Rome 19 ex editor on Melville, likes his books, bough a farm, favorite is Mardi 28 ex editor, while Art Union has a lottery, no man can be persecuted for a raffle; can’t sanction one and not the other, but excludes games of skill fr this as honorable games, it confounds moral distinctions
Feb 2 Union Safety Comm appeals for Wash birthday unity. Crit of Trib’s idea of a board of lit censors 9 Approve of Geo W Matsell as police chief, faithful servant. 9 ok with death penalty. Story of the Possessed painter, Benj West 23rd describes Union Safety Comm celeb of Wash bday. common council approp money, members of the Order of United Americans active, a Trumbull based transparency, Mayor Kingsland, Robt C Wetmore, Everett, Gen Whiting, Capt Levy, Hiram Ketchum, Edw Everett. Police prevented distrib of of the Homestead Art Union. Park Benjamin on Age of Gold, a thorough going poet.
March 2 Trib defends AJ Davis. disagrees with Bayard Taylor that phys race has declined in strength. Critical of JW Webb. 16 Tupper is poet of rational progress, just arrived, poem in Eve Post, mocks him 23 black borders for Noah’s death 30 p1 has his portrait and bio, engr by J Orr, 1843 became a ed of Sunday times, starting with third volume, Winchester had printed his earlier Weekly Messenger, both offices in Ann st. Took over fr Wm J Snelling and Walter Whitman, later Noah joined Deans and Howard p2 not a fan of land reform. Notices NAD opening soon, people buy pics bcause they love them, not because it is a fashion, these are signs of the times, and good signs of good times. Alice Carey is orig and delightful. likes new Wall st journal, notes Sunday Morning News has been bought by Williams of the Morning Star. Symp to Hamblin, as is Spirit of the times.
April 6 Geo Wilkes exiled in Hoboken. 13 continue guide to World’s Fair and London. p2 Manufactured art, big market here for old masters, faked 20 Greeley going to London, intellectually sharp, nearly great. one of the editors knew Poe, critical of his bio blackening him. 27 ex-editor column says symp is for whatever is going ahead, the world’s propelling power.
May 4 ex-editor column notices Noyes’ Oneida’s report not too hostilely. but hostile to Martineau. Art Union engravings most meritorious plate yet, fr Leslie’s pic. Gallery of Am Art a new feature also out, with line engr of Cole, Durand, Leutze, Edmonds and Woodville. Bulletin has good sketch of Genl Putnam etc. Notices new NY Reveille, will have talent and taste. Crit of Trib trying to expand meaning of associationism. 11 confessions of a radical, regular column, wants women to be free, can’t be equal, vote ok. p2 New papers: Genin’s Quarterly, illus paper, on fashion. White Man’s Newspaper 205 Broadway, eleg typography, well written. Reveille witty sprightly illus. Principal rat at C&E changed its policy on slavery, but Webb rebuked him in print, Raymond retires, Webb gone Dec 1849-recently; Webb explains he is sound on slavery. 18 Intl Mag has story of Noah’s nobility. Webb attacking Willis, purports to vindicate Am press agst London Times, sketches Willis unfavorably, seducer—editor knew her father slightly, respected and admired him, publish Willis’ answer. Fillmore attended opening of Erie rrd, Webster too. 25 Titian’s magdalen.
june 1 p2 American Sculpture, richmond Whig attacks Powers as mere mechanical skill 8 very critical of Webb. 15 Need an uptown park, not enlarged battery. With Greeley gone, Trib advocating revolutioon in society, relig and dress, not logical but mushy vague cant, plausible humbug, Sun times defends wage labor system 29 p1 tearing down the statue of Geo iii at Bowling Green.
July 6 doesn’t want Scott as Whig nominee. Admire Hughes. 20 love Morris of Home J.
Aug 10 Wm D Gallagher poem p2 there is a Fourier phalanx somewhere in New Jersey, one of their deaths in Trib of last Weds, disapprove of the burlesque on solemnities of public funeral 17 p1 story of a Painter and artist life in Paris. p2 yesterday Herald census of newspapers, stats exaggerated 24 the Two Painters, master and his pupil. very down on higher law of course. 31 don’t want to annex Cuba. NY Pic coming next week with new features
Sept have series of anecdotes of duelling. 14 French are licentious. NY Daily times intellect and energy, moderation and liberality, will be success, if avoids ultraism, need to adopt golden mean betw immobility and revolution needed for rational progress. brief on death of Cooper. 28 p2 The Fine Arts, mostly just review of past in general terms. Art Union: opened new gallery of ptgs, eminent citizens, Cozzens, luxury at banquets, principal engr by Jones after Woodville, lists the others.
Oct 5 Coming Storm is in Europe. Am Inst not v satisfactory, still arriving, but trash mixed with useful and beaut, model of Mt Vernon a disgrace and scores of specimens of the fine arts (Heaven save the mark!) in the gallery, only fit for windows of Chatham st second hand store. Likes Gurney and Brady. Van Vleet of Day Book nearly fell over Niagara. 12 Kingsland and Genin support a fund for Kossuth. Praise modern Flemish ptgs at Stoppani hall, direct fr Hague. 19 JHE has Lines on a periodical claiming to be organ of Am intellect but really just the fictions of the day p2 sets up opposition betw law and symp. Like Mrs Nichols wife of the editor the best, warm womanly feeling, at a woman’s rights mtg
Nov 9 puffs Whitehurst’s dags 16 mystery of the youg artist, or the french roll. Dislike Trib seeing capital and labor in opposition, dislike their picture of domestic servitude, think servants have too much power. CE Lester lecturing at NY Mechanics Inst, also Renwick. Revoil, a theatrical reporter and now contrib to Paris Annuaire des deux Mondes, transl and pub b Trib, Revoil had foul libels in Herald of Kossuth. Revoil says Eve Post is Whig, Sunday Era defunct. Revoil was the character mocked in Burton’s theater, trying to blackmail a gman at a fancy ball for $10. 23 People’s Bank of Paterson, which burst, Henry C Stimson cashier owns capital, as does NR Stimson, ed of Day Book and two other of his brothers, and one brother in law. Bishop Doane one of the bank debtors, tho only for small amount. Don’t want Mrs Forrest back on Stage. Notice new paper Lantern, all wit and humor of the lit world will be concentrated on it. Artists offered under Leutze to decorate for Kossuth, V Colyer made request. 30 editors organizing banquet for Kossuth in addition to Godwin, Lg Clark, Beecher, JR Spaulding of C&E, Fred Hudson, CF Briggs Sun Courier, Pat Lynch Irish Am, CD Stuart New Yorker, S Jacobi Allegemeine Zeitung, Paul Arpin Courrier C Mathews Lit world
Dec 7 profile of Kossuth, lots on the reception. skeptical of Lola Montes, under charge of Edw Willis, a bro of NP. Sunday Times is non-interventionist, no man worship. Notices pictorial Bro Jonathan, BH Day at Beekman st.
1852
Jan 4 Think idea of a Cryst Pal in NY under Riddle is a humbug, Louis Napoleon will be gotten rid of 11 Kossuth unfortunate in support of the abolitionists, intemperate, Ishmaelitish print 18 want Cass for the nominee. 25 Chas Mackay poem. France not capable of Republic.
Feb Mrs Forrest was innocent. 15 Beecher crusading agst whiskers. Benj Day borrows their editorials for Bro Jonathan. 22 have Mary Forrest poem on Eva; quarreling with Andrew Stevens, Forrest’s friend and in debt $1500 to Wm Burton 29
Mar 7 Whig Review on American Drama in March issue attacks Willis, too caustic 21 p2 Art Union and the Law, blames it all on Bennett’s malice, think subscribers will be ok 28 Wilkes promises to publish Stevens account of Astor place riot. Conserv Whig want Fillmore or Webster, not Seward’s Scott
April 4 front page poem is the Camera Obscura, A Sunday Morning lecture. p2 marble polishers on strike, fighting with German scabs. Epes Sargeant at war with Lola Montes. Art Union Injunction dissolved, Judge Duer removed temporary injunction issued because of James Gordon Bennett, defeats his scheme of legal annoyance originating in personal malignity. Attempt to quash the AU result of private pique, wounded egotism, everybody saw thru flimsy veil of professed regard for law and public morals, under cover of which Bennett made his vindictive assault. Cared nothing for the subscribers, would have their money confiscated to the state or fiend, but backfired. AU suit for libel has not been withdrawn, but we suppose he will slip thru the meshes of the law as usual. 11 front page poem is Kossuth and Cock Robin, who killed him—Lola Montes, Col Webb, Genin, Bishop Hughes, Greeley, Gordon Bennett, Soule, Cass, Seward Fillmore, Clay, Sunday times (he was a humbug). Sun cut its pay, 16 journeymen printers left it in a body, disapproves of Sun doing this again. Political Slapdashery—Young America, impulsive politicians managing Demo Review, style is cut and thrust, old fogies antiquated, versus progress and radicalism, Cass and Butler friends are imbeciles and nincompoops, Marcy spavined, but like John Van Buren. Douglas their god, son of a gun. Want Poetry of Utility, not Nature, but miracles of science, nature’s poetry is exhausted, sing the progress of steam and broadcloths, babble no more of green fields, leave mere sentiment to lymphatic twaddlers. 18 Baker Godwin & Co new paper the Steam Press; Geo Stearns ed of Art of Living, moving to Josah Warren’s Modern Times. Trib annoyed that the Times with 25,000 circulation has no opinions unless to be in favor of what there is no dispute about, or down on what everybody condemns, so it is always right. Webb and the Commercial zealous for Webster, Greeley for Scott, Express for Fillmore; C&E forgets denunciations of Webster under Tyler. p2 Opening of the NAD, delightful novelty, has had wind taken out of its sails by Art Union, for this year’s opening instead of small opening with champagne and tobacco, 700 invitations with evening dress, no alcohol. Most striking pics are Hicks’ ex Gov Fish and Rossiter’s wife, former great strong impressive, latter charming and beaut, will bring thousands to exhib. Young husb would give $1000 for his wife. Rossiter another gem of family scene, fresh bright and natural, at the piano. Young new ptr portrait remarkable success, Carpenter in first rank, Baker also done wonders. Pratt fortunate in subjects, Trist and intellectual young lady, Durand in new style, has been sleepy, but waked up with a pic of savage crags and beasts rending men, illus some forgotten text, none of reverend clergy could tell where it was. Church revelling in sunsets at sea, paints with audacity of a circus rider, fear he will fall, but does not. 2 alleg lscapes conspic placed War and Peace by Cropsey, beaut artist’s wife.
25 Forrest’s recent success at Broadway. p2 NAD: Mrs Crocker happy, tide has turned, artistic glory in future, not past, as in Europe. Academicians in hi spirits, every Wednesday night social reunions to which public invited as well as artists. Healy’s beauties, Carpenter’s remarkable David Leavitt, Salter’s striking pic of democratic Genl Wallbridge, Hicks, Rossiter. Next room is Elliott’s port of Mrs Griswold, fascinating. Hushed group in front of most impressive pic in Acad, Edw White’s De Soto, solemn death scene, thrilling, fr Bancroft. Huntington lscapes his best this year, or Cropsey’s Kenilworth, Leutze Queen Eliz. white subj fresh pictque impressive; Leutze hackneyed and ridic subj. May’s Esmeralda unfortunate, gipsey, dirty, no cheap baths for the people, face fr forgotten cheese. Unluckily he studied in Paris where with a few others fell into hands of monster, dreadful colorist, Hicks is recovering. His portrait worse. Louis Lang’s pics all beaut, great merit; Kensett, Gignoux, Baker. Scorn of southern Whigs for Brooks of the Express, Senator Mangum of NC called him malignant miscreant, base cut throat calumniator, half way mendicant, skulking hypocrite. Notes death of Frederick West, formerly ed of Sunday Atlas, ill for months, saw him daily, kind and genial, Trinity church.
May 1852
2 mocks ‘romance’ of dirty streets, puffs LG Clark 9 Cass favors subsidy to Collins line. Mrs JGB writing again fr Euro, mocks her style, had visited Wikoff in prison. Trib libelling Gov Seymour, for opposing Maine law. 16 no Homestead bill. 23 Praises Geo Law highly. Academic Sensitiveness, sketcher accused of trying to steal the design, officers of NAD did not act well. 30 p2 Academy of Design, ice cream on opening night mollified critics. Too intense in their pros and cons; art reunions brilliant. CD Stuart is writing in the Evening Mirror on music.
June
13 Like Meagher much better than Kossuth. Bennett is down on Newport, a plague spot. Times polit ed wrong that free soilers won’t support Pierce. Art Union has been found illegal, gives Judge Edwards’ dissent. We have little symp with mismanagement of Art Union, but don’t think it’s illegal. No connoisseur would want a third of the AU pics. 20 lawyer David Graham died abroad, a Clay Whig, member of City Council, 1844 when nativism triumphed defeated for mayor by James Harper. Newsboys are for Pierce, hard to find a whig among them, this will be a great country when the rising generation has done growing. 27 Times style is foggy figurative and foggy sententious
July
4 very minimal black borders for Clay. Trib’s extremism impedes progress of rational improvement by provoking resistance to their complete overthrow of existing laws and morals. 11 Engraved Brady’s medal at Cryst Pal for best dags. prefer real duels to paper ones.
Aug
15 Tupper poem! p2 poetry and progress, worried about machine poetry, old fogies happier than we are today when future converted into the present and we know too much, think Nature not what has been cracked up to be, Poetry is too ethereal to run with the machine. Don’t admire florid Iranistan design, but interior admirable, best taste, Barnum great host. 22 mock auctions of life: insider info in Wall st, investor faces combination of financiers, dignitary of the church borrows large sums (Doane), corrupt legislators , lawyer defending villain, all mock auctions, Havemeyer should raise his red flag over. Long puff of new metropolitan hotel. John Brougham doesn’t need a benefit. New phalanx in east jersey. 29
Sept
12 not that hostile to women’s suffrage. notices Rufus Porter experiment. 19 love Gen Hiram Wallbridge, Mike Walsh, b’hoys will votwe for Tweed, Whigs will defeat John Wheeler, of Union Place hotel, Francis Cutting may win, Flagg, B Purdy. New daily paper by Joseph Sweet, an old printer, 47 chambers st, Josiah D Bangs and James M Turner ed, Tea Room Tattler. 26 posthumous portrait
oct
3 Indian degraded, disgusting, not like Cooper. 10 the boy artist. Wall st morality is bad despite Trinity frowning on it. 10 death of John L Stephens, Incidents of Travel delightful, graphic style. 31 crit of Trib assault on naturalized citizen Belmont, old demo, as foreign agent, refused to publish his rebuttal. No black borders for Webster, crit of Trib for being critical of Webster. Bennett to Europe. Art Union determined unconstitutional, but property not to be confiscated, assets divided among subscribers.
Nov
7 Solemn Cant of Criticism: pictorial is the worst, because has been to Louvre, no reason to thrust on us vocab of artist, dilating on absract perfections, want us to appreciate their erudition not art. Can’t go near NAD without travelled impertinence, they purchase indiff copies of celeb masters, turn up nose at best indig genius, as at public sale, belong to no school but honest fidelity to truth. They preferTurner to Landseer, prefer daub of London mustard and, monstrous exaggerations of color, sd to be genius. Be guided by common sense, not studied hypocrisy of the times. Barnum’s new paper advertises. 14 Kidnapped for a portrait. p2 praise sensible sermon by Orville Dewey on obedience to order. Pierce a national triumph. Suggested that Geo Law wants war with Cuba to get rid of his muskets, Kossuth didn’t buy them 21 Times loved Thackeray. Trib has sketch of Comte, may ask friend to refute his arguments against xtianity. 28 p2 Oakes Smith lecture on Cleopatra at Hope chapel a defence of licentiousness, must cast aside our notions of morality to judge Cleopatra, admires her passion wrongly. Ought to invest Art Union auction proceeds to benefits artists’ widows and children.
Dec 5 continues critical of feminism, stay in sphere. Times is listing toward free trade and territorial aggrandizement 12 hesitant about NY Cryst Pal. NY Sketch Club met at CD Stuart’s in Troy st, Dallas Cafferty and Chapman, Jones medallion of Richards and Walcutt. Art Union auction this week. Has been a humbug fr the first, design gd, execution disgraceful. Last Herald of the Union by C Edw Lester bitter attack on literary puffing, should not throw stones. 19 death of Fanny Wright, admired her. AU sale came within 3000 of artworks cost. 26 p2 Our Unbound lit, success of Harper’s, Putnam’s, weeklies in embryo. wikoff lost thousands on a pictorial sheet, imported artists and engravers, fault of all our pictorials lack of originality. Funny pictorials do best, Town was the best, Yankee Doodle fair to middling as a copy of Punch, not American. John Donkey had approp title. Judy started well, then fell off. Bubble a bag of wind, cuts required a key to explain their meaning. Lantern a melancholy parody on Punch. Un American. Barnum Beach and co v handsome paper, but imitate London illus news, hire English writers. Period lit is trash, low paying.
Sunday Times and Noah’s Messenger NYHS loose issues, 1844-1863
subhead is A Family paper devoted to news lit, drama and genl interest. 7 columns.
vol 3 1844 May 12: Republic’s Pic Gall is splendid. Thinks Wikoff’s letters in the Herald hurt Bennett. Frelinghuysen owns a slave. hostile to Globe. remarks of would be critics at Academy are amusing, pretentious
Sunday Times and Noah’s Weekly Messenger NYHS Jan 1859 lots of issues missing 162 Nassau st 4 cents or $2 year. masthead has prominent seated Indian, also a weird historical scene—man Indian? being shot. 9 columns. Noah, Deans and Howard pub.
Jan 9 1859
a reporter gives history of Wood-Webb riot of 1836, reporter Dr. Hart on C&E (music and drama) attacked Wood. p2 defends Tammany agst “regulars” and People’s party, anti-Tammany, lend aid to republicans. Notices Trib on Tues praised female Indian head on new pens, then on Weds denounced her as latitudinally flat headed, cantankerously thin lipped and and a pancake. has a diff standard of beauty for ea day of the week. approve of post office patronage (Fowler of Tammany) going to the Sun. Jennie June a cores. Peter Piper is the Wash cores. p. 3 Artists Reception: by the Professor (married, has been traveling), elite occasion, should think of the poor who can’t go, as enter see Ehninger, captures Puritan spirit, GW Hall, Bellows, Carter, J Hart, Coleman, love the head by Greene, Durand, Blondell, Shattuck, Sontag etc. Spencer Cone poem, he’s a regular writer. Columns by the Growler and the Vagabond.
16 professor visits cooper’s school of design, praises TA Richards, says has noticed him many times
23 Vagabond on the School for Scandal. Current public school system a failure, need one that educates everyone. Praises Home J, its current Ways of Wedlock penned bya wealthy belle. Atlantic Mo has hi lit merit, wrong politics. 30 Prof dislikes prodigies. Vagabond subscribes to romantic idea of genius. Jennie June describes new penny as an intoxicated squaw. takes mild issue with Anson Herrick’s rundown of Tammany nominees as inaccurate.
Sunday Times and Noah’s Weekly Messenger, NYHS bound volume for 1859. 4 cents or $2 year. 162 Nassau st. Noah, Deans and Howard pub. 9 columns. Brandeth, Ayers ads.
Jan 1859
9 has Spencer Cone poems (and continues them and his other writings, lots of patriotic poetry generally); has Mary Kyle Dallas (also MKD) writing a lot and other female contributors, including Jennie June on fashion and other urban/women’s issues, the Growler, the Vagabond (Badeau). article on 1836 Webb-Wood riot says it was Dr Hart, the theater and music critic for the C&E, who initiated it. Support Isaac Fowler and regular Tammany agst opponents (Fernando Wood), People’s party. mocks inconsistent crit of Trib. regularly promotes writers publishing in the Sun, the NY Weekly News, Sunday Mercury, Daily News. weeklies advertise. also likes the Leader. Glad the postmaster Fowler gave the Sun patronage based on circ. p.3 the Professor (married, has been abroad, has written for them before) on the Artists Reception at Dodsworth’s. felt sorry for the poor in the cold, liked Ehninger’s puritans, Hall, Bellows, Carter, Coleman J Hart Sonntag really loved Greene, Shattuck 16 nasty abt misceg, young women as artists p2 is re Cooper’s school, mentions TA Richards as landscapist have written abt before (Professor) 23 Vagabond on school for scandal. public school system failing to educate everyone equally. 30 running a series of City Life Pictures by Pensive Eyes; Vagabond follows romantic idea of genius; Professor doesn’t like prodigies. Italian people determined to be free. Juliaa Ward Howe writing abt Edw Booth in Atl Mo. p2 Jennie June on the new pennies and correcting the Atlas account of the Demo nominees
Feb 1859
6 like Chas Gayler’s Our Female American Cousin, uppity Irish servant. jennie june says female teachers not treated well, later on article on unequal pay for them. City Pictures series by Pensive eyes. Poe’s gold Bug is being repub in Daily News, a rapidly improving paper. Aborigines are wronged by US. anti-divorce law reform. v hostile to misceg. 20 anti prohibition laws. Vagabond loved Niblo’s. 27 like Alger in the Sun. Trib sd GW was too slow for his age. Support revolution in Italy.
March
6 Mary Kyle Dallas, Vagabond loves Longfellow, thinks Bryant isn’t a great poet. Moderate defense of Sickles, if he acted in passion. Count Joannes (Geo Jones) suing them for libel. 27 critical of woodcuts.
April
3 vagabond doesn’t care for realism, esp French, tho gets why others do. Prefers the ideal. Mocks Frank leslie’s mildly. Admires Genin’s hats. Love Bayard Taylor, hired by Sunday Mercury is great. 17 p1 NAD by Vagabond private opening, Rossiter Boutelle Huntington Mount. has been to some private old master collections, tend to make Am art look crude and pale. Gignoux, Kensett. p2 has more on NAD, more on Bayard Taylor. 24 disliked Gov King, hope Gov Morgan will be good. notice Odd Fellows.
May
8 p1 letter fr A Mechanic on wonders of Art Union, need for a free public gallery. Count Gurowski noticed. Girard college a travesty of founder’s wishes, tho he wasn’t a great guy either. 15 Dispatch editor wrongly took offense at a general crit of city officials. Like the current officers of Merc Lib, will regain vigor. Crit of Mazzini and Kossuth for siding with abolitionists. Approve of Ottarson of the press trying to get public drinking fountains. Critical of Wikoff for getting a political appointment, a political wanton and patriotic leper. capital ptgs by Richard in Brooklyn. 22 Vagabond on lscape ptrs, loves Church’s power and originality, Niagara and Heart of the Andes. Wm Keese poems. 22 likes NY Weekly, they advertise. p2 Charles G Halpin joined the Leader, our neighbor, trenchant truthfulness in political writing, sparkling. Jennie June symp to feminists, but not suffrage, as is journal generally. 29 p2 Greek Slave going to AT Stewart
June 19 Laura Elmer poem. 26 p1 Vagabond on art and artists, surprising they are gross and coarse. Like Buchanan for president in 1860.
July 3 Duganne writing for NY Weekly on hero of Rome, Garibaldi. Dislikes NE puritanism. Our Press Gang is bad book. Republicans traffic with know-nothings. anti-dog.
Sept 25 Vagabond says Tennyson appeals to ltd set. Hostile to Simeon Draper, who Trib wants for mayor, happy when he left the police commissioners because he was unscrupulous. Like the New Yorker Demokrat.
Oct 2 Webster statue, p.2 9 p.2 now crit of Gov Morgan relig prescriptiveness. Art matters: French exhib, Troyon Frere Gerome, page’s Venus v human, Webster poem re Boston/Atlantic Monthly putting slaves above union, Duss gallery. 16 prize fighting bad. City Chamberlain AV Stout port by Elliott in superb style, gift fr police. Defence of Page’s Venus as decent. 23 Leslie’s quick to cover Harper’s Ferry. right to be severe on Onderdonk even if he’s repentant. Judge Whitley retiring fr editorial tripod of Hoboken City Gazette, merger with Standard, Reynolds of the Standard will continue. Like Daily News, Leader, hate Bennett and Stephen Branch. 30 Vagabond dislikes Thackeray. notes Darley’s marriage.
Nov 13 MKD attacks the genteel. contemp slang reviewed. p. 2 Art Matters: Palmer’s White Captive article by Tuckerman in Times is bad, pure Caucasian girl. Likes Sontag’s Dream of Italy in Duss. 20 p. 1 Vagabond on Am Art, Palmer, Church, Crawford, Powers decadent, Powell, Rossiter and Mignot. 27 v hostile to F Wood. Edw Everett a sophist.
Dec 4 Vagabond knew and liked Irving. Wood assoc with Dead Rabbits, Meagher and James T Brady oppose him. Support Wm Havemeyer for mayor. 18 quite hostile to Boucicault, think he’s anti American and abolitionist. Support Union mtg, demos involved, not just whigs. 25 praise Frank J Thompson’s Vanity Fair and mock Whitman in Sat Press
Feb 19 1860 from loose issues: Vagabond still writing. Notice the Anglo African Magazine, pretty good but disfigured by John Brown/Harper’s Ferry eulogies. Praise Leslie’s success (he also does the Illustrated Zeitung), grapples with great social evils, profile of Burton. Notices the Leader too. Geo Wilkes robbed on way to Euro. has Jennie June.
Feb 26 1860: our friend Col Thorpe of Spirit of the Times lecturing
Mar 4 1860 profile of Boucicault fr Home J. Like A Oakey Hall.
Mar 25 1860 Growler describes dog genre pic, rich and poor. p2 notices C McLachlan’s new paper Weekly Programme, based on his daily. story titled Artist and Craftsman.
June 7 1860 critical of Geo Law. Notices the World, a two cent paper now given away for one cent, conservative.
July 22 1860 Wm A Butler poem. p2 now that we have a Central Park, let’s have a Louvre full of pics and statuary, even Manchester has done it, need it to be a real metropolis
Nov 18 1860 defends Lincoln. likes Ann Stephens.
Dec 2 1860: garibaldi poem, and p.2 on Thom’s statue, “That brown stone libel” ugly coarse and unnatural (hate Wood). Willie Ware poem.
Dec 9 1860 Knick will be improved under new editor JR Gilmore and brilliant contribs. Attacks thom’s statue again, boys in park pelting it with snow. anomalous statue. Art matters: puffs hardinge’s studio opening. Dec 16 ought to have a law agst cruelty to animals. p2 art matters opening of gallery above Chapin’s, Thorpe, Sontag, Cinderella, don’t care for Jarves at Derby’s Inst of FA, Wertmuller. Dec 23 like Dr WW Sanger. F Wood has left Tyng’s church because of a crit of his Tgiving proclamation in a sermon, political preaching leads to irreligion. puffs Derby’s Institute and Cinderella there. 30.
Sunday Times NYHS bound volume for 1861, starts
Jan 13 p.2 Leutze’s Maryland at Derby’s, moderate praise. 27 p1 on statue of Wm Pitt in NY. newsboys crying the Constitution for 3 cents, later observes it dropped to apenny, adds some are selling it even cheaper
Feb 10 Vagabond on Jarves, loves it, esp older stuff 17 Fitz James O’Brien story. Photo albums all the rage.March 17 pro death penalty.
Times and Weekly Messenger loose issues
March 24 1861
they are a Peace democrat. Dallas, Cone et al still writing for them, but not the Vagabond? Mar 31 p2 NAD, like Sontag, Eugene Benson in e Johnson’s school which is truly national, his husking not his best though; Gifford’s twilight good, haseltine, Leutze’s Lafayette one of his best, Bristol, Parmelee. WH Beard’s Astronomer not the daub it seems, an anagram solved. JT Headley in them. April 14 will support the Union. 21 Duganne poem, defend the flag. stopped at end of April.