If you have any remembrance of the
_Picayune's_ young days, or of journalism in New Orleans of that era,
and would put it in writing (verse or prose) for the _Picayune's_
fiftieth year edition, Jan. 25, we shall be pleased," etc.
In response to which: I went down to New Orleans early in 1848 to work
on a daily newspaper, but it was not the _Picayune_, though I saw
quite a good deal of the editors of that paper, and knew its personnel
and ways. But let me indulge my pen in some gossipy recollections of
that time and place, with extracts from my journal up the Mississippi
and across the great lakes to the Hudson.
Probably the influence most deeply pervading everything at that time
through the United States, both in physical facts and in sentiment,
was the Mexican War, then just ended. Following a brilliant campaign
(in which our troops had march'd to the capital city, Mexico, and
taken full possession,) we were returning after our victory. From the
situation of the country, the city of New Orleans had been our channel
and _entrepot_ for everything, going and returning. It had the best
news and war correspondents; it had the most to say, through its
leading papers, the _Picayune_ and _Delta_ especially, and its voice
was readiest listen'd to; from it "Chapparal" had gone out, and his
army and battle letters were copied everywhere, not only in the United
States, but in Europe. Then the social cast and results; no one who
has never seen the society of a city under similar circumstances can
understand what a strange vivacity and _rattle_ were given throughout
by such a situation.
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