272 EDITOR. 



sink to two hundred. I trust you will deem it but fair that the claim 

 should be extinguished altogether, and that the Paper, thus reduced to 

 the level of what are the lower orders of Scotch newspapers in a busi- 

 ness point of view, should be restricted, like them, to merely the usual 

 newspaper staff of Editor, Sub-Editor, and Reporter. Just one word 

 regarding the occasional contributions themselves. I trust it is un- 

 necessary for me to stipulate, that I must possess over them, in every 

 instance, the proper editorial control. I shall pledge myself to exert 

 it on no occasion, without being prepared to yield a sufficient reason 

 to the Committee, whether for curtailment or rejection.' 



' I regarded this proposal as fair ; the mere man of 

 lousiness would have perhaps deemed it something more ; 

 Mr Wood at once admitted it to be at least nothing 

 les<. The next time, however, that his document was 

 submitted to me as altered and modified, I found it did 

 not embody the proposal which he had apparently deem- 

 ed so reasonable ; but that, without having made a 

 single objection to the suggested proportion of a one 

 sixth part of the profits being set aside for the occasional 

 contributions, he had quietly inserted in his document a 

 one fifth. And then finding myself treated, not as a 

 man who would fain have dealt with friends whom he 

 trusted, in a generous and liberal spirit, but as a mere 

 simpleton, who, having already yielded much, might be 

 expected to yield more, I indignantly broke off all 

 negotiation in the business, resolved that, if the terms 

 of Mr Wood should turn out to be those of his clients 

 the Committee, to receive at the hands of such a body 

 no share in the proprietorship of the Witness on any 

 conditions whatever. 



' Some short time after I had arrived at this deter- 

 mination, I waited on Dr Candlish at the Doctor's own 

 request, and we talked over the business alone together 

 in his study. At this distance of time I can give but 

 the purport of the conversation, not the word- 

 immediately opened to him my intention of demanding 



