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Something for Barnum—Our Own Proposition

About This Item

  • Title: Something for Barnum—Our Own Proposition
  • Date: 1 June 1857
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.00889
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 1 June 1857: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Samantha Gilmore Thara Michaelis Cassandra Jannel Simms Stefan Schöberlein Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Something for Barnum—Our Own Proposition." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 16 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.00889.xml (TEI)
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Something for Barnum—Our Own Proposition.

We propose that Barnum1 be recalled from his private business in Europe, and sent to Utah, as Governor, with plenary power. We don’t know whether or no President Buchanan2 is a regular reader of the Brooklyn Daily Times—but if he should not be so fortunate, we hope some of the officials hereabout will send him this number.

Appoint Barnum to Utah! we repeat it. What’s the use of the authorities posting off there, (at great expense) such a lot of “sojers?” Once armed force, murders, wrongs, and who knows the result? The fox will answer for Utah, better than the bear or lion. There’s many a wise proposition made in jest.

Besides something should be done for Barnum; he has passed middle age, and he is poor. Who says the country owes nothing to Barnum? We contend he is not only an American “representative man,” but a great original—just as great in his way as any of the most famous characters of the world are in theirs. Barnum’s plans were so vast! even his humbug had sublimity! Nothing of the pistareen about him—but large, like a fifty dollar gold piece.

Not for his own sake, however, do we solemnly propose that Barnum should be invested with the Governorship of Utah. It might not be a comfortable berth for him; and the “Danites” might at last pop out his life. But we think it a grand appointment for the United States.

Notes:

1. Known as the Great American Showman, Phineas T. Barnum (1810–1891) was a businessman, author, and politician, notorious for the outrageous circus acts. Walt Whitman interviewed Barnum in 1847. [back]

2. James Buchanan (1791–1868) was the fifteenth President of the United States (1857–1861). Late in life Whitman still considered Buchanan "perhaps the weakest of the President tribe—the very unablest" (With Walt Whitman in Camden, Monday, November 5, 1888). For more information on Whitman and his disdain for Buchanon, see also Bernard Hirschorn, ""To a President" (1860)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]

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