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Greeley's business judgment, Jones' refused; but he did take a place in the Tribune business office, and there not only acquired a thorough familiarity with what may be called the alimentary system of a newspaper, but formed a friendship with Raymond, who was Greeley's principal editorial assistant. Presently Raymond went over to The Courier and Enquirer, then edited by General James Watson Webb, and Jones later moved to Albany, where he engaged in the business of redeeming bank notes. In those days, when almost anybody could start a bank and issue paper money which might or might not have a solid reserve behind it, this was a somewhat hazardous occupation, but Jones made it profitable'. His business ability commended itself to Thurlow Weed, who had become acquainted with Raymond both as a newspaperman and as a rising young Whig politician. In 1848 Weed wanted to get out of The Albany Evening Journal, and offered to sell it to the two friends. Raymond' and Jones were willing, but one of Weed's partners would not let go, so the enterprise came to nothing. But it had shown Raymond and Jones that they were not alone in thinking that they could get out a pretty good' newspaper. For the moment Raymond's chief attention was diverted to politics; he was elected` to the Assembly in 1849 and became its Speaker two years later. But the idea of a Raymond-Jones newspaper never died thereafter.

In 1850 General Webb went to Europe and left Raymond in' temporary charge of The Courier and Enquirer. Raymond not only failed to use his political influence to promote Webb's brief Senatorial

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