The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-06-27
Greeley . Letter to Seward.
Remarks Upon 1t BY Ihurloo Wssd.
From tie Albany Evening Journ'

Fror tie Albany Evening Journsl
There are some things in this letter requiring
explanation all things in il are indeed suseept,'
Die Of explanation consistent with Gov. Seward ;
full appreciation of Mr.. Greeleys friendship aud
services. The letter was evidently written under
morbid state Of feeling, and it is less a matter
Of surprise that such letter was written, TRAN
that its writer should not only cherish the Il! VIII
tnat prompted 1t, tor SIX years. but allo" II to IN
huence his action upon question which con-
cerus his party and his country.
Mr.. Greeley's first complaints is that this jour
nal, in an editorial rescript, formally read ne
(hin) out Of the Wing party"
Now here is the editorial rescript formally
reading" Mr.. Greeley out Of the Wing party:
From the Evening Journal Of Sep, 8, 1888
"The Tribune defines its position in reference
to the approaching election. Regarding the
Maine Law" as question of paramount I'M
portance, it will support members Of the Legs
lature friendly TO its passage, irrespective OF
party.
"For State officers the Tribune win support
such men as it deems competent and Trustworthy,
irrespective also Of party, and without regard TO
the Maine Law
"In word, the Tribune avows itself for the
present, if not forever, an independent journal,
Ut WAS pretty Mucu 81
'usages, mandates and platforms
I'VE regret to lose, in the Tribune, an old,
able, and efficient co-Iaborer in the Wing vine
yard. Aut when carried away by his couvic-
tons Of duty to others-and in Its Judgment,
higher and more bene6cent objects-we have as
little right as inclination TO complain. The Tn
6une takes with it wherever it goes an indomita-
| bic and powerful pen-a devoted. a noble and
an unself-h zeal Its senior editor evidently
supposes himself permanently divorced from the
Wing party, bit We shall be disappointed, if af
| ter year or twO's sturdy pulling at the oar O!
Reform, he does not return &c his long-cherished
| belief that great and benefcent aims must con
| tinue, as they commenced, to be wrought out
through Wing instrumentalities.
but We only intended 10 say that the Tribune
openly and frankly avOws its intention and policy,
and that in things about which We canno. agree
We can and will disagree as friends"
| Pray read this article again, if its purpose and
| import be not clearly understood. At the time
it appeared, the Tribune was under high pres
sure Maine Law" speed. That question, i'll
Mr.. Greeley's view, was paramount to all others.
1t was the Tibans's higher law" NJ. Gree.
ley had given warning in the Tribune, that he
should support :" Maine Law u candidates for the
Legislature aud for State officers, regardless OF
|
| Aud this, too, when the Senators to De elected
| had to choose Sena,o- in Cvugrvss. Dat la
stead of "reading" Mr.. Greeley Tout of the Wing
party" it will be seen that after Mr.. Greeley
had read himself out of the party by discardIng
"party usages, mandates and platforms" the
Ereniny Joarnal, in the language and spirit Of
friendship, predicted just what happened, viz
that in due time, Mr.. Greeley would "return to
his long cherished belief, that great and benef
cent aims must continue, as they commenced to
be wrought out, through instrnmentalitiss.
We submit, even to Nj. Greeley himself,
whether there is one word or thought in the ar
tcle to which We have referred, justi:ying his
accusation that he had been read out Ct the
Wing party" by the Erening Journal.
| When, in December, 1897, we sought the ac,
quaintance and cooperation Of Mr. Greeley, We
were like him, "cool printer" working as hard
| az he worked. We had then been sole editor,
reporter, news collector, "remaI kable accident"
"horrid MURDER" Items" man, &C., &c, for
seven years, at salary Of $40 $1,000, Sl4O0,
and $500. We had also been working hard, for
poor pay as an editor and politician for the 2
years preceding 1880. We stood, therefore, Oh
| the came footing with Mr.. Greeley when the
partnership was formed. We knew that Mr.
Greeley was much ADLER, more ndomitably indus
| trious, and, as we believed, better man in all
| respects. We foresaw for him brilliant future,
and it we had not started With utterly erroneous
views Of his objects, We do not believe that our
relations would have Jared. We believed him
Indifferent alike to the temptations of money aud
| Office, desiring only to become both useful"
and ornamental" as the editor OF patriotic,
enlightened, leading and il fuential public jour
nal. For years, therefore, we placed Horace
Greeley far above that "swell mob" of Office.
seekers for whom, in his letter, he expresses so
much contempt. had Gov. Seward known, in
1888, that Mr.. Greeley coveted an Inspector
ship" he Certainly would have received it. In
deed, if our memory be not at fault, Mr.. Greeley
vas offered the Cl-rkship of the Assembly in
1858. 1t was certainly pressed upon US, and
though, at that time, like Mr.. Greeley, "desper-
ately poor" we declined.
We cannot think tina, Mr.. Greeley's political
friends, after the Tribune was under way, knew
that he needed the "pecuniary aid" which had
been promised When, about that period, We
suggested to him latter consulting some of the
Board, that the printing of the Common Coun-
Gil might be obtained, he refused to have any.
thing to do with it.
In relation to the State Printing, Mr.. Greeley
knows there never was dag when, if he had
chosen to come to Albany, he might not have
taken whatever interest be pleased in the Jour
nal and its State Printing. But he wisely regard
ed his position in New York, and the future o.
the Tribune as paramount to all Others
For the "creatiou Of the new office for the
Times, Mr.. Greeley knows perfectly well tina,
Gov. Seward was in no manner RESPONSIBLE
That Mr. Greeley should make the adjustment
OF the libel suit of Messrs. Redfeld and Fringe,
against the Tribune, a ground OF accusation
agains, Governor Seward, is a matter of aston.
ishuent- Governor Seward undertook the set.
tlement Of that suit as the friend of Mr. Greeley,
at time when a systematic effort was being |
made to destroy both the Tribune and Esenirg |
journal BY prosecution for libel We we're lit |
orally psstered over with writs, declarations. |!
&c. There we're at least two judges CT the Su- |
prerne Cour: in the State on whom plaintiff. /
we're at liberty to count for verdicts Cor. Sew
ard rendered his professional services 10 Mr. |
Greeley, and, in the case referred TO, as in 9th |
e-s. fooled the adversary. For such services this
seems strange acguit,aL Less fortunate than
the Tribune, is cost the Eeeniny Journal over
5000 to reach point in legal proceedings that
enabled . defendant in libel sui, 10 give the
truth in evidence.
II vas BY 10 fault, or neglect, or wish, Of Gov
seward, that Mr.. Greeley served but "niaety
lave In Congress" No. will We say what Others
lave said, that his Congressional d-but was "a
allure" There we're other reasons, and ,nis
Gems otung occasion 20 state them. Mr.
ineeleys "issUs" we're in his way at conven-
ions TIE "sharp points" and trough edges"
{ the Tribune rem tered him Unacceptable to
nose VINO nominate candidates. This was more =