Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-09-27

New York Derby & Miller
Mr. Greeey's reputation hitherto in the coun-
try, has been almost wholly as the editor Of the
Tribune As such be is better known than any
Other editor IN the United States The very large
circulation Of the various editions Of the Tribune,
have made bis writings in it more widely and
more eneray read than they could have been if
he bad addressed himself to the people Of bis
time through any other channel Of communication
than that Of a newspaper Il IS not too much to
say, that be has done more TO inform the mind Of
the reading public respecting the political ques-
tioas which have divided parties in this country
for the hot thirty Yeas than any Of bis eotempo-
urIes, and during The last fifteen years his infu-
euoe 10 forming mems opiniona has unquestlonaby
been greater than that Of any other man. HE
reputation has been that Of a rapid, honest, and
yety iorc.b'e and direct political writer lie has
hsea o keen observer Of passing eyeul., and hos
had sharp eye ior every b,emish o. weakness 10
au adversary, as well "a for every good point, eve
~ excellent trait Of character, and every right
action 10 friend. And yet has appeared to
be free from much Of the partisan bias 10 COM
anon 10 newspaper articles, which can see nothing
wrong in an aI.y nothing ood in sn enemy and
Aa h.- accordingly, in bis criticisms, and bic judy
ment of ne men Of his lime made the Tribune
a much ,aief guide than the columns OF most
party p1peu. Though often supporting, as a
choice NJ evils, candidates for office whom be be-
leyel TO be BY no means the best bis party could
PIT forward, be has yet, while doing 50, frankly
admitted ite.r imperieclions, and condemned the
p1cy aud lle practices and the machinery by
witch such men we're placed over their belters.
This course, while making his opinions really more
valuable, AID his paper more influential in mould
iHg The minds Of the thinking men Of the coun-
ir0 have made Mr.. Greeley obnoxious to those
who make trade Of their politics. and con-
seqlenty his popularity has been greater With
the mass of intelligent men, who regard the ma
clinery and intrgues Of polite conventions as
dirty business with which they will not NEEDLE,
ttt4A NtsN sac HtANHAtl'f uAb NItNhIhFfrt anu
political hacks, who consider party organization,
and vatchwords, and platforms, and conventions,
as only the convenient helps which they can EN-
poy TO float themselves into fat contracts, or hon
orab.e and easy offices Mr. Greeley, therefore,
never having been a popular man with what have
been called the leading men Of bis ovn party
t.fr.t l..
them has been so little the recipient OF iavors
from any quarter, except in increasing subscrip-
tons to bis widely read paper, that he has been
much better qualified, and much less disincncd, 10
Judge fairly Of the men and principles Of bis time,
than most men who have been as actively and
warmly and iufueulaly engaged in politics, as be
has Ior ibird Of century.
And 10 addition to this comparative freedom
iro4 partisan bas, which is an absolute necessity
iu . mind qualified to write anything approaching
a reliable history Of ones own time, no man in
,he country is better acquainted by year. Of ex-
permeumI knowledge Of the men, the political
questions, the party antagonisms, and all the cur
rent Of causes along which the nation has hoaied
or been driven into the present war, han Mr..
Greeley, lie has ever been distinguished for the
variety, extent, md accuracy of bis information
upon ] political subject If on som subjects
be has theorIed too much, in politics be has kept
himse grounded on hard, incontroveribe facts,
sud bis paper mas probably first given to ths pub
lie more statistical information damaging to his
ad,eI'aries, than any il not all Of bis ooiempo-
raries end this habit OF mind, sharpened by
constant practice, has made him walking enoy
copedia. And he has become qualified, by this
intimate familiarity with current events for the
last forty years, BY reteutive memory, by
qaIekness Of perception, and a rapdity and iacili
ty coupled with clearness and conciseness Of ex.
preston and statement seldom equaled, to EN-
body in popular form the " causes, incidents and
results of the American conflict" He does
not claim to have written with judicial imparlali-
ty, ior he does,not desire to have men believe him
capable o. being so far an Indifferent spectator Of
the great battle between Right ard Wrong be.
tween Freedom and Slavery, now being fought
out by this generation Of Americans, as to state
facts and material results, without reference to
the mighty forces Of ideas behind all this pageant
OF armsi and bis book is written undoubtedly
more in the style of warm, Interested and zeal
Gus advocacy, never however overlooking or fall
ing to meet fairly the strong points in bis oppo-
nents case, than of the summing up of the Judge
10 bis preliminary remarks be expresses his dis
trust Of his capacity to write work properly
called a history, and adds What have aimed
to DO, is so to arrange the material facts, and so
70 embody the more essential documents, illus
tratng those facts, that the attentive, intelligent
reader may learn from this work, not only what
were the leading incidents Of our civil war but
It's causes indictments, and the inevitable sequence
whereby IDEAS proved the germ Of events"
The author has divided bis work into two parts:
l. Hoe ne got into the Var for The Union and
H. Hoe tre get out Of Il. The volume before us
discusses the first division of the subject. Mr..
Greeley is anti shvery hear down to the bottom
of his nature, and naturally enough believes that
the spirit Of slavery, ever at war with the spirit Of
liberty 10 our institutions has at last precipitated
the country into terrible and desolating conflict
Of arms In this volume he has marshalled bis
facts and made his argument, in the strong faith
that slavery is the great criminal at the bar Of the
nation io.dayi and those who don't want to believe
as he does, had better not read bis book. He
,nas h,rk In the parly h;atorv NJ onr rennhlic 49,