The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1869-07-29
IIisboFough Highland County, Ohio july 1869
Whole No. 1871.



Horace Greeley in the Riot.
Only hundred muskets had been
brought into the building during the
night; but these by happy ruse had
been magnifed in the estimation of
the mob into at least FIVE hundred.
They kept the rascals at bay during
the night, but were totally insufficient
for the regular defense of the building.
With even a hundred brave men be-
hind them they could no more have
WithstoOd that infuriated crew of five
thousand than a feather can withstand
a whirlwind. This was fully appre-
ciated by the defenders, and
/ it was determined that if
the building should stand over night,
to load it up to the muzzle in the
morning. AccNdingly, by the fol-
I lowing noon, it was a perfect arsenal.
The first floor was barricaded with
bales ofprinting paper and provided
with steam hose, that would have
badly "scorched" any intruder and
the second story had at one of the
windows a small cannon loaded with
grape and canister, at the others piles
of hand grenades, ready to be hurled
upon the rioters. The third story was
equally we'll armed, and the larger ed
/ itOrial room were a dozen forty pound
shells, with fuses shortened so they
would explode on striking the pave
ment. These, with a brace or more
of muskets at every window, and a
hundred and fifty determined men, all
under command of an experienced
army officer completed the armament
of the building.
This arsenal Mr.. Greeley entered
about noon on the second day of the
riot, and, making his way to heedito-
rial rooms, he looked curiously at the
warlike preparations.
"What are these?' he inquired, in
specting the shells, which were ranged
in an irregular semi-circIe near one of
the front windows.
"Balls of fire and birthstone for
those ragamufin5 down there on the
Sidewalks
"But I wanted no arms brought in
to the building"
eyes, we know, but Colonel Adams
now has command Ofthe Tribune, and
we propose to see this dance out, if it
lasts till dOOmsday."
Without further remarks Mr., Gree
ley went to his work, and all the day
was knee-deep in editorials and ex
i. changes.
Meanwhile a noisy mob was in pos
session of Printing H0usesquare, and
whoever entered OF left the building
was greeted with yells and curses, and
threats of even rougher treatment.
IStiIl thrOng of friends came pouring
in and out all the day, and these visi-
tors so impeded Mr. Greeley's work
thatit was s o'clock at night before he
had finished his last leader. AS it
grew toward dark one friend after an
other went to him, urging him to
leave for home, and representing the
great danger of remaining after sunset.
To all his answer was, Il am not
quite through; L will go in a few min
utes."
At last General Busted came in
from the street, reporting that the
crowd, now greatly augmented, were
clamOring wildly for ''OuId Grayley."
alt is absolute Madness" he added,
''for you to stay longer" but the an
swer still was, 81 am not quite
through I will go in a few minutes"
Eight o'clock at last came, and
then Colonel Adams and another gen
tleman sent out for a close carriage, to
be brought to the side door, and then
going to Mr.. Greeley, accUsted him
somewhat as follows:
"Mr. Greeley, a carriage viii be
here instantly. We want you to
leave the office"
81 am not quite ready I will 90 in
a few moments" was again the quiet
reply.
eve insist on you going now. A
hundred and fifty of US are risking
our lives in defending your building,
and you have no right to add to our
danger"
At this the philosopher slowly
arose, and with q peculiar smile said,
"But why order a carriage? 1 could
have gone just as well in a street car. -
"YOu couldn't have got to a car.
Look down there and see the kind of
! crowd that surrounds the building"
He looked down and saw what
might have made a man of iron
nerve turn a little paid. The infer
nal regions had been unroOfed, and
the devils We're there shouting, and
hOOting, and bowling and groaning on
the pavement. Such another crew
never got together on this or any
other planet; and as he looked they
shouted, "COme out, ye old haythen;
come out; and we'll taiCh ye nay
gers as good as an Irishman."
"Well, they are hard looking set, "
! he said, turning around and drawing
on his coat, preparatory to leaving;
"where could those fellows have come
from?''
He was smuggIed intoa carriage,
the door was closed, and in half an
hour he was miles away, in safety.
AS all know, the riot lasted two
days longer. During these two days
the Tribune Office and its editor were
in almost hourly dangers but Mr..
Greeley came and went as usual, and
as usual attended to the duties of his
position, as if only quiet were reign
ing over the blood deluged city; and
all this while some of the great daIies !
were posting him as a paltrOOn, and
even a venerable archbishop had the
bad taste to publicly brand him as
morally and physically coward.
Whatever may be the facts touching
Mr.. Greeley's moral and physical cOur
age, he showed upon this occasion an
| intellectual courage that constitutes in
every deed a herO.-[ Edmond Kirk,
in Packard's Monthly,
There. is tribulation among the
American residents in London. A
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