Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-06-24
From Packard's Monthly.
Horace Greeley iu the Riot.
By EDMUND kIREE

I+ !
The outside world has been told
and has fully believed that Horace
Greeley wears white coat and shock
ing bad hat; that he invariably has one
pantaloon leg over the top OF his boot
that he walks with an uncertain, shamb
ling gait; eats mush and milk; sleeps in
his boots, and would not hesitate tc
run If fred upon. Mr.. Parton has
clearly shown that the world is mis-.
taken. In going over the last ter
years of his book we find that Mr.
Greeley dresses like other men, walks
tolerasly erect, eats rare roast beet, sel
dom or never sleeps, and can, on oc
casion, stand up and face martial
music. And we are glad to be able
to bear testimony to the last claim
more especially that it has been so Of
ten variously and with persistent NAL.
ice denied. Some facts stated by Mr..
Parton as to Greeley's conduct dur
ing the memorable Drat, Riot, will
serve to correct misapprehensions, and
do simple justice to a man who de-
serves better treatment than he usually
receives at the hands of his competi.
tors. To most of the facts presented
by Mr. Parton, touching the events Of
these terrible days, the writer car
bear personal testimony.
1t is not to be denied that, from the
very commencement OF the Civil War
Mr.. Greeley had little faith in putting
down the rebellion by force OF arms
IL his very nature and Instincts oppos
ed to bloodshed, he was constant,
looking tor some safe and honorable
road to peace; and yet, during the en-
tire struggle, he was ever ready Will
heart and pen to uphold the countr,
in its efforts to conquer a peace, evei
at the fearful loss OF blood and treas
ure.
You are losing faith in the Union,
said gentleman to him, just before
the battle of Gettysburg, Losing
taith:" he echoed; II never had any
Tell me how ten millions, compact and
united, can be put down by twenty
who are wrangling and divided, and
one half of whom are on the eve Of re
bellion. Tell me that, and | will have
faith in the Union"
He had no faith till the very last, but
he had what is better than taith-works
lie worked with as good a will and as
stout heart all along as If he had
from the very first toreseen the tan ot
Richmond.
II was about this time-during the
| first day Of the New York riot-that
Mr.. Greeley showed degree of per
sonal courage for which the public
does not give him credit. Early on
the morning of that day he heard that
the Tribune building was to be at
tackled and burned that night, and that
he and a few other prominent Repub-
licans We're to be hanged to the near
est lamp posts. This he heard on his
way down town, ana reaching his office
he found 1T surrounded by bolster
Gus croud, yelping and yelling like 50
many monkeys in a menagerle. But
the monkeys showed claws, and he soon
became convinced that the riot was
not riot, but revolution. a sub
ordinate proposed to him to arm the
office.
No he answered, "don't bring a
musket into the building. | have all
my life worked for the workingmen
and il they would now burn my office
and hang Inc, why let them do it.
Then he went about his daily work
as ii nothing unusual was going on
around him. The square in front OF
the building was filled with crew OF
rioters who had they recognized him.
would have torn him limb from limb
in an instant; but leaving the office at
his usual hour, he quietly elhoWeG his
way through the excited multitude t.
his dinner, at restaurant in Ann
street, only two blocks distant He was
accompanied by the editor oil the In
dependent; and 1t seems that this
gentleman, TO keep him away from the
office as long as possible, shrewdly
ordered viands which consumed long
time in the cooking, bat they were
done at last; and then this man, who
was marked out for the especial fury
OF the populace, rose to go back to his
desk and another editorial. All Mas
sau street, and Spruce street, and Print
ing-House Square, as far up as French S
Hotel, was now filled with an excited
mob, clamoring "Down with the Try
bune!' ''Down with the old white
coat, what counts magyar as good as
an Irishman!h In these circumstances
il was fortunate that Mr. Greeley was
accompanied by friend who was fully
alive to his danger. lie insisted on
returning to his Office, but was at last
almost literally forced into close car
riage, and driven rapidly OFT to the
residence OF friend on one OF the up
town avenues. Arrived there. he may