The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-24
GEORGE d. PRENTICE.

IN our fourth edition of Saturday we gave
a brief biographical sketch of George d.
Prentice, who died on Saturday morning at
his home in Louisville, and we allude to him
again in this place, because he was very
remarkable man, whose memory deserves
something more at the hands of his brother
Journalists than hasty notice of the lead
ing events of his life. For many years
MIR. Prentice was a power in the West, and
his errors and mistakes were such as belonged
to o strong nature. He commenced his career
as o kentucky editor when the civilization
of that State was represented by the pistol aud
bowie-knife, and he fought his way along in
the usual style that q man living in such
state of society is obliged to. He was abu-
sive and personal in the conduct of his paper,
but he spiced his blackguardism with so much
genuine wit, and often good natural humor,
that even his enemies were obliged to have
a certain respect and admiration for him.
He was bitter partisan, for conservatism as
we understand it was something unknown in
the Kentucky civilization of forty years ago.
But Mr. Prentice was always a man of liberal
ideas, and his politics and philosophy meant
progress. More than almost any other man
in the State, he exerted himself to place
Kentucky in a foremost position in the Union,
and to secure the development of her many
resources; and he was the firm friend and
ally of Henry Clay and other statesmen who
represented the party of progress in national
and State politics.
At the breaking out of the Rebellion Ne.
Prentice, although surrounded by the most
powerful secession influences, was true to
the principles of his life, and he advocated the
Union cause with all the energy of his nature;
and the refusal of Kentucky to join the Re-
bellion was due in a large measure to his in
fuence. After the suppression of the Re-
bellion, Mr.. Prentice made the serious mis-
take of believing in Andrew Johnson, and
he became warm advocate of "my policy"
aud supporter of the extreme Rebel ideas
on the subject of reconstruction. This defec-
tion can easily be accounted for from the fact
that he was Southern man in his ideas and
feelings, and that he was not gifted
with an analytical mind. He was de-
ceived by the specious pretenses of the
early part of Johnsons administration, and
having espoused his cause, he fought for it
with all the blind partisanship that was a
marked characteristic of his nature. He was
besides, in feeble health, and the policy of
his paper was in great measure controlled
by his associates. These facts must be taken
into consideration in reviewing Mr.. Prem
tioe's career, and there is no reason to doubt
the heartiness of his patriotism or his desire
to see the Union reconstructed as speedily as
possible on permanent basis that would OBJ
itsrate the passions engendered by the war,
and bring about a new era of peace aud pros
perity.
TO perhaps majority of the people
of the United States, Mr.. Prentice was
better known as wit and poet than as
journalist. His humorous sayings and anus
ing anecdotes of him were circulated by
every newspaper in the country, and although
there we're many things fathered on him for
which he was not responsible, he yet uttered
enough genuine witticisns to make most
amusing volume if they could be collected.
AS poet Mr.. Prentice was entitled to take a
very high rank, and some of his verses breathe
an inspiration that gives rise to a regret that
the circumstances of his life were such that
he was unable to devote himself exclusively
to this branch of literature. He apparently
thought but little of his poetical effusions
for he never took any pains tC
give them to the world in perma
lnent form, and was satisfied will
such fame as he received from their frequen
republication in the corners of the news
papers With all his faults George d. Prem
tice was man of no common stamp. He
was a typical American, energetic, enterpris
ing, dashing at obstacles and overturnine
them by main force, ready to support hi'
opinions with pen or pistol, and often unscru
pulous in the means he used to accomplish
his objects OF to defeat his opponents, but a
the same time warm hearted, with fine veiI
of humor underlying his brusqueness, and in
spired by spirit of poesy that seemed almos
out of place amid some of his surroundings
BY his death the profession of journalism
loses one of its brightest ornaments and on
of its most influential members, and he will
be regretted by thousands who never saw th
man OF felt the spell Of his presence. Ma
he rest in peace.
THE SEPTEMBER GOLD SPEOULA
TIONS.
The most interesting feature of the reviva
of the old story of the New York cold specu