The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-14
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
UPON CURRENT ToPIos-ooMPLED EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
H. G. AND THE BLooKHEADs.

ID. u. AND The BLOOhHEADS.
From the NJ Y. World
We needed not Mr. Greeley's speech in
Union Square last night to satisfy us that he
had returned to New York. Any one who
opened Mondays Tribune could see "with
half an eve" that II. g. had put his foot in it.
Quoth the Tribune, "The World lies as
usual" hard saying this from any one but
H. G. From H. G. it only means that he is
disgusted to find the World catching him on
the flank.
Which, indeed, the World has done. For
whereas the Tribune for what reason we
know not, now seeks to make 1t appear that
III. g., in speaking of the Union Leaguers as
marrow minded blockbeads, meant only
committee of the Union Leaguers, the truth,
as the Tribune itself shows, is quite other
wise.
1t was on the 18th of May, 1867, that
Horace Greeley, first in the list signed the
bail-bond of jefferson Davis. On Thursday,
the 23d of May, 1867, Horace Greeley, having
been summoned ''by an official note from the
president of the Union League to attend a
special meeting of the club, called for that
night to consider his crime, published in the
Tribune over his own initials reply to that
summons. In that reply he says, 81 shall not
attend your meeting this evening" the said
meeting being meeting not of the commit
tee which had moved that meeting be called,
do not recognize you, he continues, ''as
capable of Judging or even of fully appre-
hending me. You evidently regard me as
weak sentimentalist, misled by maudlin
philosophy. arraign you as narrow minded
blockheads." This language, as the context
shows, was addressed and could have been
addressed only to the club. 1t was the club
by its president which had summoned HI. G..
to appear before it. 1t was before the club
that II O. rafusad to annaar
Nor was his refusal hasty impulse. 1t
was the deliberate result of long brewing
quarrel between H. G. and the League. This
his own language in the letter we refer to-
clearly proves. "Chancing" he says, "to
enter your clubhouse on Saturday evening,
the next after the assassination of President
Lincoln, received full broadside of your
scowls. l was soon made to
comprehend that had no sympathizers, or
none who dare seem such, in your crowded
assemblage." Can the force of language be
palmer?
But H. G.. goes on-
''Some maladrolt admirer of mine having
few days afterwards made the club present
of my portrait, its bare reception was re-
sisted in speech from the chair byyour then
president"
+, Who can wonder that H. G. should speak
of q club as q body of 'narrow-minded block
heads which refused even to receive as q
present portrait of himself, without being
compelled, like the subscribers of the 1rjb-
une, to take the Tribune with the portrait!
But who can repress his wonder at finding
H. G. now attempt to placate the block
heads whom he then de6ed? He actu
ally stoops so low as to pretend tina
they did not sustain the indictment whicf
ei they had brought against him, when in trutf
the record shows that after long and stormy
debate the club adopted a resolution de
nouncing the bailing of Jefferson Davis, ant
declaring that ga decent regard for the pa
triotism of the people, for the sacrifices o
the war, and for the sacredness of justic'
required that he should be detained in prison
until tried for his crimes" This resolution
was enforced as the condition of accepting
the proposition put forward by lawyer, Mr.
ID. B. Eaton, that ''the club had no legitimat
oi authority to condemn Horace Greeley 70
perpetrating this outrage upon patriotism,
the Sacrifices of the war, and the sacred
M ness of Justice"
In other words, the Union League decide
that it would have expelled Horace Greele
had it been legally entitled so to do. An
this decision, we submit, fully justified &
G. in pronouncing the club which made
to be collection of ''narrow-minded blocl
heads.
Let us have peace.