Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-13
Our New York Dispatches.
Horace Greeley hns n Grand Public Re
ceptiOn; He Gives Hrs Views on "a Va
riety of Subjects, Especially on His Be
ing n Candidate for Office, etc.

ceptiOn He Gives HIS Views ON Va
riety of Subjects, Especially on His Be
ing "A Candidate for Office, etc.
New YORK, June 12-The public reception
oflflorace Greeley by the Union republican gen
eral committee of this city, of which he is chair
man, on the occasion of his return from Texas,
occurred this evening, in Union square, in front
of the rooms of the Lincoln club. Having been
formally welcomed and introduced to the large
audience, Mr.. Greeley proceeded at once to COM
pare the existing state of affairs with that of
ten years age, before the war, declaring that the
rebellion and its sacrifice of Il half million of
the best and bravest lives of the country might
all have been spared had the north and south
only understood each other, and free speech and
fair interchange of opinion prevailed through
out the entire country Two months ago he was
first invited to 90 to Texas to deliver an agricul-
tural address, and though first determined to
decline, he yielded to the advice Of his friends,
who told him they thought he could do the
whole country good by going to Texas.
Now" said Mr., Greeley, 81 hear it said I
went to Texas with too much parade and cir
cumstance, that there was too much making of
speeches from platforms of cars and from bal
comics of hotels; and fully concur in that crit
icism; but the invitations came from all quar-
tiers, and felt it a duty to speak words of con-
Citation | responded when | could, and for
the rest kept silence" Mr.. Greeley said it was
was too often mentioned as candidate for office;
aud he fully concurred in that suggestion, but
he was, in certain sense, public man, identi-
fed with party contests and party principles.
He had often reproved and reproached better
men than himself, because they would not ac-
cept offices, and left second rate men to fill them
During the last twenty years, Mr.. Greeley
said, he had been four times a candidate for
office, twice for congress, once for a constitu-
tional convention, once on state ticket; but
never had he sought nomination and rarely
was he consulted in regard to it. 81 am not at
all grateful" said he "to the republican party
for these nominations. | accepted them as |
would any other duty; for its support | am
grateful, but the past is past, and 'let the dead
bury their dead | am perfectly willing to pass
receipts with the republican party. l could not
help being republican. | need no office, de-
sire no office, and though shall not decline any
nomination which has not been given me,
shall seek no office. | am, however, willing to
do my duty. have work enough, for which
am reasonably well paid, too much notOrety and
the more quiet and peaceful my remaining DAYS
shall be, the better | shall be satisfied"
With these remarks Mr.. Greeley left the subject
of his own political future, and reviewed, at
length, the principal incidents Of his journey
south, his impressions of southern politics and
society, and urging earnestly his familiar views
of liberal and generous treatment of the con-
quered states He spoke in severe terms of the
kukluX, which, he said, the government ought
to eXtirpate at once and forever, and in severe
and more sarcastic condemnation of "thlevng
carpet baggers, who, he said, were a curse to
the south and n disgust to the north whence
they came. The carpet baggers, -who plumber
aud prey upon the negroes and poor whites
while pretending to be anxious for their educa-
ton and the salvation of their souls,-he said,
were the greatest existing obstacle to republican
aScendency in the south, and so he denounced
them.
Abiding to his speech at Wick sburg, Mr..
Greeley said he did not say he trusted the time
would come when we of the north would honor
Lee and Stonewall Jackson as we honor Grant
and Sherman; but that he hoped the time
would come when all Americans, north and
south, will feel a just pride in the military char
acter and achievements Of Lee and Stonewall
jackson, just as we of the north now take pride
in the character and achievements of Grant
and Sherman and Thomas. Possibly" added
Mr.. Greeley, "this is too strong for some of Won.
but can wait; can wait"
Concerning the "new departure" Mr. Greeley
said he thought it was fully justified. The dem
ocrats had done well to depart from the foolish
old business of running their heads against a
stone wall; but it had always been rule of his
life never to coniure up a bad motive for A
good action. The democrats see that they are
where they better not be, and that they better
depart; he was glad of the "new departure"
and glad to see that democrats had got new
political religion, and hereafter would carry the
dA IlclT COdtS llSlCdu VI upon Lnelf SnOul-
ders when they went out chOpping Sundays 1t
would be better yet to leave the AK in the wood
shed, and go out and treat black men as BROTH |
ers; and he believed the democrats, at least the |
better part of the democrats, meant TO do this, |
and make democracy something more then skin |
deep.
He would not, however, make too much of |
the new departure. He did not understand |
that it protested any sorrow for the past war |
fare against the rights of man, or made any |
promise not to renew it; but, if the democrats |
admit the three republican amendments to the |
constitution as finally and irrevocably ratified, |
and must be got out, if at all, in the same way |
they were got in, by majorities of congress and |
the vote of three fourths of all the states, we |
shall feel safe, and that all we have gained is Sc
cure under the guarantees of the federal consti- |
tuition; "For," said Mr. Greeley recalling his
experiences at the polls in this city, Twenty-Five
years ago, and later twelve years ago, when he
couldn't induce the democrats to accent the hal |
lot in favor of equal rights. 81 believe in human
progress. rejoice that the democrats have taken
the new departure. But, will it not put the
republican party Immediately out of powor? is
asked, Burke says; Confidence is a plant of
slow growth, and it will take some time for
the people to have much faith in the new creed
OF the democrats; it will take some time for
their own folks to believe it, Ultimately. |
think, it will strengthen the democracy, but
am willing to go out of power now, and live in
minority forever, if necessary. The downfall
and overthrow of American slavery is the
grandest work of any generation since the gov
eminent was founded. Let us remember the
grand old Bible injunction: Speak to the chill
dren of Israel that they go forwardP We
ought, long ago, to have ended all this trouble
by universal amnesty aud impartial suffrage;
and, if the democrats concede the latter, repub-
lieanS must grant the former"
In conclusion, Mr. Greeley summoned all
around him to prepare for new issues and new
struggles which open before u.s. Questions of
industrial policy, of national advancement and
prosperity, are daily more imperative, and de-
mand the best and most honorable service of
the American citizen, Mr., Greeley closed with
an eloquent apostrophe to the new and broader
departure" which he hoped for the whole coun-
try, in peace, unity and prosperity, and retired
amid hearty cheers from the thousands around
the platform.
Rev. DIR. McCosh has received an autograph
letter from President Grant, accepting the invi-
tation to be present at the closing exercises at
Princeton college commencement. Secretary
Belknap will deliver the Grafton, and General
Frank Blair will also be present
The tea brokers and merchants of this city re.
solved to-day to form board of trade, and cor
rect the abuses in the business,
Lizzie Carroll, twenty years old, native of |
Albany, was charged by the verdict of coro-
ner's jury, to-day, with having murdered her
twin male infants, strangng one and suffocat-
ing the other by dropping it into vault.