The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-06-21

A dispatch from New York city,
of the 18th, says:
The public reception kof Horace
Greeley, by the Unicn Republican
General Committee of this city, of
which he was chairman, on the occa.
sion of his return from Texas, occur
tred this evening in Union Square, in
I the front rooms of the Lincoln Club.
Having been formally welcomed and
introduced to a large audience by
Enock l.. Faueber, Mr.. Greeley pro-
ceeded at once to compare the existing
state of affairs with that of ten years
ago, before the war, declaring the
rebellion and it's sacrifice OF half
million of the best and brayest lives
in the country might all have been
spared had the North and South only
understood each other, and the free
speech and fair interchange of opinion
prevailed throughout the entire coun
try. =
Two months ago he was invited to
go to Texas to deliver an agricultural
address, and though at first he deter
mined to decline, yielded to the advice
of his friends, who told him they
thought he could do the whole coun.
try good by going down to Texas
Now, said Mr. Greeley, 1 hear it said
that I went to Texas with too much
parade and circumstance, that there
was too much making. of speeches
from the platforms of cars and from
the balconies of hotels, and fully
concurred in that criticism, but invi:
tations came from all quarters, and I
felt it my duty to speak words of con-
ciliation. responded when I could,
for the rest kept silence. MIR. Greeley
said that it was also urged, in several
Journals, that his name was too often
mentioned as candidate for office,
and he fully concurred in that sug-
gestion, but he was, in q certain sense,
public man and identical with the
party contests and party principles.
He had often reproyed and reproached
much better men than himself because
they would not accept offices and loft
second rate men to fill them during
the last twenty years. H9Mr. Greeley
said he had been a g candidate for
office four times, twice for, Congress,
once for the Constitutional Conyenr,
ton, and once on the State ticket, but
never had he sought nomination, and
rarely was he consulted in regard to i
it.-fam notzatz all indebted to the i
Republican party said he. for these
nominations.I accept them as I
would any. other duty, but for its |
support. I am grateful; but the past
is past, and let the dead bury their
dead. am perfectly willing to pass.
receipts with the Republican party
I could not help being a Republican.
For the future L need no Office, desire
no office, and, though I shall not de-
cline nomination which has not been
given me, shall seek no Office. I am,
however, willing to do nv duty. /
have work enough, for which | am
well paid; I do not want
too much notoriety,' and the more
quiet and the more peaceful my re-
manning days shallbe, the better shall
I be satisfied d, IN f.s.s ,-..n. ri Il,
With these remarks Mr.. Greeley
left the subject of his own political |
future, and reviewed at length the |
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 conqured States.-tt
He spokein severe terms of the Ku-
Klux, which, he said, the Government,
ought to extirpate at once and forey-
,r; and in severe and more sarcastic
of the thieving carpet {
who, he said, were curse
o the South, and a disgrace to tho G
North, whence they came. The p
who plunder and prey
lpon the negroes and poor whites, S
While pretending to be anxious for G
heir education and the salvation of t
heir souls, were, he said, the greatest {
existing obstacle to Republi an as. G
;endancy in the South, and so he '
denounced them. ID
Mr.. Greeley said he did not say he +
lopsd the time would come when we /
IF the North would honor Lee and
jackson as we honor Grant
md Sherman but that, he hoped the It
ime would come when all Americans, II
North and South would feela just pride I
n the military character and achiav. g
nents of Lee and Stonevall jackson, Q
ust as We of the North now take pride
q the character and achievements of {
Nront Sherman and Thomas. Pos