The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-30
GnGRtelIi9stteer:
Death OF Horace Greeley.

WAS SO unexpected, ana MIR. GREELEY
VA, 20 recently before tho country in q
wSy thst made Ills namc a household
word from ono end Of 1t to the other, that
ueOple everywhere will be iuexpressibly
shocked. Tho causes Of his death are
apparent. The labOrs, ladgues, anxieties
and Affections Of the past few months
leN him wrecked beyond recovery.
While Mr.. GREELEY had q vigorous and
wellprcserved physique, hew as nervous,
finely struDg-proue TO spend all his
strength in mental activity. Hehad won.
deriuI capacity for severe and protracted
brain work, but no other work when
cyerdone makes such powerful drafts on
the vital powers. From the opening Of
The campaign Mr.. GREELEY's mentality
compelled him to take an absorbing in
terest in its progress. His tour to the
West, when he spoke and travelled incess.
antly day after day without rest or relief,
was a marvellous feat otintellectual pow.
er, but enough in itself to wreck any or.
dlnary brain and nervous system. Dur.
log all those days and nights Mr.. GREE.
IEY's must have been subject to "a tire.
mendous and exhaustiDg pressure. Re.
turning to New York into focus Of the
same kind Of excitement he had been
passing through, without opportunity for
rest, be was summoned to the sick
bed ol q dying wife and during
the fortnight that followed he had
scarcely one hours sleep out Of twenty.
four. Adsyor two following her death
and before her burial came the election;
and certainly Mr.. GREELEY would have
been something more or less than human
iihehs not felt poignant disappointment
and notification over the result. But
with a will that sought todefy all the pen.
alies Of outraged nature, a few days after
be had buried his wife found Mr. GREELEY
at bis old post in tho Tribune office, pen
In hand, resuming the daily tasks which
exact the best fruits Of a mind and body in
vigur. But offended nature would not
be cheated Of its victim, In q day or
two we missed Mr.. GREELEY's pen from
the columns of the Tribune. Then
there were few days Of si-
leuce; and next w9 heard that
Nj. GREELEY was i'll; then dispatches
that his mind was broken down; and then
few days later comes the sad intelligence
that he Is dying, and swiftly following it
The announcement Of his death. The
busy brain that had worked 80 tirelessly
topeoplc the world with happy and use.
ll thoughts yielded at last, and for
days before his death nature sent a
kindly unconsciousness to disarm the
paags Of failing mortality. 1t might
have been supposed that in this hour, il
never before, tho dying journalist would
have been spared the shafts Of detraction
but sensational rumors Of pretended OBJ
servstions made upon the sick bed were
telegraphed over the country, "The most
insolent and offensive OF these" as charac.
IstiEGd by tho Cincinnati Commercial,
was the story that Mr.. GREELEY was re.
nOrsetul and reproached himself OF
which that journal Justly says:
This is too contemplate and oIious
lo' other treatment than that prescribed
BY dtslainful pity Of its author. Mr..
GFeeley'S course during the recent cam
plign has added now titles to the respect
Of bis fellow citizens and OF mankind. If
hes mort0lly sick, he has been wounded
todeath through the tenderness Of his
heart; Ior the integrity Of his character
has never been cl0uded, and his intelli.
gence Is too acute, though in the midst OF
Tho wreck OF lofty ambition, to permit
him to despair OF usefulness and honor
in the career, that, II health sustained,
was still before him."
This is indeed sad ending Of that busy
lie which in the ordinary course should
h'vebeen prolonged yet many active,
useful years. Mr.. GREELEY's history is
sohmiliar to our readers that We shall
attempt no recital Of 1t here. 1t was from
early boyhood a lilo OF incessant toll
De was In tho best sense self made man.
hu Inherent greatness OF character and
native genius overcame all the obstacles
That early poverty and obscurity threw
tn the way. Mr.. GREEIEY's last
thirty or forty years were characterized
Oyau almost unexampled mental activi-
~ He seemed never to rest. When not
answering tho daily exactions Of that
most exacting master, a daily newspaper,
HeSas writing for other papers and peri
OdicalS, or writing pamphlets or books
orptepattng and delivering lectures EN-.
O'lctng in these productions almost the
Whole range of moral, ethical, political
and Sclendfc topics, Yet everything he
Nuched was refreshed as the face
u nature by a spring shower. His
treatment was always so fresh, so
Iuecs and vigorous, that none Of
~ coIenporAries could rival him
''Foag, clear, popular writer and
anEeF' Above all, in estimating the
usa' throughout his long, active and con.
pSaOus life-for his position as leading
.aa aggressive journalist made him the
Sa'Aat target Of criticism and attack
~ W whole career ia unstAined by any act
" " dishonesty, mere sellshness or greed.
"e Old not live 10 pratifv or enrich him.