New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-14
HORACE GREELEY'S MEMORY.
TRIBuTEs FROM ABROAD.

DON PREss-oPINoNs OF PROMINENT En-
GIIsHMEN.
IRON THg REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP THE TRlBuSEl
LONDON, Nov. 30.-My duty to The TRIBUNE
at this moments to give an account OF English opinion
about Mr. Greeley but cannot begin my letter without
an ON my own part OF profound regret for his
losa IL years almost 10 day since took place
on Mr. reeleys staff and the connection never bro
ken till he resigned his edtorshp accepting the Gin
cnnat nomination. The first year and the last six have
been spent duties that took away from New-fcrk'
40 that have claim TO speak OF Mr.. Greeley from
continuing personal knowledge. Ny relation to him has
been that OF q subordinate TO his chief. From 1862 TO
1865 aud 49, that relation such that saw MI tree
lev nearly every day, and knew we'll as anybody the
character OF his relation 10 THE TRIBUNE the KIND OF
work he did IT, and the nature Of his control over
IT, As for his work, there never was
| time when he could not do moro. than the
| Youngest OF US, and the amount he actually did
was often enough put the strongest 10 shame. HIS
control we all TO be ygant IN all directions III
point had missed in Mr. Greeley was the trst
to detect H. His idea OF newspaper was that 1t should
print the news and had this great quality as an editor
that he esteemed nothing too minute for his own notice.
or for his own doing He would just readily ST. down
10 write threelne paragraph OF city news as an edi-
oral column long, and would do one just as thoroughly
well as the other. There man who laid moro
stress on the intellectual side OF journalism but there
was nobody so impatient with subordinate who might
chance to think that high order Of literary merit ana
sound opinions could supply the place Of news
lie was born journalist II there be such thing, by
which mean with the interest for news ana Keen
perception Of its value which lifelong training cannot
| always supply or. perhaps, never can. When The
TRIBUNE had become great Journal organized as COM
pletely az an army Mr. Greeley knew that he need not
always attend personally TO details. lie could not
No one man could but over general management he
was always watchfu after his early ambition TO see
THE TRIBUNE the greatest newspaper of America had
been gatied solictude 10 keep 1t such and his de-
| LIGHT in its being such, diminished. When MI
Bright spoke OF Mr.. Greeley the first journalist OF
America perhaps the Of the world the eulogy was
lust I'm more technical than 1t could have been
meant-I say could have beeD simply because MT Bfght
| IL not q Journalist himself
OfMr Greeleys prominence In that other department
OF journalism wherein he made THE TRIBUNE not merely
| foremost but unrivaed, need say nothing All the
world knows his influence and It's influence In inc
domain of ideas became established at carly period
mention it only to express my belief based on pretty
wide knowledge OF newspapers In Europe ana America
that IL was will remain without parallel any Where
The Times OF London Is very powerful journal, but us
power is of quite different kind from that welded by
THE TRIBUNE. In the case it is due largely TO an
experienced adroitness discovering the DRIFT OF pubic
opinion and expressing IL in polished and vigorous lead
ers In the other 1t Is due to the force OF individual con-
ycton expressed with little reference 10 its prop
able acceptance popularity One paper aims to ioow
|
ability but apprehend there can be no question which
is the higher way or which influence Is on the whole
greater and more beneficial Those Of MS who were In
the Office and wrote under Mr.. Greeey's leadership
knew that would tolerate great freedom OF views ana
OF expression slight divergence from the general line
he had marked In his mind for the paper ana
which we were often left TO infer 10 divine, did not
trouble him. lie knew how TO set IL right Bat he did
not care have writer under him whose soneral views
did not agree with his own, and who would not be at
the pains 20 think wh him, aud treat subject OF I'M
porance In his vein SO that while there probably
was never staff OF writer's more independent, there
never was more homogeneous. He got men about
him very various In mental characteristics, and there
was not one OF them who did find himself stronger
| for working with such chief.
arx sorry 20 have to say that Mr. Greeley was much
misunderstood IN England and that the mistakes about
his character due In great measure TO the English
press during the last six months Americans who come
over here express frequently their surprise at the slight
attention paid by the English TO American affairs, and
their slight knowledge OF them 1t Is not for us to COM
plain IT, but OF the fact there DC question, and
IL is certain that prominent in public life
few are known here much by name. Mr.. Greeley
was known to that extent, and known among certain
classes think mainly Protectonist. and was COM
monty spoken OF and attacked such. Nothing would
ever have compensated for his not being FreeTrader
and the preposseson against him that account would
have been most difficult 20 in his lifetime, IL
| the press had tried to remove 1t. which,
| SO far as know, they did not. In
some Journals mostly provincial, his high qualities were
bonorably spoken Of but the Phistnes got possession
of the London papers during tho Presidential canvass
and Phiistianism presided their American col
umns With characteristic tmidty they for Grant
as the safer" candidate OF the two, accepting true
the most reckless ISLANDERS by his most reckless oppo
nents in the American press. They said Things about
him for which the heat OF a campaign would have been
poor excuse at home and which here had excuse at
ALL This is not true Of all the London papers but 1t is
true of some What they may say must wait, In
the case OF OF them, till Monday to learn. don't
call up these memories unkindy have nothing to do
| but state the facts.
In private life the tone was better, far had
opportunity OF knowing, but my opportunity was natu
rally than aDybodys else Nobody would have said
harsh things about Mr. Greeley TO me- What can say
s that often heard expressions OF interest of sympa
thy of good WILL and of appreciation OF Mr. Greeeys
public views whchwent far beyond anything In the pa
pers Englishmen who had known Mr. Greeley either
his visit here or during their visits TO America
were GENERALLY his adyoeates they knew at any rate
something his and OF his wonderful qualities
and did partial Justice 90 them II he had been known
well in London he would have been great fayorite
When he talked Of three years ago for the mission
| TO England hoped he might come. We wanted MIN
lister who should be- above all other things American
and able Mr.. GrecIeys disregard OF some sorts
Of conventionaes would at first have excited surprise
in London saloon, but his almost unequaed converse
tlona genius would speedily have made him celebrity
and fayOrite And those OF who live here and
something about the reputation OF Ministers, would
have been sure that Mr. Greeley not going 10 sacr
nee the interests OF his country politically degrade
IL socially by too Xelusve liking for aristocratic
ciaes both OF which mlsortunes have at Que time and
another occurred ...... ......
1