Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-12-06
Death of Horace Greeley.

Death of Horace Greeley.
Just week ago to-day, in village near
the metropolis Of this country, as the shades
of evening gathered, there went out into
eternity the soul of man who had lived the
noblest life that is set down for man to
livc-a life intelligently spent for the good
of others. The loss Of HORACE GREELEY is
a national one, for bis life had long since
been given to the nation; it is the loss Of the
poor and oppressed, for he was the friend of
all who suffered in want or bondage it is
the loss of the learned, for he was the pro-
moter of science and all research, and it is
the loss Of the ignorant, for one of the OBJ
jects of his life had been the education Of the
people. He lived to do what he was con.
vincsd was right, and nothing ever intimi'
dated him from that purpose.
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE.
Horace Greeley's life was commenced on
farm in New Hampshire, where be was
born in 1911. He was noted for his love
of books, which. being poor he would have
borrow from his neighbors. About
Is years Of age he entered printing office
in Vermont, where he served four years,
and then went to New York City, where he
was engaged in several Offices. and in 1910
he started the Log Cabin. Harrison cam
paign paper, in which he gave the first
marked evidence of his ability to conduct
newspaper. In 1871, after failing in
paper called the New Yorker, be started the
Tribune, and since that his life has been
familiar to the country. He was candi-
date for tho U. S. Senate from New York,
but was defeated and has been defeated for
two or three Offices in that State, having
been used as forlorn hope by the Repub-
liean party in its weaker days. Perhaps the
best epitome Of the ruling motives Of his
life may DO found in the following letter
written to friend Of his:
New YORK, June 81, 1872.
Friend Lanmam Received your note
of the 25th instant. I have all my life been
doing what people called vastly foolish and
impolitic, and did not dispute their jadg-
ment. only said that what did seemed to
me tho RICH hitting. If I should die before the
election, or be beaten therein, please testify
for me that I do not regret having braved
public opinion when 1 thought it wrong and
knew it to be merciless.
Yours,
HORACE GREELEY.
There was not another man in public life
in this country who could have written that
letter and had it believed. The secret of
Mr.. Gresloy's wonderful hold on the admit
ration and love of his countrymen was his
great brain and generous heart, and bis con
slant exercise of both. He was never idle.
Even while writing columns daily for his
paper he was contributing to various period,
icals in the country, and delivering lectures
full Of learning. He was better acquainted
with the capacities and resources Of this
country than any man in it. He was ac-
counted the foremost editor in America, a
position that required far more learning and
craftsmanship than the Presidency which h'
unnecessarily sought.
THE STORY OF HIS DEATH.
The long illness of Mr.. Gresley's wife
who died on the eve of the Presidential cleo
ton and the constsut sitting up by her bed
side for three weeks, with only two Or three
hours sleep out of the twenty four, and often
without food, had seriously impaired hi'
health, and though directly after the election
he returned to the Tribune Office and pub
lished card resuming tie control, he die
very little work there. The Tribune gives
the following account Of his last hours:
So far as any of his associates knew, MIR
Greeley was in almost as good health as usua
when, on the day after the election, he wrote
the card announcing his resumption OF thu
editorial charge Of the Tribune. His sleep
lessness was known to have become greatly
worse, but for years he had suffered more OF
less from the same difficulty. 1t is now cleal
that sufficient allowance had not been made
for the intense strain upon him throughou
the summer, and specially during the las
month of his wife's illness. 1t soon became
evident that his strength was unequal to th'
hard task to which be set himself. He wrote
only three or four careful articles, no ont
Of them half column in length. The mos
notable, perhaps. was that entitled "Con
illusions" wherein he summed up his vlewi
of the canvass In all he furnished less thai
three and half columns after bis return
contributing to only four issues of the paper
Two or three times he handed bis asslsap
short articles, saying, "Tbere is an Idol
worth using, but haven't felt able to worl
it out properly. You had better put it II
shape"
At last, on Tuesday the 18th instant, be
abandoned the effort to visit the Office regu
larly, and sent for DR.. Krackowizer, th'
family physician of Mr.. A. J, johnson, thu
friend with whom he was guest, and il
whose house his wife had died. Every effor
was made to induce sleep, but be grew
steadily worse until it became evident tina
his case was critical. DR.. George C. S
Choate and others we're then called in con
sultatisn, and finally it was decided to tax
him to DR.. Choate's residence, two or thre
miles distant from Mr.. Greeley's own coun
try home at Chappaqua. Here he received
the underwriting attention of DR., Cboate
ond hsra Or Rr0wn.Seuuard, DR.. Brow