The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-30
SATURDAY EvE'G. NOV. 80. 1877
DEATH OF MR., GREELEY.

of the critical condition of Mr.. Greeley,
must have led the public to regard his death
as probable at any moment and the event.
which took place at ten minutes before
seven last evening, closed the career Of one
Of the most remarkable men our country
has ever produced. 1t is undeniably true
that Mr.. Greeley was the foremost editor
Of the country. Others may have been
more succes sfll as the business man
ayers of newspaper enterprises, but as
sharp, incisye aud wonderfully energetic
political writer and controversialist, MIR.
Greeley had few equals and certainly no
superior in American journalism.
The Tribune, under his editorial manage
mcnt, became leading metropolitan jour-
nal almost or its first appearance, and in
very short time outranked oil its contem-
poraries in the metropolis, except the Her.
AID, and possibly the Journal Of COM
mercs. Mr.. Bennett had the advantage of a
thoroughly established and successful Jour
nal at the time the Tribune was launched
upon its experimental career, and Mr.. Gee
rard Halloek had at that time no rival
in successful and adventurous journalism.
Mr.. Bennett took the sensational path,
while the Journal Of Commerce adhered
steadily to the old line of practical Jour-
nalism, without innovation or improve
rnent, except as the demands of commerce
and the reading public required additional
columns 10 an already overgrown sheet.
Mr.. Greeley was almost the first man to
see the practical advantages of ouarto
metropolitan sheet and powerfully edited
paper, such as the Herald had then become;
md the Tribune at once seized upon these
advantages and soon became almost tho
only rival of the Herald in the great me-
tropolis. Hardly had six months passed
over the head of this journalistic adventure
before it became manifest that the Herald
must add TO its editorial force and energy
10 keep pace with the Tribune; and this it
did, giving and taking, almost daily, the
most powerful blows from its daring and
adventurous rival.
The field Of journalism once swept by
the pen of Mr.. Greeley, there was little
left in the way of controversial argument
to follow. He was q ready and most ex-
haustiye writer. He dealt with facts in
such manner that they readily bent to his
principles, and o fact that would not thus
bend was of no earthly use to Mr.. Gree
ley. His principles of guidance, both for
individuals and parties, were as the fixed
laws of the universe; and he was Just as
intolerant Of error as he was tena-
cious of truth, in whatever field
Of controversy lie entered. This mental
characteristic necessarily made him bold
and fearless writer, and one most difficult
10 handle in controversy. Mr.. Greeley
vas never forced out of an error by argu.
ment, nor by any logical methods which
lis own mind did not intuitively present.
Whatever principles hc abandoned land
they were few were such as his own men,
tal processes discarded, after the contro.
geTsy to which they led was cflectually
thrown aside IS useless. lie was the same
old-line Wing in ~ as in ~, and, with
the revival OF any Of the deiunct issues,
his mind Mt onca grasped the old argument
and made II as fresh and vigorous as ever.
Mr.. Greeley was born in Amherst, New
Hampshire, on the Srd Of February, 1911,
aud vas consequently in his sixty. second
year at the timc Of his death. His edito-
rial career may be considered rs having
commenced in 1850, when he was an ap.
prentice in the Office Of the NoHtsgn Spec-
tator at East Poulney, VT, to the columns
Of which he no doubt contributed libevally.
He went from Poultney to New York as
lourneyman printer, and in 1889 commenced
business for himself as q member of the
firm which published the first penny paper
in tho United States, and which failed in a
very brief space of time. He afterwards
commenced the publication of the .Nesc
Yorker, and received so little from it that
he was obliged to exc out q living by PEN
ny-a-lining. AT the end ofsevon years the
Neio Yorker also failed.
But it was in 1910 that Mr.. Greeley's
brilliant career rs an editor really com.
inenced, and, his first notable efforts were
in the Log Cabin, weekly journal, estab
lished to promote the election Of William
Henry Harrison to the Presidency, and
which attained wide circulation, The
success Of this venture led to the foundiog
of the New York Daily Tribune, the first
No. Of which was issued on the 10th of
April, lS4l. In the following autumn the
Weekly Tribune was commenced, and with
tho Daily and Weskly Tribune his name
has ever been most prominently identified.
He lived to make his paper power in
tho land--one Of the greatest if rot the
greatest newspaper of the day-and to the
last be esteemed the title of "the founder
Of the New York Tribune" the most
honorable that could be conferred upon
him. lie has passed away, and the
memory Of his many virtues and really
great name will long live after him. He
mas rendered Printing House Square historic
IN ita many Craat snrrou,,i;no. - IL,