New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-30

4 TRIBUNE. OF The Log Cabin Mr.. Greeley was the
\ sole editor and publisher Its circulation was en-
B tirely unprecedented at that time The first issue
consisted Of thirty thousand copies, but before the
close of the week there "a call Tor ten thousand
more 1t soon ran up to eighty thousand. and would
doubtless have attained sin wider circulation had
the publisher possessed the present facilities for
4 printing and mailing
4 The first number of The DAILY TRIBUNE WA
issued on the tenth Of April, 1911. 1t was small
sheet and sold at the price Of one cent copy The
cardinal dealof Mr. Greeley in the establishment Of
TIE TRIBUNE was the publication Of journal
which shonld be equally free from narrow partisan
q ship and timid neutrality. He took his stand
4 on the independence Of the daily press.
a Avoiding the fierce intolerance of party spirit,
4 on the one hand, and tame seryility TO pub
4 lie opinion on the other. lie aimed 10 hold
!! position between those extremes, expressing his
I convictions with franlness and promptitude on all
4 public measures. but not avoiding the exposure Of
4 errors the part Of those with whom in the main
I he agreed. With these views Mr.. Greeley had COM
pletely identified his name with the influence Of
this journal. To secure its benefcent power was
the chief purpose of his life. No prize, in his cstima
ton, was of such precious worth as its efficient
action in aid Of sound and lofty principles of the adj
vanccment OF truth in religion and science of the
liberal education the material prosperity, and the
4 social happiness Of the whole American people. On
this occasion the tender pathos and solemn wisdom
Of his own words render all other expressions map
propriate. Fame is q vapOr; popularity an &C
{ cident; riches take wings; the only earthly GER
tainty is obi, On; no man can foresee what day
may bring for IA while those who cheer to-day will
often curse tomorrow; and yet l cherish the
hope that the journal projected and established will
live and flourish long after / shall have moldered
into forgotten dust, being guided by larger wisdom
more unerring sagaityto discern the right though
not by more unlalterng readiness'to embrace and
defend it at whatever cost; and that the stone
which covers my ashes may bear to future eyes the
still Ineligible inscription, Founder OF The New
YORK TRIBUNE"
4 It was more than twenty years after Mr.. Greeley
had been constant writer for the. newspaper press
before he ventured TO publish a volume. This was
his Hints toward Reforms" 1885, consisting chiefly
of lectures and addresses which he had delivered be-
fore various literary associations within the pre-
4 ceding six or eight years. They comprise the
maturest thoughts of the writer On the con-
ditons of social progress, and elucidate his con
yictions on tho leading topics Of REFORM
TO which he had largely devoted the energies OF his
life His next work, Chances at Europe" relating
some of his experiences in foreign travel was pub
lished in 1Sjl and was followed in 1859 by his over
land Journey to California" record of his impress
! sions from scenes that were even then passing
AWAY and which have now for the most part given
4 place to new and improved relations. work Of
more elaborate preparation was the American Con-
AictSGN relating the history of the recent civil war;
and tracing its causes 20 the influence of Slavery on
the politics of the country. The point Of view from
which this work is written was the conviction Of the
divine government of tho world by immutable
e Il. IS ro4ri t.r.fo
consequent upon every compromise with evil. /. IS
III tin or,iehad Cor - fti@ e 1-+~-i' '0 i'ii
ness of its judgments, and its acute analysis
of the causes of political events. Among ms
writings, the brief volume on the principles OF
political economy of which he was always the ardent
advocate, aud the narrative of his personal exper
ienco as a practical farmer have met with q large
share of popular favor and enhanced his influence
among the intelligent reading classes His most inter
esting work is doubtless the Recollecons Of Busy
Life 1863. in which with nmitable naiyetG ho re-
lates the successive steps by whchhe advanced from
tho obscurity Of country prntiugoice to Lis recent
! position among the eminent men OF the age
The character of Mr. Greeley has been held too
long in a conspicuous light before the public TO re-
qure any formal or elaborate analysis in this place
10 American citizen was probably known TO a
greater number Of persons Although the recipient
Z
cally public one. One Of the common
people by birth and education himself, he
lived with the people and before tho people. One Of
4 his greatest delights was in popular discussion
I lie never shrunk from argument and loved to
measure the minds of other men with his own. He
had no concealment, no DISCUSSES, subterfuges;
lie carried lis heart upon his lips his thoughts and
feelings must have vent; and transparent was his
nature that in the utteTance Of his convictions, he
did not always pay sufficient court to the conyen-
tional prophecies of time and place. He was man
Of wide, if not intimate, cOmpaniOnship. He
was at home in the society of a great variety Of
minds No diyerscs Of culture, or TASTE OF even of
opinion, impaired the cordiahty of his friendships
His closest ties were often with whose pursuits
he did not share whose principles he did not adopt
whose habits of thought perhaps, he did not even
| fully comprehend, but over whom he eXerted
powerful attraction by the subtle magnetism
Of his character. His own sympathes were rather
with the great masses Of humanity than with the
peculiar traits that constitute the Of person
atty. lie was more apt to look at in the light
of effective forces grouping them according TO their
respective energies than to study the expression of
the inner and individual qualities which distinguish
them from one another. lie habtually asked what
a person could do, rather than what he was,
estimating the man less by his intrinsic
! being than his incidental activity. His own
! power of accomplishment was wonderful. No
weight Of responsibility, or magnitude of service,
was ever felt n burden. He never hesated to do
the work of two men with his single hand, nor to
crowd the work of two days into one Always be
appeared insensible to WEAKNESS, without the
sciousness of safety in labor exhaustion of force
J II at times he needed change he never showed the
need of rest. The variety Of his undertakings was
as remarkable as the promptness of his performance