The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-04
The Cincinnati Convention and the
Nomination of Horace Greeley.

The nomination of Cincinnati will excite
| surprise and interest The enthusiasm with
which it was greeted by the assembled thou
sands who formed the Convention is a crafty
ing tribute to Greeiey's services and char
ing from every section of the country and
animated by purposes so unique and contra
dictory, should resolve to enter upon can
vass for the Presidency, with Horace Greeley
as the candidate, is the most striking event, in
some respects, ever known in our political his
tory. 1t shows pre-eminently the effect of per-
sonal character and devotion to duty upon the
general mind of the country; for whatever crit
cisms may be made upon the public career OF
Greeley, no one denies his honesty of pur-
pose, his zeal in the public service, his devo-
ton to the peoples welfare, his almost senti-
mental devotion to every scheme that
promised well to mankind. Greeleys enemies
have regarded him as a fanatic and dreamer.
His friends have worshipped him with devo-
ton almost Oriental as an apostle of progress
and humanity. In the calm scrutiny Of poll
teal campaign we cannot permit ourselves to
indulge in this extravaganza Of rhetoric. Now
that Horace Greeley assumes position which
makes his elevation to the Presidencya possible
if not probable event, lot us see what manner
of man he is and how far his administration
of the Presidency would affect the country!
The first consideration that comes to us is
the fact that Horace Greeley enters into this
canvass as representative of journalism
Until within few years he has been to a
critical mind more of a politician than jour
nalist but even in the harshest phases of his
partisanship we have never failed to see and
recognize the journalistic sense which made
him generous opponent and an Independent
ally Those of our calling who have been
inpatient because the newspaper has not been
more generously recognized in the persons Of
the men who make and control it will find
cause for comfort in the action of the Cincin-
matt Convention. For mora than thirty years
Horace Greeley has edited the most distinc-
lively political and partisan journal in
league, had career as marked, if not as OK
tensive in the press Of the West. We see in
this a tendency on the part of the people to
regard the journalist as master. The profess
sion which once was despised now wins respect
from our people, has open to it the highest
prizes of citizenship. We see due honor and
propriety in this, but at the same time we
must dissuade all journalists from treading
the thorny and perplexins path by which
Horace Greeley has reached nomination for
the Presidency The time will come, and we
think swiftly, when an editor will see no
ambition higher than the fulflment of his duty
as a journalist. The class to which Horace
most conspicuous and ilustrious representa-
tive, belong to another generation-a past
generation, when newspapers are sub
servent- to politicians. In the earlier
days gifted men found the press the path
to Office and power We saw men like Leggatt,
Niles, Prentice, Seaton, Weed, Raymond and
Greeley possessed with the journalistic in
stinct, and capable of usefulness and distinc-
ton, who might have been teachers and
leaders in their generation, regarding the
press as q means for their advancement or
for the advancement of statesmen to whose
fortunes they devoted their lives. Horace
Greeley has told us many times of the affection
and zeal with which he followed Henry Clay,
and yet as a citizen doing his work in his best
way for his fellow men. Horace Greeley's
career far surpasses the most attractive esti-
mate of Clay and his career. We see a reaction
against this III the sentiment which has taken
Greeley after lie OF service and made him
leader We see it even more truly in the SEN
timent which animates modern journalists that
nothing is more attractive or useful to the
editor than his calling
Another thought comes to us with this event
which is especially significant The nomi-
nation of Greeley is largely due to the
generous and discriminating support which
was given to him by the Independent press,
and especially by the HERALD. Although by
no means friendly to the Cincinnati move
ment and seeing in it clements Of chicanery
and insncerity which deprived it of much of
lis power. we felt That as an independent jour