New-York tribune., 1872-12-03

HORACE GREELEY AND JOURNALISM
The generous and sOrrowful words which
the newspapers of all parties have spoken of
our lamented chief, show that the ambition
which Mr.. Greeley pursued in the manage
ment of THE TRIBUNE, while it brought him
frequently into collision with public men, and
led to many acrimonious disputes, nevertheless
commanded universal respect Beside his
grave the bitterness of partisan warfare, the
petty quarreling of rivals the anim0sities of
political debate, are wholly forgotten. From
those who yesterday were adversaries, as well
as from those who for years have been ad-
mirers and friends, come sincere and eloquent
tributes, not only to the personal character OF
the dead, but to that lofty purpose which
Horace Greeley made the guiding principle
of his life. The school of journalism
of which he was the foremost teacher
has few attractions FOR those who seek money,
or fame, or political reward. IL it brought all
three TO Horace Greeley, it was not because
he strove for them, but because fortune
sometimes favors those who never court her
smiles. He was a journalist because he had
something to say which he believed men
would be the better for knowing; not because
he wanted something for himself which
journalism might secure for him. The call
which brought him into the profession issued
" from q world to be enlightened and blessed,
not from a void stomach clamOring to be
gratifed and filed" To publish news
paper merely for the sake of making money
would have seemed to him the degradation of
a noble career.
Mr.. Greeley has been described as essen
TALLY propagandist. He was that, but he
was something more. His labors were not
confined to the promulgation Of his own
theories of morality and statecraft. He made
it, indeed, his part to assail giant abuses, and
to battle for purer and juster government; but
these objects were only incidents of COM
prehensive scheme of benevolence, which took
in the general culture, prosperity, and happi-
ness of the whole human race. The model
newspaper, in his view, was not merely the
organ of pet theories, but an instrument of
practical good, teaching the ignorant, leading
the blind, succoring the poor, fighting for the
oppressed, developing national wealth, stlmu-
latng industry, and inculcating virtue. To
make THE TRIBUNE this, he put away from
him all thirst fOrS renown, all appetite for
wealth, all desire for personal advantage. He
never counted the cost of his words. He never
inquired what course would pay or what would
please his subscribers. He held in magnificent
disdain the meaner sort of editor who sidles
"dexterously between somewhere and nowhere"
accumulates riches by the daily utterance of
siIken sayings, and goes to his rest at last
with the non-aehievements of his life blazOned
con the whitest marble" The Journalist who
strives only to print what will sell seemed to
him as bad as the parson who breaches only
10 Gil bis pews. Mr.. Greeley never hesitated
10 90 counter to base and ;elfsh public sem
timent. Those who have watched his career
will recall scores of instances in which
he has deliberately offended political friends
and sacrificed pecuniary interests to es-
pouse an unpopular cause. In defending
what he believed to be the right, his courage
was magnificent. lie was deaf to popular
clamor insensible to the jangling of the dol
lars The stern and thorny path by which an
editor must climb to. greatness demanded,
according to him, can ear ever open to the
"plaints of the wronged and suffering, though
"they can never repay advocacy, and those
" who mainly support newspapers viii be
" ANNOYED and often exposed by it,"
The pure unsel6shness of his purposes and
the streneth of his convictions enriched his
labor with strength, vitality, and persist
ence which mere mercenary enterprises never
display. The noble ambition which conse-
Grated his daily toll impelled him to put his
whole heart into il; and such work IS always
we'll dome. But apart from inspiration of this