The Portland daily press., 1872-12-03
Our Later Franklin.


out any qualification to the journalist who
presided al the ever memorable press ban
quet given to the novelist, April 18th. 1868,
on the eve Of his departure for England.
Horace Greeley was, indeed, for many years
the most remarkable man in America. The |
newspaper files of quarter of a century attest
it, and the many-sidedness of the man Is
shown by the fact that he was leading au-
thority in the three great provinces OF Amei-
can journalism. politics, education and agricul-
ture. The fact thst for thirty years he has al
so been the main reliance of the caricaturlsts
does not at all derogate from his dignity
whileitis conclusive as to his conspicuousness.
Mere buffoonery or eccentricity does not win
this distinction, else George Francis Train,
whose face now passes unrecognized in a
comic picture, would be favorite with the
Morgans and Nasts. Having thus spoken as
truth requires of Mr.. Greeley's prominence,
we do not feel precluded by what has been
said in these columns during the late canvass
in deserved censure of his recent political en-
terprise, from eulogzing his intellectual and
moral qualities. Until he committed his
great transgresson, until he yielded to that
temptation which seems too overpoWerlng
for any of our public men to Withstand, the
PRESS was proud to recognize him as lead
er, facile princeps, in American journalism'
and as patriot whose heart beat warmly
for his countrys welfare and whose purposes
were right. however strangely he might err
in the choice of means. Until the wilful apos-
tasy which filled with surprise and horror so
many thousands whom his own eloquent pen
had educated in the most advanced liberal
ism and excited to enthusiasm for liberty and
progress. it was but just that we
saould say of him, in the words so
frequently quoted from us by Democratic
Journals within the last few months, that he
was sone of the greatest men that the coun-
try now has orever had" and that he was an
honest man. We might rewrite those words
to-day with only this qualification: He was
ambitious.
at was grievous fault,
And grierJusIy hath Caesar answered it."
Indeed we believe that Mr.. Greeley owes
his death to the intensity of his moral con-
vctions and to the depth and sincerity OF his
moral nature. When such man, under the
influence of overmastering temptation, dlsre-
CARDS the voice of his conscience, he is utter
Iy wrecked. The moral qualities SO prepon-
derate in him, they are so interviewer with
his whole intellectual being, that he cannot
survive their subversion. Louis Napoleon,
with his rudimentary conscience, could gain
power through the unsnaring use OF perjury,
bribery and murder, and plunge whole con-
tinent in mourning in pursuing his ambitions
projects,-a without greatly impairing the
muddy-mettled rascaPs appetite. Men like
Themistocles, Caesar, Talleyrand and the
Blairs can be untrue to couI try, liberty and
themselves without feeling other pangs than
those arising from disappointment at the
failure of their plans. But it is scarcely con-
ceivable that triumph could have cured Hor-
ace Greeleys hurt 1t was remorse-a feel
ing that he had done wrong-that broke his
great heart, and we do not believe that the
added humiliation of an uncxampled defeat
was needed to hasten the impending doom.
Neither history nor fiction contains any
thing more pathetic than Horace Greeley's
death. 1t came so swiftly, it was so shad-
owed by severe domestic affection, by the
bitterest disappointment and the most cuel
self reproach, that he who can ponder over
Whitelaw Reid's singularly affecting MARIA
tive of the circumstances attending that event
without emotion, must be utterly given over
to insensibility. 1t is not strange-it is not |
wrong that we who but a few weeks ago
were shifting, each with such strength as he
had, this giant among journalists, because we
thought he had attempted to lead us into the
enemy's camp, should now press forward
eager to lay our poor offering of gratitude
and praise on the bier of our old leader. 1t
is not strange or wrong, that for the moment
all anger and all reproach should wholly fail,
swallowed up in grief that so great and good
man should have for one moment failed to
obey his noble impulses and in consequence
ended an honorable career in such sorrow
and gloom. Inspired by such feelings of
profound commiseration, we learn to look
with infinite charity on the course he pur
sued during the last twelve months of his
life. We remember that the facility with
which he yielded to his ambition for the
popularity, an unprecedented or even an I'M
common weakness. We remember that the
malady which attacked his moral nature is
one which few, if any, Of our public men
have been able to resist, when once exposed
to its fatal influence, and that it is so
malignant in its nature that surrender to its
power is to be accounted rather misfortune
I. II |
speech" and the infamous Kansas-Nebraska
bill are eternal monuments to its fearful sway
over Apaerican statesmen. The mournful
death beds at Marshfeld, Chicago and Chap
paqua are everlasting warnings against per
hitting its insidious approaches. Its last
victim is its best,-possibly its greatest.
" Poor Horace Greeley" is now The exclama-
ton of thousands who but month ago, fear
ed, cursed or derided him. All are now able
to see clearly how full of honest work and no.
BILE and instructive thought was his whole
life. His exceptional purity in private life
and his perfect pecuniary honesty will now be
better than ever appreciated. 1t is delightful
20 think of the pure and tender friendships of
he great and good of both sexes which he en-
Dyed during his checkered life How kind
ne was! How ready to lend a helping hand
From Poe and Margaret Fuller to Whittier
and Phoebe Cary, whole generation Of lit
5erateurs enjoyed his sympathy, appreciation
md, if necessary, his aid. 1t is pleasant to {
know that his generous soul was eomtorted
BY this appreciative stanza by Whittier, which
appears in little poem called ''The Singer"
written in memory of the elder of tine Cary
sisters, and published in the Atlantic of =
August, 1871: !
Whan last saw her, full of peace,
She waited for her great release; Z
Ind that old friend, so sage md bland
Our later Franklin, held her hand. y
Such tribute from such man goes far to
make amends even for $50 much obloquy'- {
uch is Mr. Reid's phrase in the bitterness
md sorrow of his heart. There remains not i
n America another man so conspicuous and, t
taken in all, so useful as he to whom it was
paid; and there is no one left whose demise
would strike one as the loss of so characteristic
feature OF the country. America with and {
America without Horace Greeley appear to t
be different places. I