The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-12-18
DEATH OF HORACE GREELEY.

A great light Of American journal
isnI, and perhaps the NEST remarkable
American of his period, hrcathed his
last little before seven o'clock yester
day evening. It has never been our
lot to record death whose snrrnund-
ings and antecedents impressed MS with
such a sense of monrnful, and even
tragic pathes. That of President Lin
coin had indeed more of the horror of
a certain kind of stage effect; but it
fell short of this III the affecting appeal
it makes to the deepest sympathies Of
our common human nature, and its
power to touch tiiose deep well-sptings
Of feeling which are the fountain of un-
affected tears. We write these sad
lines with tide of emotion pouring
into orr swimming eyes : and although
it hardly becomes man, mnch less Il
journalist in the discharge OF his pub
lie functions, TO let his feelings get
control of him, we cannot diSsemble
the grief which takes possession of US
career, aud this terrible shifting of two
ingenious young hearts, the vir'uous,
inteIestir g, gifted, doubly orphaned
daughters, one in the bud and the 9th.
err in the opening blossom Of beauti-
full womanhood, who, with the little
interval of q month, lose both their
parents, under circumstances so fitted
to crush The life out of their despairing
hearts. May COP pity and bless them!
In their credulons, confiding natnes,
their happy incXperienee of the coarse
ways of politics, and their filial love
and reverence, we may find excuses
enough for the fond visions, with which
their Young minds were many months
dazzlcd, OF seeing their father the hon
ored head of the nation, and enjoying
the pride lie would have felt in a ma
TONS confidence. The rude dashing of
this cup from their lips was an Attic
ton, but an affection which they would
easily have borne, caring little for it
in their womanly fidelity, beyond their
sympathetic gtief in their fathers dis
appointment. Mote prostrating
strokes were in reserve for them to
darken their young, innocent lives
The loss of motler who had dotted on
them, whose first and last thought in
the long years of her physical infrmity
and suffering was devoted to their well
fare, filed them with such poignant
grief that they no longer cared any
thing for the result Of the Presidential
election except So far as they felt its
bearing on the happiness of their father.
But when he is so suddenly taken from
them, il must be heart of stone that
does not eommiserate tie tate of these.
gnileless, most interesting, nnprotect-
ed orphans. Their youth, their sex,
their innocence, inexrrienee, and at
tractive personal qualities, must canse
every feeling heart to bleed for them
Poor, yearniug, forsaken, shorn lambs
TO whom thu fierce winter winds is moi
tempered
/ Poor Mr.. Greeley is gone; and no
coveted appreciation can any Longer
sonthe, nor any censure wound him
| Perhaps no kindly human heart eve'
so yearned for sympathy, or so eagerly
coveted, or was so deeply grateful for
Just appreciation. No man who wa.
a great power in the politics of hi
time was ever So far removed from thu
character of stole. Any friend wh'
was free from all suspicion of interest
ed motives, could easily find the wa,
to the inner citadel of his gentle heart
Though an nnsparing controversialist
he bore no malice even in the heat o
political contention and no man eve
responded more warmly to the per
soual esteem of party antagonists
:, Even with Stephen A. Douglas has re
latlons and intercourse rested on
footing of the frankest, l,eartiest gooG
!, will; aud there have been recent il
stances in which he gave his conf
dence to political opponents with
more trusting unreserve-if it wei
permitted lis to mention them. But
all such personal condolences, he was
most uncompromising assertcr of h
opinions, aud his friends outside
his own party could never for a m
ment doubt that it was their person
. NOT thpir notifies. which he tolerate