Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-12-07
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. PFC. I. lNl..
A NATIONAL CALAMITY.

had come from press, telc gram was
received by a contemporary announcing
the death Of Horace Greeley, which
had taken place on the evening OF the
Doth ul... after Il short but painful i'll
ness. This sad event was doubtless
caused by nervous prostration conse-
quent upon the death of his wife, and
the excessive labor and excitement in
cident to the campaign in which he
had Unlisted all his energies, until the
failing health of his loved companion
called him from the field of political
duty. At her bedside lie was constantly
in attendance until death effected re-
lease from her sutferings. Soon after
wards the strain upon his physical sys-
TEN, began to tell on the strong man.
The vigorous brain which had swavcd
momentous interests so long, first gave
way, and several hours previous to his
death he sank into state of lethar9y
from which he never recovered. While
in this condition he talked incoherently.
and failed to recognize his family and
nearest friends, and thus passed to the
life beyond.
Mr.. Greeley, it will be conceded by
all, was the leading journalist of this
country. As the advocate of moral re-
form. from pure and disinterested mo-
tives, his name will be remembered by
posterity with greatful feelings of VEN
Grafton and pride. While he will be
conceded all the virtues to which his
noble nature have entitled him, his
death and the circumstances immedi-
ately preceding that event, will illus
trate the axiom that Republics are
ungrateful." The powerful party that
he called into existence and to which
he impaired life and strength, and
finally led to victory, soon forgot the
plodding intellect and indomitablc will
that moulded the inconSruous masses
into the triumphant hosts. At time
when they might have rewarded the
services of lifetime, by the only re-
compense commensurate with his great
ability, they laid him aside as n piece of
useless furniture, or turned him out as
beast of burden whose days of useful
ness was over, to shift for himself OF
die. The recently enfranchised classes
of the South, for whom he has sacri-
feed the active years of his life, fol-
whom he has sustained bitter reproach
and the direst hardships unmoved,
have forgotten their benefactor and
been led to the polls to vote for venal
and mercenary autocrat, who declared
at the commencement of the war an
inclination to espouse the Southern
cause and still more firmly rivet the fet-
tsrs that bound them. We envy not
conscientious Republicans OF intelligent
freedmen the reflections that must ar.
rise when they contemplate the pure
life, the sterling integrity and disinter.
ested motives of their fallen chief. II
may lead them to exercise little more
charity for the men who have consist.
emily advocated their cause, and to scan
more closely the incentives that gener.
ally control humanity, but this will no,
atone for the past. The drama is fin
ished and the curtain down.
Mr.. Greeley was born in Amhest
New Hampshire, Feb. 3, 1911, and
was at his death nearly 81 years of age.
At the age of Is he entered the office
OF the Northern Spectator, published a,
East Poultney, Vt, as an apprentice.
After serving five years, be went to New
York city, with but ten dollars capital,
and published and edited several daily
and weekly papers, but none of those
ventures were successful, until the
Tribune was established in 1S41, with
which journal his name has since been
identified. In 1S4S, Mr.. Greeley was
elected to fill a vacancy in Congress
and served in that body from December
of that year to the March following
and distinguished himself chiefly by his
opposition to the abuses of the mileage
system. He is the author of several
literary works Of great merit, all Of
which, however, We're written in the
interest of the great reforms that con.
shtute his life-history.