Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-13
Greeley Among his Native Hills.


" IIIIN
1t has been 5; ii that our Americans are too
| fond fgoing abroad to Europe but am sure that
he must be poor American who does not come
back better American than when he went
who does not apr ciate America when he r
turns. Europe may be in many respects better
than America, her population is more thickly
settled, her arts and scenerieS more thor
| oughly developed and her apple trees,
| have noted, have less dead limbs on them
than in New Hampshire, but the American, who
| travels through Europe, finds reason TO appreci-
| ate the fir dom, the opportunity, the hope OF
Anne. can youth l hope that the more people
| who 90 abroad, the more will come back TO APP
preclate the lakes the Skies the AIR, the fruitful
| soil, the gorgeous scenery and the glory OF our
own country. do assure you, as one who has
| travelled in Europe, that | could see there no
such thing as Il people gathering TO consider
| any question of public importance, except of a
| religious character, and rejoice that was born
and have been permit, to live here, where the
| people have everything to say in the manage
| ment of our institutions. In the hope and be-
| llet that our country, free from some entangle-
ments aud some cmbarrassments, is destined TO
become dearer to all OF us, take my leave.
A general hand-shaking followed, and the
| train proceeded.
AT Laconia an immense crowd was gathered,
| ana MIR. Greeley'S appearance was greeted with
cheers and music. On being introduced by
| Hon. f.. a. Hubbard, he spoke MS follows: Eel
| low cilizenS-Dunng the half century that
| have been absent not resident of the state OF
New Hampshire, | have frequented almost
| every part of it, the south and the west, where
| have relatives, and the north. Attracted by
| the beauty and fame of its scenery | have often
| wished, and rejoice now, to find myself in this
| the great central part of the state, which have
| long desired to visit. The other day climbed
| TO the summit of KearSarge mountain, some
what of an effort for one of my weight
! and years, and from it | saw Il
| grand and noble country, full of smiling
| fields, fruitful orchards, and houses such as la
| DorerS i'll no other country live in, because they
| cannot afford it. These evidences of general
| thrift grow from Il steady industry, because
what must be won must be worked for; that is
a fact not TO be depOrcd never saw children
| better taught aud people who lived better than
here in New Hampshire. Attracted, as some of
| you may he, to the more yielding soil of the
| wcst-to Oregon California and TeXas-in time
| TO come, you will all agree with me, that there
| is no better place than the grand old state of
| New Hampshire. So friends, | bid you fare
| we'll"
| At Plymouth he was received by committee,
and national salute was fired. After speech
| OF welcome from Joseph W. Howe, of New York,
Mr.: Greeley spoke as follows:-
| Fellowcitizens: An absence of half century
| from my native state has made me acquainted
with many scenes, and a participant in many
| incidents of the time. find that when two
| men Of opposite convictions and svmpathies
4
| nnd themselves at London, they become nearer
| together; at Paris still nearer at Rome nearer
| yet, and when they have reached Alexandria, in
| Egypt, they forget the differences of the past,
| and consd.r themselves only as friends and
countrymen. Like a contemplation of the earth
| when near at hand and the scene is bounded by
/ small area, the inequalities appear great and
| the surface rugged, but when they view the
| whole planet from distance 1t seems at once as
| smooth and round as an orange. So it is as we
frsfNKKT al i
| we come into the decline of life, as have done,
| we feel more kindly and charitable toward the
| views of those with whom we have differed One
| OF the most beautiful prospects of old aye is the
| kindly and charitable sentiment toward old ell
emes. So, friends, glad am | to greet you and
| forget the storms and contentious of the last
| forty years, and remember only that am in my
| native state, and that we are all Americans
| At the conclusion OF his remarks Mr.. Greeley
| proceeded to the Pemigewasset house, where he
dined. He left at one O'Clock for Litteton, ac-
companied by committee of ten from that
place.
AT stations along the road, Warren Woods
| vile, Lisbon, ETC., crowds of people had assem-
bled to greet him, and Mr. Greeley appeared
| upon the platform of the car, and took them by
| the hand.
At Lisbon he said:
Fellow citizens: have not the time to meet,
as would gladly do, this expression of your in
| terest In me. ! have been often in my native
state, not probably in this spot however, and
| have met in all my visits many who have known
my parents and ancestors. have always re-
| celved at their hands a cordial welcome, and
| have met them as brethren, rejoicing that nj
| though we may have differed in other matters
| we were unaltercd in a love for our state When
| time, In years to come may be more abundant
with me, nope to visit my state more fire.
| quenty, and reunite the broken links of friend
ship. In that hope / now bid you adieu.
| On arriving at LittletOn n committee of re.
| ception awaited him, and, taking carriage, he
was di,yen to Thayer's hotel, large procession
| following and guns firing. Here Hon. John G.
| Sinclair of Bethlehem welcomed Mr. Greeley i'm
brief, but well chosen remarks, and Mr. Greeley
| responded as follows: Ii make no response
| TO the political sentiments expressed by my
| friend Mr. Sinclair you will not regard it as
implying disrespect to him, or to you, or as
| wanting interest in the subject but candidate,
| especially presidential candidate, stands in a
| peculiar light. Whatever he says is liable to
| be msinterpreed, those who are his friends
read him wrong, read what he says upside
down, crosswise, and then diagonally, to extract
that from 1t which never was there. The peo-
| pie are considering these subjects, and will in a
snort ilme pronounce upon them without re-
gard to the aspirations or hopes of either can
| didate. They will take their own view of
| what concerns their own interests 1t
has been charged that the greatest ma
i've OF this state, Daniel Webster,
| liberties which had cascade one hundred and
hity ie9t high. 1t is true, in all ages and all
countries, that mountains and mountainous
| places have been the birth places of human lib
eI'y. The Tells, the Wallaces and the Hofers
| sprang forth from the mountains to lead the
masses to triumph and freedom. In mountain
regions men never lose their rights. Regions
like these are regions where men think indie
pendently. For US, whose lives are spent in the
shlilng air OF the city, it is good to break away,
and spend days, and even weeks, in the noun
tains, to drink in inspiration, not only from the
air, but from the men, | am glad, not only for
the first time, nor for the second, to find myself
in the mountain air of New Hampshire. |
would gladly have been here often il my life
had not been so busy, am glad to find myself
here, even for day or two, and will 20 away
braced and encouraged.
A brief reception was held, and at 5 20 p. N.
Nr. Greeley left for Lancaster.
AT Whiteteld, short stop was made, and in
answer to the cheers of the crowd, Mr.. Greeley
appeared and said:
fellow-citizens ! do not know that was
ever quite so far north as this before in the state
of New Hampshire. ] believe that all of those
gone from among the granite hills north or
south, are proud of her history, and are them
selves the better for breathing the pure air of
her granite hills With the hope that may be
permitted to visit you again at some future day,
with more time at my disposal bid you fare,
well.
AT the other stations, immense crowds were
present to catch passing glimpse of the candi-
date for the presidency. AT 80 p. NJ, the train
arriv at Lancaster, and crowds of people had
gathered ut the depot to ceiye him. A pro-
cession was formed, and Mr.. Greeley was es-
corted to the Lancaster house, amid the boom
ing of cannon and the ringing OF bells. He was
welcomed to Lancaster by Col. Henry Kent,
whose guest Mr.. Greeley is 10 be while here, in
brief remarks, to which Mr. Greeley responded
as foOwsI
Ladies and gentlemen, friends and fellow citi.
zens: 1t has never before been my happiness TO
visit this beautiful village, and yet u native of
the state, ! have often remembered the day
when, more than half a century ago, ! left it IN
pursuit Of opportunity, and possibly fortune,
elsewhere, The years that have passed away
from Ii have been full oflmportant and remark,
able events, and with me of them my name
has been somewhat connected as possibly il
may be in the future with other events. / can
only say that from the beginning TO the end
have tried to pursue that course which seemed
to me consistent with eternal justice, aud there
fore calculated to advance the prosperity Of nv
country, and its people, erring often doubtless,
Tor human wisdom is at best short sighted
sometimes harsh, when it would have been wise
and iuster to have been temperate aud kind. /
can only say that from the time when / arst en-.
tered upon the discussion ofpnblc affairs TO this
hour have not much regarded party, consid.