Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-08-14
Greeley on his Travels

Mr.. GREELEY has been recently visiting
New Hampshire and has been very cordially
received by men of ell parties in his native
State. At Concord he made the following
speech
My friend Tappan and my friends and
fellow citizens Of New Hampshire, more than
halt a century has passed since I left this,
my native State in quest Of future and lar
ger opportunities elsewhere. These years
as you know, have been full Of incidents.
As time rushes, events hurry each other in
our day, and who lives half a century in
this age lives longer than the whole century
of the life Of Methuselah Well, fellow
citizens, the halt century which has passed
since / ceased TO be a resident OF New Iamp-
shire has seen the origin and growth Of raIl-
roads and telegraphs, and the cables across
the ocean. 1t has seen the rise and fall OF
empires and dynasties, and it has seen the
best of all TO me-the overthrow Of American
slavery
\ great thinker has said that to-day is a
great thing IN disguise; that a dav looks
common and trivial to the thOughtless. but
all great and noble successes are made up OF
| to-days l do not know how we'll men have
DONE how many have done better in this
age; but would that l might feel that | have
added to the history of the last half century
Of my country. Our country is better worth
living in to day, with better opportunities
for its humblest citizen, because of the
events Of the last half century. In these
events l have borne an humble part often
mista ken, and from shOrtsIghtedness doing
the thing which seemed right, but which
was not always in the wisest and large view
right; but still think my life has led me
to exercise larger charity towards the greaI
mass of the human race.
believe the great majority of the human
race are constantly aiming to do the right
| have always wished, in my busy lie, to
come back to the State Of my birth, always
hoped to have some opportunity to return
not expecting ever again TO dwell with its
people, but to commune with them-and
trust the few days which are to be spent
among you and with my friends Will be the
richest and happest days OF my life. | hope
that hereafter, as well as now, that in lite,
which draws toward a close, and which ought
to be devoted to rest, / shall have frequent
opportunities, not many years hence, to come
to New Hampshire, to mingle with its peo-
pie and rejoice with them.
That old State bears so proud a position
among her sister States that her halt mil
lion sons and daughters, now residents Of
other States, will always look back with
granite rocks are hard and her soil reluctant
to give forth fruits, still for all that her peo-
pie are among the happiest and most intelli-
gent of any we have ever seen. So then
nv friends, in the hope that perhaps | shall
have opportunities hereafter to mingle more
Familiarity with you, and that these differ
ences which have separated US In the past
will gradually fade away in the light of new
circumstances, and we shall come to know
each other-in that faith and hope | now
take my leave of you.
At Bradford, N. H., Mr.. Greeley spoke as
follows.
Mr.. Tappan, Fellow Citizens of my Native
State. La1les and Gentlemen: There are
two New Hampshires, one consisting of her
hills and rocks and woods, bright green
meadows and sparkling streams another,
by far the more important of the two, the
men and women who claim her soil as their
birth place: The New Hampshire people
are again divided into those who live on her
soil and those who have emigrated, who have
sought opportunities, scope and success in
other states and places than their native
land. | belong to the New Hampshire that
traverses many lands and distant places.
But when The Fourth of July or Thanks
giving or Christmas day comes, or any re-
curing anniversary that brings to mind the
old family hearth, turn with all the rest OF
that outer New Ham, hire to the land of my
ancestry, and l ask, {" How are the old folks
at home?' From distant lands everywhere,
from California, Texas, Iowa, from under
the equator and from the other side of the
globe the other New Hampshire looks back
IN mind to the rugged bills of our native
state, smoother now than when we wrestled
with heir rocks, and tried to Wrest an ex-
istence from the granite beds. 1t has been
said of me that | advise all young peorle
3" to go West" True, to some extent, |
have and do advise those who find existence
so hard in the eastern states TO turn toward
that setting SUP, where they find so much
unoccupied and fertile land, which tickled
with the plough, laughs such bounteous
harvest. But as to the people who now COM
pose New Hampshire, there are none better
ted, better clothed, or better taught, and in
behalf of that outer expansive, New Hamp
shire, whose limits extend from the equator
to the poles, | claim adoption into the