New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-26

persons as a great philosopher, and by others
as a great fool-neither estimate, or course,
being entirely accurate. The characteristic
bias of his mind, however, is due not merely
to his incessant translation OF fugitive I'M
pressions into oracular utterances, but also |
to the position in which he has been placed. |
His relation to the events which he has had
occasion - discuss has been such as neces- /
sarily to distort his vision, and to preclude /
all possibility of their correct and Impartial
appreciation. As the editor and proprietor |
of great metropolitan journal, competing |
with the Hoald and other papers, he has
naturally seen these events in their sensa-
tional aspect, with all the eXaggerations OF
crude report. As a conductor Of partisan
organ, he has apprehended them, in the first
instance Mt least, as party capital and mere
material for argument against his opponents.
His position, therefore, has shut him out
from that clear, calm, all-sided, stereoscopic
view of things on which both the man OF ac-
ton and the man of thought base their in
ferenccs and form their decisions.
1t is doing Mr.. Greeley no injustice TO say
that with all his business and indefatgablilty
he has never seriously studied anything, and
that his opinions, on political questions cs-
pecially, have almost ALWAYS been hastily
and thoughtlessly formed. The consequence
which has been attached to these opinions. is
chiefly due to the fact that for many years,
he has been the most prominent indicator OF
political meteorology in this country. When
ever there has been great popular commo-
ton, he has been shouting in tho front;
whenever the public mind has been aslow
with new idea or a new conccit, the edl-
torial columns of the Tribune have been at
the point of incandescence.
To those who bear these facts III mind,
Mr.. Greeley's peculiarties-his intellectual
giddincss and extravaganza, his political
quackery and vulgar faith in legislative speci-
iics for all the ills of society, his dogTatism,
his intolerance of dissent, the intemperancc
of his language, &c.-are no mystery. one
of his pcculiarties is worthy of special men
tion-his adherence of systematic know
ledge. He has standing grudge against the
multiplication table and the first book OF Eu-
cid. He is the personal enemy of the logical
rule respecting the distribution Of the middle
term, and make no doubt that he charges
it with inherent villainy whenever he is alone
in the woods at Chappaqua, beyond the super
vision and control of the politicians who see
TO il OF late that he does not speak his mind
OH certain things within hearing of his enc
mics. lie is sincerely of the opinion that the
axiom according to which action and reaction
are equal and contrary-a principle which
has an application to other things than me-
chanics--s in the pay of English capitalists.
| He has 4 form of syllogistic reasoning entire
| ly his own, his syllogism consisting OF a broad
assertion of the things to be proved as the
major premise, a ringing imprecation as the
minor, and bold charge of venalty OR idi0cy
against his antagonist as the conclusion.
| / have already said that Mr.. Greeley is a
| philosopher; his latest surname, believe, is
the Usage Of Chappaqua." His title to the
| distinction rests not only on his omniscence
and volubilty, but also on certain dogmatic
breyites which his admirers have lately been
at pains to collect. One ofthese is the we'll
known dictum 1.-The true way to the re-
sumption of specie payment is to resume"
which is a short refutation Of the common de-
hlsion that to pay debt you must have
something to do it with. Another of his
pithy sayings is, " Go West and take a farm
an admonition addressed to those who tlocl,
| to the cities for remunerative employment in
some branch Of diversified industry" after
he has helped to saddle the farmer with all
the burdens Of the protective system. His
most pregnant apothcgin. perhaps, is the
famous s. Root hog, or die" which, however,
has no application to the Pennsylvania iron
master.
There has been much discussion Of late as
to Mr.. Grcelcy's honesty, the doubts respect
ing it arising chiefly from his associations.
No one, / presume, suspects him Of ting
his neighbours chickens, or of his purse. But
persons of his peculiar mental constitution
are rarely without crook in their moral ma.
ture, and Mr.. Greeley is not an exception TO
the rule. The character Of his intrigues
shows that it did not require much bending
to make him successful New York politi-
clan. 1t is certain that he lacks one Of the
highest attributes Of honesty-the habit OF
saving what he means, and meaning what be
says. If he had possessed this attribute, he
y ho,-~ Al,
letter j have referred to, wherein he cX-
pressed his concurrence in the principles OF
the Missouri declarations, one of which, at
least, he heartily detested.
Those who insist, with so much earnest
ness, upon Mr.. Greeley's devotion to princi-
pie ought to recollect the part he bore in the
Chicago Convention in 1860, and the efforts
he had previously made to secure the Presi-
dental nomination to Mr.. Bates, gentle.
} man belonging to a political school which
!. Mr.. Greeley had denounced in the most un,
measured terms.
!, Mr.. Greeley is credited, and 1 believe
justly, with certain natural softness and
kindness of disposition, evidenced by nu.
, merous acts of benevolence and generosity
} This benevolence is, no doubt, one of the
sources Of his popularity, and has drawn to.
! ward him many persons who have little sym
, pathy with his crotchets and vagaries. But
unfortunately, this softncss has also brought
, him into relation with multitude Of unprin
cipled schemers, who have constantly used
: him for purposes which are the reverse O
patriotic. And / was not in the least sur.
, prsed when 1 found that as soon as the
: Democratic politicians who regard parties as
the mere machines for the distribution of of
, fee and plumber looked beyond their own
party for Presidential candidate. thei,
choice instantly fell upon Mr.. Greeley.
While Mr.. Greeley has for years been no.
toIiously the centre of group Of political
/ iugclcrs, he has naturally been ont of all re-
, lalion with the sober intelligence of the
, country. Nearly all the men who have dis
, tngyishcd themselves by the incubation o.
. the simple doctrine of economic science as
they are now recognized throughout the civ.
ilized world have been the objects of his
yituperation and attack. And one OF the
things about which / should be curious in tliC
event Of his election would be his selecting o.
person for the office of Secretary of the
; Treasury. There are apprehensions--ho
well founded | know not-that the coming
man for this place is Reuben i. Fenton, WHO
has lately distinguished himself by DISCUSSING
the financial affairs of the nation.
1t is impossible to say what the election o
: Mr.. Greeley as the candidate Of the Demo.
; cratic party, and of such men as Fenton ant