The Placer herald., 1872-08-24
THE REAL HORACE GREELEY.

A portion OF our people have someno"
come to think of Horace Greeley as man OF
feeble will, infirm of purpose, lacking mental
poise; sort of human weathervane blown
about by every wind of doctrine. Naturally,
General Grants friends, in the press and on
the stump, are just now taking great pains to
foster and cultivate this impression. 1t Is
their cue to do SO; the motive is perfectly
transparent. If Mr.. Greeley is any such
manner of man as this, be is obviously ly unfit
to be President of the United States. If the
voters generally can be made to believe that
he is, General Grants reelection, now some
what probematical, becomes certainty. 1t
is therefore part, and very important
part, of the Administration game to per-
sistently represent Mr.. Greeley as a maggot-
Drained theorist; impractical, crotchety, gul-
lible, unstable, not to be trusted in any
responsible position by prudent people.
This is part of the game, we say. But
it is at least doubtful whether it "works;
| whether the results justify the exPendl-
ture of breath, ink and ingenuity. Ii there
is any public man now living about whom 1t
is not easy to deceive the American people,
that man is Horace Greeley They know
him ''like book know him better and
more thoroughly than they know any of his
contemporaries in public life; know him a hun
dred times better than they know these ora
iors of the stump and delicate wits of the press
who are ampoonng and caricaturlns him.
| They long since discovered his weaknesses
and foibes. But they also, long since,
learned to admire the robust strength OF the
| man-the sound mind in the sound body,
the healthy, alert conscience the tireless en-
ergy the generous DEVOTION, the sturdy
backbone. They know that the friend of
Henry Clay, the founder of the Republican
party, the creator of the New ork 1r1bune,
is neither an imbecie nor knave. 1t must
be recollected that he has been for many
years past one of the most conspicuous figures
in the public eye; in some respects the most
conspicuous. He has continually edited
the leading newspaper of his party, and OF
the country. His record is all down in black
and white; any one can tumble it over and
select points of attack at leisure, as Mr..
Chandler and his government clerks are now
doing. lie has moved constantly iii a glare
of light. How many Of our politicians could
have borne the test as he has done ? How
many, as it is, can safely challenge a COM
parson of records =? Certainly not General
Grant, who, to be sure, is but young poll
tician. Certainly not Mr.. Henry Wilson.
Horace Greeley's mistakes and in6delities to
himself have been for the most part in
little things in great things he has rarely
been found wanting. Two guiding stars Of
his political course have been human rights
and protection to American industry. How
steadily he has steered by them in all kinds
of weather the country knows.
Granted that he has an uncertain temper,
an appetite for hattery, and an impatience Of
criticism, which sometimes betray him to his
own hurt. This is merely to concede that
he is a human being, with the commonplace
human mperfections. All the same, he has
a big heart that is ever quick to beat for the
down-trodden and oppressed; big heart
that has left its mark upon the thinking and
doing of this young republic; a stout will that
has brought him through many trying ordeals
and carried him over many hard experiences;
patriotism that no honest man will ques-
ton; philanthropy that no just man can
think of save with tender respect and graf
itude. And the American people know it.
Sprinafeld RepubItcan.