The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-16
THE PRINTER-PRESIDENT.
THE REMARKABLE CAREER OF
HORACE GREELEY.
A SeIf.nIade nIan-The Consistent Cham
pion Of the Emancipation Of Labor.

pion OF the Emancipation Of Labor.
It is often said with great deal Of truth
that Horace Greeley is the best-known man in
America. This being 30, there is not the same
necessity for writing biography of the Baltl-
more and Cincinnati nominee that commonly
exists In the cases Of Presidential candidates
every four years. Mr.. Greeley has himself
told the country and the world who and what
he is, any day during the last forty years,
through the columns OF his newspapers, and
has managed to Impress his personality upon
the popular mind more deeply than any other
man In the profession of journalism, or, in
deed, In all probability, In all the different
professions. Every one knows what Horace
Greeley has said and written since 1910.
Every one knows the main circumstances Of
his peculiarly chequered and eventtul career,
his eccentrioIties, his oddities, his ''sms" and
his strong and sterling cast of mind, dlsposi-
tlon and character. Not to kn wv him argues
ones self unknown. This extensive and lntl-
mate knowledge of the man, although his life
has been pure and Industrious, and his pur-
poses lofty and honest, is not altogether an sd-
vantage, politically, to Mr.. Greeley, as it would
be an advantage to no one under the sun. All
are liable to the fallIngs Of human nature, and
1t is the misfortune OF an editor that his must
necessarily be continually exposed to public
view, on account of the sudden and ever
recurring exlgencies Of hls profession. Sharp
words must be said and quick blows given,
Without time for extended reflection. When
1t is considered how endlessly Mr.. Greeley has
been entapged In personal and party warfare,
and what vigorous attacks and defences ne
has been called upon to make, the wonder is
that his record is as good as 1t Is, and that his
mulLitudinous assailants In times past have
never tempted him beyond the bounds of JUS.
tlce In repelllng their savage and often ma
licious blows. His record as Journalist is
sure, and large majority of the citizens of
the United States look upon him simply and
solely as the editor of the New York Tribune.
But his political history, though less striking,
is quite important, especially when thought of
In connection with his position to-day before
the country; and the present Is fitting time
to review the life of the distinguished gentle
man for whom the suffrages of the whole
nation are asked by two great parties.
Horace Greeley was born at Amherst. N. H.,
February 8, 1911. and was the third of
seven children of Zaccheus Greeley, O respect
able farmer, OF scotch.Irlsh lineage. Parton'a.
celebrated memoir gives an excellent and
thorough account of Horace's early years, and
his first experiences In active life. The record
oil the last twenty years has been sdded 10 lne
original volume In somewhat Incomplete
manner, but II ls still sufficiently full and accn-
rate to present a connected narrative from
1911 down to the present time. From his
earliest Infancy the subject OF this sketch mani
tested extraordinary Intelligence and an eager
thirst for knowledge. He listened intently 10
whatever was said, upon whatever subject,
and when only two years OF age began to leach
himself to read. He pored over the Bible aud
every stray newspaper with tireless ayldlty,
asking questions without number, and remem-
bering everything that was told him. When
he was three yeaFs old, he could read correct
ly the books prepared for children, and at
four all books, however difficult. He be-
gan attending the district schOol-the only
school he ever attended-in his third winter,
visiting the home OF his grandmother In Lon
donderry for that purpose, and continued
there two years. He gained great distinction
by his excellence In his studies, and was al
most invariably at the head OF the school,
though he was by far the youngest attendant;
and his Inferlority 10 age and size, united with
his great proficiency, caused him to be pet
with his fellows and prodigy with his mas
ters. At Londonderry he also formed the
habit of universal reading or book-devonrlng,
which clung to him through all the Viclsshldes
OF youth and manhood, until the exactlons OF
journalistic life effectually destroyed II. 1n his
sixth year his fondness for literature Induced
him to make the prophetic decision, "Pm
going to be printer" From his sixth to
his tenth year he lived, worked, read and
studied in his native town, and 30
strong was his passion for knowledge that no.
thing could deter him from going 10 school
daily during the wlnter-not even the most
frIphtful storms or most frgid Temperatures;
and In this way the future celebrity
very often came near freezing to death.
Horace spent all his leisure hours In securing
the region round about for books, and reading
them when obtained; and he habitually walked
miles to meet the postman on 'paper day."
intent on having the first perusal OF the dearl =
beloved Farmers Cabinet. In this manner he
acquired firm suostratum for The mess Of In
formation he was destined to subsequently ac-
uuire; and thus, 100. he formed that frmness
OF opinion which still adheres 10 him. When
only nlae years old, he would defend point
which he had investigated against anybody
6Uu SferSucuy-tCuSuOAo Si0hSJitS AL&< WY
public In general-and many comica legends
are still preserved in and around Amherst
illustrative of this peculiarly.
Pecuniary m sfortune descended upon the
shoulders of the lad In his tenth year, when,
owing to losses in speculation, bis father fall
ed and was obliged to fee from the State 10
avoid his creditors. The whole family soon
removed to the new settlement OF Westhaven,
Vermont, and there began life over again.
Horace had to bear his share OF the burden.
and spent much of the Time In elearlag ground
and chopping wood; but he also attended
school In the winter season until his teacher
declared he knew more than he did, and he
also continued to read everything that he
could lay mis- hands upon. He still kept bis
intention Of being printer In View, aud
finally, In 1926, prevailed upon his father
to allow HIM to 60 TO East Poultney, a
neighborlng village, and apply for sltua-
In the office OF the Spectator. This he did,
and after being questioned at length by
admitted to the composlng-room as an ap-
prentice. He soon became very expert with
the types, and very much Interested In poll
tics, and 1t was not long before be was q
recognized authority In the Office and the
village debating society. Here he formed
various opinions, which he still maintains.
He became Universalist, teetotaller and
an anti Mason. The Adams campaign
awakened his warmest sympathies, and he
gradually began to express his sentiments edi-
torially, to the delight of his benevolent en-
ployer. MIR. Bliss There is no telling how
long Young Greeley would have remained In
Ponltury, had not the Spectator failed, which
= nd r thIso m.