The Portland daily press., 1872-11-30
Horace Greeley.

less the cause OF the illness that so soon has /!
terminated the career of one the most remark |
able men of the age.
Horace Greeley was born in Amherst, N. H., !
Fey 8, 1911, and was consequently 81 years.
months and rs days old when he died. In MS
earliest years he displayed great eagerness for
reading and study; and when he was ten years
Of age it is said he had read every book within
seven miles of his fathers residence In ISL
his father moved to Westhaven, VT, where for
five wears he assisted his father ON the farm
In the spring of 1926, when fifteen years of age,
he entered the office of the sc Northern Specta-
tor" at East Poultney, VT. as an apprentice
1t is said that he soon became the best workman
in the office, and it was not long before he rem
dered important assistance in editing the paper.
In June, 1880, his apprenticeship was suddenly
terminated by the dscontinuance of the Spec
tator. At this early age he was, so to speak,
political encyclopedia, being fully acquainted
with all topics of this character, and was refer
red to as authority.
Upon the closing out of the Spectator he went
to visit his parents, who had removed to Erie
county, Penn. After that he worked as a
journeyman in jamestown and Lodi, New
York and in Erie, Penn. In August, 1881. he
first visited the place of his great triumph, New
York City. He started on foot with scanty
wardrobe and $40 in his pocket, in quest of en-
ployment, which he soon found. He worked
as journeyman in several different offices
until Jan. 1, 1885, when he formed a partner
ship with Francis Story to print DR.. Sheppard's
Morning Post" the first penny morning paper
published in the world. The paper lived but
three weeks and the firm ceased in six months,
Mr.. Story dying. Shortly after, Mr.. Greeley
formed another partnership and began the
publication of the "New Yorker a weekly
Journal of which Mr.. Greeley was the editor,
the first number being issued March 23d, 1884
The .tNew Yorker was political, literary
and family newspaper; and in the department
of political statistics was regarded by all as
authority. AT one time the paper had an ex-
tensive circulation, but failing in business man.
agement it was not profitable, though it con-
tinued seven years. During this same time he
supplied the "Daily Wing" with leading arti-
clas. In 1889 he edited the 'tJeffersonian," a
Wing paper at Albany, N. Y. In 1910 he edited
the campaign paper called the LOG CABIN
which had an immense circulation and contrib
uted largely to the success of the campaign
which resulted in the election of Gen Harrison
April 10th, 1871, he commenced the publica-
ton of the "Daily Tribune which was follow
ed by the weekly Tribune in October. With
these journals his name has since been identi-
fed more closely than ever was! that of any
other man with great public newspaper
In 184S he was elected to Congress to fill a
vacancy and served from December to March
4, 1S49, where he distinguished himself by his
opposition to the mileage system. -3l
|. In 1850 volume of his lectures and es>ays
appeared under the title of "Hints toward Re-
FORMS In 1851 he visited Europe, and on his
return published volume entitled s'Glances at
Europe"
From the first appearance of Henry Clay as
prominent political leader, Mr. Greeley adj
hered to his fortunes and early imbibed that
statesman's opinions on the tariff The Tribune
was early made the champion of protection,
which it has constantly advocated with great
ability.
From the beginning Of the anti-slavery agi-
tation Mr.. Greeley espoused the canse of the
bondman, though he never was regarded as an
abolitionst In 1862 he denounced the Wing
platform for its vapidness and yielded very tar
dy support to Gen. Scott, as he did to General
Taylor in 184S. In 1854, when the slavery ex-
tensionists alarmed theNorth with their propos
ton to make slavery national, the Tribune be-
came the foremost champion of the anti-save-
ry sentiment. Then it may be said that this
great paper and this wonderful man reached
the height of their power. There never has
been in this country, and probably there never
will be again, a journal of similar power and
influence. More than any one agency, it con-
spired to mould the anti-slavery spirit of the
nation into that great organization-the Re-
publican party.
In 1856, he published "History of the
Struggle for Slavery Extension or Restriction
in the United States" 1t was about this time
that he published letter that gave the public
the lntlmaton that he was an aspirant for Of
ice, which was addressed to Messrs Seward
and Weed, announcing the dissolution of the
firm OF Seward, Weed & Greeley. In 1860 Mr.
Greeley appeared in the Chicago convention as
delegate from Oregon, where he showed some
bitterness in his opposition to Gov. Seward.
whom he Helped to defeat Mr.. Greeley and
the Tribune ably advocated the election of Mr..
Lincoln for the Presidency
AT this time it may be said that Mr. Greeley
had reached the zenith of his usefulness and
greatness. The election-ef Mr. Lincoln result
ing in the secession of the slave States. Mr..
Greeley surprised the country in February.
1851 by openly advocating the right of seces
sion and advising the general government to
allow it to be peacefully accomplished When.
however, the attack ON Fort Sumter aroused
the North, Mr.. Greeley was the foremost for
war measures. son to Richmond was his
cry, but when defeat followed he displayed a
tendency to submit, as he did during several
dark periods OF the war. He seemed to have |
no faith i'll the final success of the Union cause
and this belief led him into several serious blum |
ders, of which his Niagara mission was sam |
pie.
The war over, he declared for general amnes-
ty before any of the great results Of the rebel
lion were secured. In the majority he disclos-
cd none,of those rare qualities of leadership
that were expected of h m In general, he
gave his support to the most ultra reconstruc-
lion measures. In baling jeff Davis he alien
ated many of his most ardent friends, not be-
cause he signed the bond, but because he made
himself so conspicuous in doing it. After Gen.
Grants nomination he gave him the most cor
dial support, and was thick and thin support
er of his administration until the Fenton defec-
ton, when he gradually cooled until he became
its most inveterate enemy.
During all his public life as Journalist he
adhered to many of the ''isms'' of the day. In
The days of Fourierism, he was ardent disciple.
tie was for many years Grabamite. Among
inc latest OF his works are the "History of the
Kebellon'-a most valuable work-and his
'Recollections of Busy LIFE and a treatise
IN agriculture. The last few months of his
ife-his nomination at Cincinnati and subse-
Iuently by the Democrats-his remarkable con-
luct during the campagn-are SO fresh in the
minds of our readers that we need not recount
hem here.
NEW SHACKLE.-The Maine Central Rail
DAD Company are about to introduce a new
ar-shackle, invented and patented by Rock
and parties. The shackle is self adjusting, the
ink winch is to receive the pin as it enters the
hackle, passes up an inclined plane at such
IN angle as to raise the pin, and passing under
t, the pin drops into the link, and the cars are
ecurely joined. By the use of this invention
he necessity of going between the hunters to