The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-10-15

to us, has placed upon the earth set Of
creatures, who from lack Of plain COM
mon sense fail to distinguish the differ
ence between friend and foe, unless
the one Is at all times engaged in doing
them good turns and hiding their faiings,
and the other constantly employed in
making open war upon them These who
fancy we treat Horace Greeley cruelty
because we criticise some OF his actions
and words, must belong to the extreme
wing of this peculiar class.
That Mr.. Greeley is great man and
that he has served his party are facts be-
youd dispute. We will go as far as any
one in making an acknowledgement of his
greatness and party loyalty. If at times
he has acted indiscreetly, it will be found
that he was governed more ny the ad-
vice of friends than by the dictates of his
own heart and mind. Like all of us he
has weak points, and being, as we have
said a great man, they are more noticea.
bic on that account But eccentricity is
regarded as an evidence of genius.
Let us examine Mr.. Greeley's claims
to greatness Let us judge him by the
successes he has achieved in few of the
various characters he has represented on
this mundane stage. Perhaps in none
has he attained such prominence as in that
of an editor He has proved to all his
cotemporaries that great daily can be
successfully conducted on the high-toned
principle, without the slightest taint of
black guardism, in such a manner as 70
merit the commentator Of the most fas-
tidious Turvay ydrop of journalism. Mr..
Greeley has shown that this "deportment'
can be maintained by newspaper so
its editor keeps his temper.
With all the dignity of the Trombone
(as some ill.tempered fellow has named
Mr.. G.'s organ, there is sort of dash
and thunder about its assaults that ava.
ken the greatest fear A cold chill creeps
over us when, looking on its editorial
page, we see these terrible italicised
words, " Ansper By the TriJmne." We
feel sure somebody is IN for it-that some
one has bluudcred. We know what an
awful explosion of theories is to follow.
We are aware of The effects of that dread
sentence, the CONSERVATION it has carried
to many stout hearts, and the trembling
it has caused many stiff knees. All the
sympathies of our nature 90 forth for the
poor devil who has CHANGED to incur the
wrath Of Greeley. In nightmares those
words have visited us. We have fanced
that Horace, after writing them, arises
from his editorial chair and swings a
pair of immense dumb-bells to get up his
intellectual muscle. Down again he sits,
and there's an end to the unfortunate who
has ventured ideas at variance with those
of the great editor.
In the meadows Of agriculture he
stands in an equally conspicuous position:
sort of fnger-post-(we had almost
said scarecrow)- - to warn the adventurous
and feeble. minded frcm its alluring diff.
cultcs and snares, always pointing west
ward and always seen at his post. So as
siduously has he applied himself to this
great study, that, without the aid of his
spectacles, and at single glance, he can
tell cantaloupe from watermelon, even
if both are green-covered. 1t seems un-
necessary to speak Of his greatness in
this line, for there are thousands Of far
mers who, when the time comes-and not
moment before-will rise up and call
him blessed. His famous work ,affording
as it does no end Of harmless amusement
by its agricultural conundrums, is, or
should be, found in every farmhouse OF
the land.
One of Mr.. Greeley's create, successes
was brought about by the rebellion.
When that dread crisis arrived he focus.
ed his intellectual rays on the art of war,
and with apparently but little trouble
laid that abstruse subject before the pub
lie as plain and clean as his own shirt
front. Amid editorial and political cares
he found time to direct the movements
of our gallant armies through the agency
Of his paper. He supplied ideas on mil.
itary strategy to such of our generals as
appeared to him to stand in need of them.
and from his distant but eligible stand.
point on the top floor of the Tribune Of.
fee shot out his "On to Richmond" or.
ders with the coolness of an Alaskan
warrior. electrifying loyal hearts and
striking terror 20 those Of armed rebels.
Viewed as politician, his case is a
remarkable aud isolated one. 1t is gen.
orally conceded that his position in the
Republican party has been one of respec.
liability at least Sometimes of late his
opinions and party affairs have received
attention, more perhaps, because they
came FROM Jealous worker than from a
cautious manager. Notwithstanding his
long service he has never been rewarded
with an appointment to office, and he has
become baldhead in seeking one. Was
there ever such a political record? The
very singularity of it gives its possessor
lofty station. AMI should awaken the
sympathy of kinl-hearted voters, as it
awakened ours when we mentioned his
honored name in connection with the
Commisslonership of Agriculture.
His history of late as candidate is an
equally curious one. A few years ago he
received a congressional nomination in the
city OF New York, which the brave old
man unhesitatingly accepted, and dashed
into the canvass with all the energy OF
fiery youth. Pitted against the white,
coated philosopher were that terrible fe.
male, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. that rest.
less, screeching, erratic George Francis
Train. and the representative of Gotham s
muscle, Hon. John Morrissey, the sue
cessful candidate. What a wonderful
quartette What terrible company for
our dear old friend Then at another e.
lection be was made the vi.tim of little
job which resulted in his defeat by Sun
set Cox. His party at this time seemed
to use him as political tenpin, to be
pu. up only to be knocked down, Yet
the serenity of his temper was unrufiled,