New-York tribune., 1872-06-21
NEW Pr OBLIGATIONS.
P'rAvrss LIFE OF GREELEY

800. &. ar ,n,,,nafe persOnal
- 90 Mr tJreeley. residing in the West and has
,,ood his biography in accordance with plan OF
- .,,,o csars' standing His first acquaintance
- .bo mama of Horace Greeley dates from lool'
rhon ne was informed by passing stranger uVi1
con,orsicut Of the purposes OF InE TRIBUNE anu
saols.racter of the editor. lie at once became IN
-~ss,e9 in the subject and although voraclous oe
,ourer of books and newspapers, founo hi"iSen
introduced into new world by the perusai OF 'a,'
trurnal tt contained o vein OF t"ousu' VIZ"
which hie mind was in complete harmony AYo
A,scpss;o,s of moral and political problems were IN
.dvsDc, of the prevaung ideas of the distant West
81 ocrs,ted its teachings rs the highest authority,
I'D b, continued in that faith 70 the present day.
s. ,f,er he entered into correspondence with
Ar C,eeley. which was kept mp with great interest
=. tte mart of the author, aud which he valued as
fnjfful source of suggestion and information. In
.ho Winter of 1864 he saw Mr.. Greeley for the first
ti,,e lie afterward met him occasionally in New
York. in Washington, and in the West, and the &C
suaintance thus formed gradually ripened INTO
intimacy.
His book is written with certain sparkling en-
thusasm but showing not little insight into char
aoter and power OF description, although marked
nv freshness of feeling and DaIvete OF e1-
presSon rather than by finished or elegant
Composition The Sgthor makes no pre-
tension 70 graces of style or literary practice and
his book. accordingly, win be more valued for the
trankuess and cordality Of its tone than as spec-
men Of artistic OF elaborate biography In its pre-
partition he has made liberal use OF Mr.
psrtou's entertaining memoir, although he
has relied chiefly for tho facts of his
narrative on Mr.. Greeley's sutobiographio
"RecoIleetions of Busy Life" great mass OF ex-
kraots from the writings Of Mr. Greeley, and othsr
illustrative documents crowd the pages with mate
rials which would perhaps have served better pur-
pose after selection end abridgement. Tho work Is
divided into sections treating Of Horace Greeley as
editor politician statesman, a man OF letters q
refor1ner, O self-made man. and IN the SOUTH
together with succinct relation of the prominent
events Of his life in the order Of their occurrence
As an example Of the method Of the author we quote
apEssage on
HORACE GREELEY As A STATESMAN.
n may seem presumptuous 10 say that Mr.. Websters
sH9S of not Foo6 SeSeT6es SS does seem to
Statesman is man who IS more than "versed in the
OF sovernment" lie IS man whose grasp h ana so
Gaelty OF mlad enables him 70 comprehend tne phloSo
II ibe Trtte1 law and reform and advance his people
beyond obsolete and eete principles ana R4hGies 70
trines. such statesmen were Moses tyoufgSs fgS3;
sGop SsG9eCo dad snS n'9n @ore ana IN our o%n
aud OtbSr hands, who though no; r,6 having N10G
ther respective people, were nevertheless equally ad
vanoed refornatOry Ia their mental
0nally wide Qrsspng and sagaeious In thoughtful dis
eergnisnt ana inseri5ed their thoughts and teachings
ppon the institutions ard character OF their country
lie may not by accident OF design, eft 70 eegisatiyo
ws efbeient and operative, but occupy position. to
him far desirable and Influential "hefe ne can
claim new principles Of government and reform and aid
IN a6oshi1g old forms and ehets instnoRs 6y direct
Ge who thus rises by the power OF his own mind and
the righteous recude Of his own htepraeuoe TO post
which enables him 70 mold their
institutions aud direct their thoughts Is true and lofty
aid and powerful qualities OF the patriot aud the hero
With thought and dehberatonP eueh = has an IN
explore and ACQUIRE kno Wedge Of new regions Of
slought He is man capable Of developing new laws,
establishing customs, and introducing his fellow
into new paths OF proSress and oeyeIopment Ihe
for,o Of soveTpment under which they are born aud
reared and the impulses OF tue youthful and aspr
@ So nacn aSs and OF hs sS Fa
imhued with loyalty aud patriotism ne remains rue 70
strength FOR such TO him necessary for
tbe Wsifare and advancement of his people this the
aud ssgacy Of his mind TO Judge wisely OF the wrong
pe measure OF tue true ana the great states
nnder what government he may happen to 1--we.
Turning tben 70 Mr. Greeley, we are TO con
pOsble 10 what estimate he is daily entitled among mis-
Fellows ior wisdom and sagacy, determining the scope
[rccs him IL pointing the way for national reform and
indy prosperity Al the very beginning g % Of & teis
iys en al organization such as 10 make hIm unsu-
2 sS 81 st san % soSe with hts teae
ngt In favor OF practical career Of lie But whoever
know him erieht must learn that he has a double
Dsjure, each of which - persistent n pushing into the
world, ana into mems faces, WitA their own peculiar
views. one nature Is constantly unfolding vast and
oomprehensve theories OF government Of social society,
o. humanity and iusce the other, ever urging and in
asung upOa the adoption OF the most practical and
economical rules for the management Of tho Govern
ulent and the ct1eus. Perhaps no in the country
distinguished in either OF these two seeming
say what men w theIe with his Industry and strength
OF mind, have made bin what he E IN personality and
distinction among the worlds peoples -
Thus eOWpreheHdlng the inhereBt structure Of bis
mental nature at once prepared TO consider him
The worlds progress yet stained with sins OF ances-
tra nations and struggling under the weight many
new and new paths OF progress, the way was
open for Mr. Greeley TO move IN advance his fellows
and TO learn Alright and comprehend the scope power
and functions Of g0yernue ents and human nights His
was adapted for the opportunity and his Unborn
life nodded IN opposition 70 the errors: inherited
Rnd acquired, OF the nation and society in which he
contest with weapon OF migbter power for battle
s nan aed FOR be eau of te pa6S aD early 6
the people with unknown to any cOtempOrary
Greeley Is familiar With the theories and forms Of an
sient aud modern governments, ana that his Judgment
far advanced as any man Of his age and that therefore
be is omitted 10 be ranked with the nrst statesmen OF
20 the most advanced legislators OF BIZ age AT the very
beginning Of his political he declared In favor OF
g. aScr cosVcons and Standing amv peoo wese tSs
rock has been the essential labor Of his life make
AL forms Of government bend unerrngly and absolutely
70 this divine truth. No form OF government OF
system o. society that did NOT recognize the equal
equal privileges 70 all, was TO him sinful and must be
70 s e therefore, In spite Of the implicit faith Ia the
form " government organized by fathers, waged
war upon pens slavery & ~ S, the beginning Of bis pG0e aboEs
equally devoted TO the cause Of abohtionism none