The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-05
EFFECT OF HORACE GRRELEY'S
DEATH INNEW YORK.

Tho Editorial Brotherhood ON the Mel
ity-Bow It OrIginated-HIs Dfsap-
pointment Over tho Ingratituda OF
the Southern Ne8roes-Dana's Charges
Against Whitelaw Refd-What Shall
tho Successful Greeley Electors Do
Mr.. Froude's Reply to Father Burke.
[PRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
NEW YORK. December l..
The journals and the thoughts of men are
full of the death Of Horace Greeley. The
mortal ending of nc public character since
Mr.. Lincoln was assasslnated has produced q
more Profound Impression on this community.
Had Mr.. Greeley died at any lime since the
old a%nti-slavery contest began, the event
would have excited much public concern, but
attended as 1t now is with the circumstances
Of his candldature and his mental alteration
inpresslng us, as one of his contemporaries
writes, with q sense of mournful land ever
tragic palhos," the Interest Ia almost immeas-
urably heightened, and permeates every class
and condition OF the people.
The editors of the daily papers. irrespec-
live of party. have paid tribute to the genius
and moral excellence of the eminent man,
10 himself the best qualities Of the journalist,
the politician, the orator and the philosopher.
The leader In the World, written by his bosom
friend, Mr.. Ivory Chamberlain, Ia q long s'WafI
OF grief" His former associate In conducting
the Tribune, Mr. Dana, presents In the Sun
an analysis of his character as incialve and
exhaustive as 1t is justly enla9istic: Mr.. Bry-
- tk1 DAT -Lr At,1VHal lfa fN1AnI,-
personally and politically, makesa generous
acknowledgement OF bis abilities and services.
Indeed, all of the leading editors have en-.
deavored TO rise 10 the height Of the occasion
in treating Of this death, and only one of
them. Mr. Jennings, OF the Times, has per-
mlited q truce of partisan prejudice to appear
In his comments.
The FACTS OF Mr.. Greeley's insanity have been
given to The world BY the Sun, and incidental
the present conductors of the Tribune denied
reports as late az Wednesday last, there can
be no doubt that MI. Greeley at that time was
q rdvtng maniac, and that some Of them at
least were aware of It. The only excuse for
their strange perversity that can be offered, Is
that they had unb0uDded faith In his splendid
constitution, and believed that he would be
restored 10 health again. There can be no
doubt either that the frat symptoms OF the
disorder appeared just alter the result Of the
October elections became known. Mr.. Gree
ley was an intensely ambitious man. Alter
his nomination bis whole being was conferred
In the struggle for success. He was also q
very sangulne man. Until October he had not
q shadow OF doubt on his mind that he would
be elected. Then the truth flashed upon him,
and It shattered his reason.
H. bad borne up against many previous dis
appointments during The campaign, the most
cnillng OF all being the ingraiitude OF the
Southern negroes, for whom he, more than
any other man, had created the public eentl-
ment which led 10 their emancipation, and
from whom he had q natural right to expect
support. The October disappointment and
the realization of the fulility of his ardent
hopes were followed by The death Of his wife,
to whom. q cOmpaaioDship OF twenty years
had attached him with all the strength Of bis
affeclIonsts nature. The Intellect was numb
by the time the Presidential election was held.
He received the verdict with apparent lndif-
ference. The old fire famed up a moment 10
The card announcing bis return 10 HIS editorial
duties. But he ven 10 the Tribune Office
only once or twice. Melancholia Set In, he
became emaciated with terrible rapidity, he
exhibited symptoms of the violent phases OF
the malady, bis memory fled, he became
childish and cried like an Infant, nd-sad end
of ail-he was carried 10 q private mad-house,
where the vital spark gradually fickered
out. .
IL is painful to speculate now on what might
have been the consequences to the country II
Mr.. Greeley had beeH elected President. II
the October elections had been favorable bis
bnoyant spirits would have served to sustain
his mental balance, and he would have opened
his administration with success. But any
great reverse to bis admlnlstratlon, any such
blows as tough old Andy Johnson repeatedly
received from a hostils Congress, would pro-
blply have effected him as his defeat for the
Presidency did,. The Evening Post, In COM
menting upon Nr. Greeley's disease. contends
that he was weakest In The brain. and that
there Waa the Vial part when trouble should
come. With snch pbysIcal periectnsas, u he
had been q qniet farmer like bis fathers, he
would have lived nearly q century, but his Of
derIy habits aud Iron health could mol cave
him when the strain reached his Intellect.
Before the dead man Ia cold an unseemly
Sun and the conductors Of the Tribune as to
the agency the latter have had In Fastening
the Insanity and death Of their chief. Mr..
Dana, who ls nothing II not aggressive, and
frequently viclously so, charges that Mr..
Whit,law Reid, the editor In chafae, caused
an article to be printed In the Tribune, pur-
porting to be from the pen OF Mr.. Greeley, and
abusive OF his Intimate friends and OF the
Democrats who supported him In the recent
CUut6Sl, Ill ulOCISJN shO AtGS Va - ~
SAYS, wrote two letters for publication In the
Tribune dIsclaimiog the sentiments imputed to
him, both of which Mr.. Reid suppressed. The
effect was to distress Mr.. Greeley greatly and
deepen his melancholy. I presume Mr. Reid's
reply will appear In to-uOrrow's Trloune. 1t
Is sale to say that the article in question had
all the characteristic marks OF Mr.. Greeley's
pen, and that II he did not write 1t Mr.. Field
has somebody In bis office who can Initiate the
master wonderfully.
WHAT will the Greeley electors, who have
been chosen 10 some OF the States, dol Is the
next question. The inquiry Ia on almost
everybOdy's lips. Some OF the people specu-
lating about it hope that they will cast COM
pllmentary votes Tor Charles Francis Adams,
General Hancock, Governor Hendricks, &c;
The successful Liberal electors, however, all
belong south OF Mason'a and Dl1on's line, and
perhaps the Nashville Banner struck tne Fey.
note 10 the situation when 1t proposed NAT
President Grant should have q unanimous
vote. If the compliment would soften his
heart and make q better man OF him, IN
ducs him to do his duty towards the South,
perbaps 1t would be best for the electors TO
make that disposition OF their votes. Since
his reputation of the aCameron-Hartranft
ring the President has certainly given bis
late opponents reason to be more satisfied with
him, and II he needs encouragement to light
the rings In the future, he ought to have IL.
The only other matter of Interest at present
Is Mr.. Froude's reply to Father Burke, last
evening. The friends OF the historian say that
he has trlumphanlly demolished his eloquent
opponent. He does caleb the Father mapping
on one or two points Of ecclesiastical history.
The fight will undoubtedly go on, but Mr.
Froude says be will take no further part In lt
himaplt. at least on this side OF the water. He