Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-10-14
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
WHY REPUBLICAN CAN VOTE FOR GREE
LEY.

WHY A REPUBLICAN CAN VOTE FOR GREE
LEY.
"How can you vote for Horace Gree
ley 2" [ have been asked, I should think,
a hundred times or more. Haven't
you always been a republican p Yes,
have always been a republican and am
one now. | go for Greeley because |
think he is an honest man, and because
he stands on fair and square republi-
can platform. To this the answer inva-
riably is, i" Yes, but he can't be trusted;
he has sold out every principle he ever
had, deserted his party and gone over to
its enemies" 1t is in vain that l ask
them to point out in particular the great
principles of his life that he has betray-
ed. [ have never received a satisfactory
answer. Now [ believe that principles
should be regarded before men or par
ties. Like the majority of republicans
in the past [ thought that Horace Gree
ley was an advocate of true republican
principles, and when it can be shown
that he has forsaken any of those great
principles which have governed his for
mer life, l shall think there is a reason
for saying that he has forfeited his claim
to republican support, but until then l
think he has just claims on every man,
whether republican or democrat, who re-
spects moral worth, energy and eminent
usefulness in the man and who wishes
for honesty, industry and integrity in
the public officer
Until lately it was generally supposed
that Mr.. Greeley was reasonably honest,
in fact so common was that opinion that
the sobriquet of Honest Horace" was
very generally applied to him, and seem
ed to fit him equally as well as his old
white hat. He had lived nearly fifty
years in city noted for its corruption,
its dissolute characters, its wealthy and
respectable thieves, and its INSCRIPTIONS
politicians, and still had come forth
without faint or suspicion of dishonesty.
Yet in the face of such testimony we are
called upon by republican papers more
noted for partizan zeal than sound rea-
soning, to believe that Horace Greeley is
one of the most scheming, deceitful and
INSCRIPTIONS political tricksters the coun-
try has ever produced, unworthy the con-
idence or votes of honest men, in fact
little better than common thief. | be-
lieve the fttest answer to such ISLANDERS
are the eulogiums of the whole republi-
can press for the last twenty years on
the character and worth of Horace Gree
ley We are told that be is unstable,
that he has been on both sides of every
great question, that he has never had a
principle but what he has surrendered,
and that he is traitor to his party and
its cause.
Now it is no difficult thing to make
assertions if ones conscience does not
trouble him, and it is equally evident
that unsustained they carry but little
weight. Such general charges are we'll
enough in their place, but they should be
followed by specifications. Why not
point out particular offences like loafng
around Long Branch, or putting in toe
much time at the Saratoga races, which
we know Mr.. Grant to be guilty of, tc
the detriment of his public duties
For the last forty years Greeley has been
pledged to temperance, and during that
time his influence public and private
has been used to discountenance the use
of intoxicating drinks. Here is one
principle adhered to, while according t.
senator Wilson DIR. Grant OCCASIONAL,
partakes of the flowing bowl, awhicf
cheers and does inebriate" What sa,
the advocates of temperance in regarc
to the influence Of these two public men
in this respect?
Ever since Mr.. Greeley commenced hi
editorial career, he has been the unfinch
ing foe of human slavery Commencin,
at time when to favor abolition was t.
belong to a despised and hopeless minor
lty, and in city where the sentiment o
a majority Of the people on that subjec
must have shown him that there was no
shadow of hope for political prefer
ment. he labored diligently and effective
t ly, not with the rash fanaticism of Love
t joy, John Brown or Garrison, hoping t
/ gain the end sought by tumult and dis
turbance, but with the slow but surel
effective weapon of public opinion
/ Leading his co-workers by the force {
E his intellect, he has lived to see a publ
E opinion formed that could restrain slave
t ry in peace and overthrow it in war, an