The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-05-17

HORACE GREELEY.

J
Horace Greeley, who is probably the best
! known man in America, was born on the
3D. of February, 1911, in Amherst, N. H.
His parents were what Is commonly known
as poor but honest-the honesty being, as
is well-known, in inverse proportion to the
! poverty. Greeley's youth seems to have
been passed amidst considerable though
not unusual hardships. At 10 years of age
his parents removed to Vermont. After
assisting his father in the farming opera
tons for three or four years he wasappren-
ticed to a printer in East Pulteney, in that
State. He worked there four years 1895
1890 and became very proficient in 1.-The
art preventative of all arts"
In 1881, the turning point in his career,
Greeley then 90 years of age, left the Green
! Mountain State to seek his fortune in hap
pier places He wandered on to Erie in
! Pennsylvania, where he worked three or
| four months at his trade. Becoming wea-
ried of the dizziness fthat provincial town,
| Greeley travelled on to New York, then, as
now, the heart of the continent. He arriv-
ed here in August of that year, with SO
| in his pocket, shabby clothes on his back,
worn out shoes on his feet, and the Univer-
salist form of Christianity firmly imbedded
in his soul. Greeley always believed in
work, and he does yet. He says it never
has forsaken him. He rarely breaches
about the dignity Of labor, but he tells
every one to go to work and not haggle
too much about wages. On this plan he
acted when he first reached New York
| He walked up and down Nassau, William
and Chatham streets in search of employ
ment, and after some repulses obtained it.
For ten years he worked as iourneyman
printer and hack journalist, which not very
profitable but very laborious callings he
diversified by founding several newspapers,
which failed. Three or four of these be-
came celebrated, though they were not re-
muneratiye. The .hmUiag Post, founded
by Greeley and Story in January 1888,
was the first penny newspaper every pub
lished. 1t continued only few weeks
Greeley & Co. founded, in 1884, The Men
YORKER, a weekly literary journal of no par
ticular stripe in politics, which lived for
seven years and became, we are told, very
influential with the community, though it
was always a heavy drag upon its publish
ers' pockets From March, 1888, to March,
1889, Greeley edited The Jebrsonion, a
weekly paper published under the direc-
ton of the Wing Central Committee
Greeley espoused the cause of Gen. Harri-
son, and advocated his election to the Pres
idency in the columns of The Lon Cabin,
which he founded for the special object in
May, 1910. The Log cabin was published
weekly, and had large circulation at one
time reaching 10000. This paper gave
him, says Parton, "an immense reputation
in all parts of the country as an able writer
and Jealous politician" While Greeley
was working at his trade and founding
newspapers he did not forget that he need
ed a wife to smooth the path to glory OF
the grave. He married Miss Cheney, OF
North Carolina, in 1886.
Greeley was not discouraged by the fail.
urc of his newspaper After every fall he
got up and went at it again, until on the
10Th of April, 1S41--a red letter day in his
history--he published the first number o.
. the New York Tribune. This name Gree
ley himself selected, and certainly its ap
propriatcness cannot be gainsaid. Will
the Tribune Greeley grew famous, though
the fame of the newspaper was not earnet
without very hard work. The early mum
bers of the Tribune were mostly written by
Greeley and Ray mond--botE OF whom de
lighted in hard work.
AS was natural, Greeley soon entered in
to politics, and with the Tribune behinC
, him soon became a power in the Whis
, camp. He early learned wisdom from Hen
ry Clay, whom he supported FIR the Presi
E dency in 1871. After the defeat of Clay
Greeley assumed u more decided attitude
of hostility towards slavery, and was in NJ
long time in complete accord with the mor
ultra opponents to the system In 1915
= Greeley was elected to the House of Rep
, resentatiycs to I'll an uneXpired term
| During the few months of his stay in Con
gress he exhibited great hostility to thu
, abuses of the mileage system. However
t Greeley was a nc'er- well in politcs-h
| did not succeed in securing n reelection
and he retired from Congress. never to re
turn. He devoted hmsefto lee uring, es
8 pecally before cold water associations, be
= fore whom he attributed much OF hi
' success to abstinence fiom intoxicatin.
drinks. In 1850 he published "Hints To
wards Reforms" partly lectures and partl.
essays-a very common place book, indeed
: In 1851 he visited Europe, and was chosel
chairman of one of the jurles at the Grea
Worlds Fair. Out ofthis trip grew CLAN
oes at Europe the most of which appeared
in letters to the Tribune.
In 1852 Greeley supported Gen. Winfield
] Scott, the Wing candidate for the Presi
dency in opposition to Franklin Pierce, tn
nominee Of the Democrats. Scott was de
feated and the Tribune severely criticised
most of the measures of Pierce's admins
tration. Greeley assisted at the birth q
tho Renubican party formed ont of the re