, 1872-05-09
Horace Greeley.

The nomination of Horace Greeley fo,
President by the Cinninnati Convention
will undoubtedly be regarded by mers
politicians. who view all political move.
nents from personal standpoint, as a
failure" according to the annouce-
ment Of the veracious telegraph, for the
conclusive reason that it is not in the
interest of any ring or combination bent
solely on personal advantages. Regard,
ed from popular view, we consider it
the most formidable nomination which
could possibly be presented against Gen.
Grant, and none could more clearly rep
resent the avowed principles and pur.
poses of the Convention. If to any mem
befs of the Convention the nomination
is fraud ana a failure, the fault rests
with themselves, and not with the ac.
ton Of the majority; if they had secret
ulterior views in entering the Conven.
ton, it was those designs, and not theil
publicly avowed purposes, which have
been defeated; they have failed only in
their efforts to deceive Others. All
went into that Convention as Republi-
cans, avowing fidelity to the principles
of tho Republican party and declaring
only for reform in the administration OF
government. Is Mr.. Greeley's Repub-
licanism questioned No twenty or a
hundred men did SO much as he to form
and crystalize the elements of that par
tv, organize and bring it into power.
Horace Greeley educated the generation
which achieved the first Republican
party triumph in the nation. His cheap
newspaper. filled with interesting and
valuable information to all classes, was
sent into every town, hamlet, and rural
district throughout the Northern States.
Nearly every postmaster, whether Wing
or Democrat, was an agent to promote
its circulation, receiving a copy for his
services, and thousands of Democrats
took it because it was cheap, the read
ing matter, aside from its political arti-
cles. being in quality and quantity the
best which could be had for the price.
In tens and hundreds of thousands OF
famili,s it was read by the young, in a
large proportion of them the only cur
rent literature to which they had con-
slant access, and its sentiments and
opinions were stamped upon ihcir plas-
tic minds indelibly. No writer of this
Or any other age in this country has
been so generally read, and not one has
done SO much to mould popular senti-
mcnt to his own model. Many men of
his views in thei1 pride Of opinion boast
Of their independents in throwing off
the teachings of their fathers, forgetting
thaEit was from Horace Greeley they
derived their earlier impressions and
present opinions upon political subjects.
The great mass of the more sincere Re
publicans, however, do not make this
mistake. but recognize in him their
mentor, guide and friend, and the true
prophet of their political faith. If they
are true to their own convictions, iu-
stead of slaves to party drill, Mr.. Gree
ley will receive large majority of the
votes of Republicans, whoever may be
the candidate of the politicians.
As sincere and consistent Reformer.
certainly he has left no ground for
doubt No man in his party stands be-
fore him in exposing and denouncing
public wrongs and ofiiciaE abuses in his
own party. As long and zeaiously as he
had labored for the success of the Re
publican party. he was among the first
to cry halt when he saw the attempt to
divert it from its originally declared
purposes, or to use it for purposes of
oppression, or party or personal ag-
grandizement; he rejected all part or lot
in the spoils of party victory which ac-
crued only to the benefit of party lead
ers. His ability is too transcendantly
manifest for dispute; his personal integ-
rity his most jealous political enemies
never doubted or questioned; with no
ring or combination organized to prey
upon the public treasury was his name
ever associated in public or private
scandal.
We knew Horace Greedy intimately in
our early boyhood, and though we have
differed from him politically throughout
our life, we have never failed to bear
testimony to his prominent traits Of
character which ennobled odr common
humanity. A more devoted man to his
kind. ed and friends more generous
man to his enemies, God never made
No man was ever more bountiful in his
charities, more sensitively, alive to hu-
man suffering IN every condition of life,
more uncompromisingly hostile to every
form Of tyranny and oppression. Lame
and infrm in health in boyhood, his ear
liest earnings were shared with an i'm
pecunious and thriftless father. and as
he became more prosperous, he devoted
by far the greater portion of his income
to the aid of relatives to the most remote
4 - x..,.z