The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-02-28

y
angry with me?" patiently heard my
explanation, and assured me that. so
soon as it should be confirmed by cir
cumstances, full reparation would be
made.
A great many instances might be col
lected to illustrate Mr.. Greeley's apt
ness at repartee. I heard one example.
which for sharpness of points is equal to
any thing reported of Douglass Jerrold.
There used to be a paper IN New York
called the EUenj,sg Mirror, edited by
certain Hiram Fuller, afterward a bla-
tant but not dangerous Secessionist in
London. He imagined his little sheet
to be the most important journal in the
city, and was in the habit of asking his
aequuitances Have you read the
Mirror to-day ?" At an editorial din
ner, he addressed this question to Mr..
Greeley, in my presence. The latter,
with an indescribable drawl, almost a
whine, replied; Why mol I never
buy the A5yro7 I'm afraid of exhaust
ing the edition p
only know-how lofty, consistent and
utterly unselfish were Mr.. Greeley's as
pirations with regard to the Tribune,
know also, from innumerable Incidents
of our long intercourse with him, how
many sound, noble and steadfast traits
of his character have escaped public
observation. 1t is, perhaps, a question
of taste how much of this may now be
related; yet ii seems To me that since
Death, by paralizing Islander and false
hood, has set his life In clearer proper
tions before the world, the conceptions.
might also, with propriety, be cleared
away. There sre many, in addition to
his associates in the TEiba0ae-especial-
~ many noble, earnest-minded women,
whose purer impulses few men were
better qualified to honor than he
whose "reminiscences of his ways and
and words would add to the fidelity of
historical portrait
Let me say, once far all-and am
almost ashamed to mention a subject
so trivial-that, whatever might have
been his carelessness in regard to GER
tain conyentionalities of society, Horace
Greeley was by nature a gentleman.
He lacked the peculiar talent for tying
a cravat elegantly he sometimes drew
up his trousers to prevent them from
being covered with mud; he preferred
a soft-felt hat to the hideous fashiona-
BILE stove-pipe but, when he entered
an assembly of ladies and gentlemen,
the best, the most intelligent, the most
refined, came to him by natural at
traction. Never in all his life, was he
guilty OF an act 50 boorish and vulgar
as that of those who misrepresented his
dress and manners during the recent
campaign
In his last letter to me, written on
the 18th of August, 1872, he says: al
feel sure that, while my election would
pacify the country as it should be
pacified, my nomination and canvass,
even though unsuccessful, tends to the
same end
Herein he expressed the simple basis
of his ambition. Those who accuse
him of having bailed JEFF Davis solely
with a view to this latter candidacy
have had their conception so confused
by the study Of the typical American
politician that they are quite incapable
of cOmprehending an action inspired by
humane and Christirn motives. con-
fess, viewing the campaign at this dis
I
excitements to which we must charIta-
bly, allow their full influence, nothing
in my own experience of our politics
has so shocked me as the swift forgetfu1-
ness of all Mr.. Greeley's former SER
vices, the infamous attempts to defle
his past aspirations, the conscienceless
efforts TO misrepresent him to the Amer
lean people, which have characterized
his political opponents. The silence O
SANDER in the presence of death ia not
enough to atone for such injuries. If
our people appreciate Horace Greeley's
character, honor his memory, are CRATE
fvl for his honest services to them, they
can only prove it by learning to combat
opinions without dragging those who
hold them through the mire of vulgar
aspersion. Honor to the dead is not
equivalent to justice to the living. If
Horace Greeley yearned, with all the
force of his nature, for any one thing, it
was for the simplest recognition of his
! honest aims. He never mistook the
popular curiosity for fame he never
craved that fame which is a burden to
its possessor; but during forty tireless,
sleepless years OF labor his proud,
sensitive soul sought everywhere for
the signs that his work was understood,
though never asking, never betraying its
yearning.
IF my proposition for collection of
! personal "reminiscences from those who
/ knew him best should not seem appro-
pirate, allow me, at least, to add my
slight testimony to the virtues, the
strength, and the consistency of charac-
| aer of our revered Friend Ihave given
only few Incidents out of the memo
| ries to conflict with the impression of
of his sweet and noble humanity which
I have here endeavored TO reproduce,
/ Money.
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