New-York tribune., 1873-02-10
THE MAN. HORACE GREELEY
A TRIBUTE FROM BAYARD TAYLOR.
a.. IA Rdifor OF TAn Tr(bNha

volume containing an Obituary notice OF Mr Greeley
with sn account OF his last Illness the popular honor 70
his remains at the City Hail. the FINAL obsequies' ana
some tho more careful editorial tributes from this ana
other journals"
This will be an appropriate and most fitting record
of the profound impression produced by the death OF
onr great and beloved Friend. and Of the late honor
accorded to the unselfsh aims Of his life. But. L
would suggest is il not also possible now when the
memory of our past intercourse with him becomes
clearer in the keen light of regret for his loss, to
oorect those recollections of his nearest friends
which will illustrate as nothing else can the sound
ness of his constant growth the sweetness and
strength of his nature
Although the general impression of his character
may have been correct vet, in certain particulars,
no one has been more thoroughly misunderstood.
The American people seem TO be slow to admit that
"A man may change or develop. They seize upon u
few salient intellectual and moral points construct
"A rouch sketch of the individual, practically say ;
sThere that is my estimate of him p and are care
Iess in regard to correction when time has proved
the sketch TO be false 1t was Mr.. Greeeys misfor-
,npe not his fault, that lie lived during period
when all opinion seemed to take partisan form,
among a people who are only now learning TO ap-
preciafe that moral and intellectual hberality which
can broadly entertain and discuss all questions re-
1ating 10 the we'll being the education Of our race
pa has been called Fourierite long after he dis
covered the impractical character of FOuriers sys-
fem: a Spiritualist, when, after having honestly
examined he rejected the Spirituahstic theories;
Yreelover while foremost in defending the sanctty
of Marriage; Vegetarian because of brief exper-
iment which satisfied him that his constitution, at
least could not be supported upon vegetable diet;
and - sbsurdest of all, to those who knew him
pesrly-he has been charged with vain and pur-
s,g4. r. ,Ivn-- ,,,A hopu
Nature m making him mp, omitted that form Of van
/ sty which expends itself upon external gaces,
Some of these misrepresentation viii die with
i sbe animosity which kept them alive; some will
slowly change as the story of his life recedes into
ruer perspectlve but others may remain TO dist0rt
4 hi. historic figure, if not corrected now. We are
aW are for example that many of his true and out
spoken friends during the late political campaign,
fslt one misgiving based upon an instinct Of his
goodness without proper knowledge of the high,
4 intelligent sense of duty which would have con-
fraed even that goodness in case of his success.
Those who stood near to him knew that he never
ssianated by individual weaknesses that his magma
uniity though abused manifested itself again and
again: aBd that his private help OF encouragement
~, frequently given to thosewhO seemed unworthy
Of it, But they also knew that be was therein re-
ponsble to himself alone they knew, often through
/.
port mt principle was involved, he could sterny hold
BIS emotional nature at bay; and they never be-
leyod that were he elevated to position of trust,
be could he swayed by merely personal influences.
The opportunity to manifest these higher qualities
Of bis nature was denied him; his life is a column
without the capital. Many may say that, though of
noble material it was cOarsely and clumsily fash
loned Why should not those who know him better,
now bring to light those finer and more delicate
sErsits which resolve many stronger features into
harmony
NV own intercourse with him, though often inter
fnpted ny absence divergence of labor was frank
ai the start and grew closer and more precious with
}eyery year. In all my experience of men, have
Rpsyer found whose primitive impulses revealed
hhemselves with such marvellous purity and sim
'r4ty. His nature often seemed to me as crystal
1lelr n that of child In smy younger and
mon sensitive days he often gave me transient
lFound; but such wounds healed without scar, and
j always found afterward, that they came froIa the
1ance Of physician not from the knife of an enemy.
4 first saw Mr. Greeley in June, 1914, when was
A,oy of nineteen applied TO him for engage
enent tO write letters to THE TRIBUNE from Ger
tmanY. His reply was terse enough. mo descrip-
kive etters!" ne said; " am sick Of them. When
Ou have been there long enough to know something,
band TO me- and if there is anything in your letters,
} will publish them" waited nearly year, and
then sent seventeen letters, which werePubGshed.
BIbey were shallow enough, | suspect; but what
lhight they not have been without his warningi
Towards the end of lSl7, while l was engaged in
he unfortunate enterprise Of trying to establish a
Feeky paper in Phenixville Penn, wrote to him
torescs'ng the failure of my hOpes-asking his
ssSsi .rcs in procuring literary work in New-York.
ie advised me las / suspect he has advised thou
\ lds Of young mem, to stay in the country. But
81 A0d stayed in the country, and year too long, 80
bBOher month found me in New-YoTk, in his Office,
kElth my story of disappointment, and my repeated
request for his favorable influence 81 think you
Pre- Mistaken" he said; "but l viii bear you in
fnnd if | hear of any chance"
/ Six weeks afterwards, to my great surprise tfor
buppossd he had quite forgotten mel he sent for me
}ad offered me place on TIE TRIBUNE. i worked
fard aud necessarily during the Summer Of 1913,
beanng word of cOmmendation OF encour-
1soment but one day in October he suddenly came
y my desk. laid his hand upon my shoulder and
3ad: "You have been faithful but now you need
kost. Take a weeks holiday, and go into New
England" obeyed, and found ON my return, that
behsd ordered my salary to be increased.
think none of his associates, at that time ever
srOte line which he did not critically read. His
pommsnts sometimes seemed rough but they were
bways wholesome and almost invariably just Once
D. called me into his room, pointed TO a poem of
tne which had Just appeared in a literary maya
fne, and abruptly asked Why did You publish
pat gasy stuff" My indignation was even greater
tlan my establishment Iretorted fercely: E" Mr..
teeley should feel hurt by your question, If had
bny respect whatever for your Judgment in regard
b poetry 4" lie smiled a sad forgiving smile, and
Bpid nothing. Years afterwards, saw that he was
Eight: the poem was only piece of sounding rhet-
ORC, for which gassy" was perhaps coarse but
eeTtaiRy not an inappropriate epithet. ln this as
nAh linz IN which he 81 b