New-York tribune., 1876-12-02

do not believe that Aldus the Elder OF Dasher-
vile, neither of whom was working printer
educated to the business, was nicer than Mt
Greeley in his ideal of handsome form.
Scholar in many branches OF learning, ana
statesman by habit as he was, unlike many OF
the early printers so called, he was mechani-
cally skilled In all the branches OF his trade
in presswork, composition, making up, ana
proof-reading. He must rank with Plantln
and his sons-m-law, with Franklin, and with
the IDIOTS.
Indeed, it was probably to his first
profession that he owed his success as pub
lie man and a man of letters-at least, the
peculiar and distinguished career which has
inseparably connected his name with American
history. All might have been different If, in
stead of remaining to learn the art and mys-
terry of printing in the little Office at East
Poultney, VT, he had followed the hard for
tunes of his father and become tiller of
the soil in PENNSYLVANIA. "a word from
"my MOTHER he said afteIward, "at
al the critical moment, might have over
:" come my resolution; but she did not
"speak it, and | went my way" lie passed
through the drudgery OF his apprenticeship amid
the squalor and confusion of an ili-arranged
printing office, the very place in which such
confusion always becomes worse cOnfOunded.
His hands were blistered his back was lamed
by working the Old-fashioned twO-pull Ram
ago press, a machine which, we suspect, has
sent many promising printers to early graves.
Still he worked on, reading or debating pollt-
ical questions during his spare hours, intensely
interested in political contests, and gradually
acduiring that thorough knowledge of public
men and of public affairs which was hereafter
TO distinguish him. Employment failed at last
in Poultney, and succeSSively in other country
Offices in which it had been obtained. g would
gladly" he subsequently wrote, "have given
"fathful labor at case and press through some
" years vet for b15 per month and board but it
"was not to be had" New-YOrk was to he
tried; and the young country printer made
his slow journey by the canal toward that city
of refuge from enforced ideness and starya-
ton. 1t would hardly be safe to say that if
NJ. Greeley had remained in the Office of The
Erie gazette he would never have been heard
of in politics. for Mi. st rrctt, the publisher
OF that journal, himself became State SEN
ator of Pennsylvania. But to New-York, by
ratural impulse the ambitious young man
a..ivitated, and in Ncw-York his remaining
cd, with ten dollars in his pocket Ito use his
own wOrds) "a decent knowledge OF so much
"of the art of printing as a boy will usually
learn III tie Office of country newspaper"
and "with his personal estate tied up Ill
"pocket- handkerchief" Then the search for
work began. Mr.. David Hale bluntly ordered
him out of the Office of The journal Of Com
merce presuming him to be a runaway ap-
prentice; but finally he found place i'll the
Office of Mr.. West, in Chatham-st, and work
in the composition of 32mo New Testament
agate-the most difficult composition, on ac-
count of the references, which he had ever
undertaken.
The remainder of the story has often enough
been told by others, admirably by himself,
and it need not be here repeated. lie was
printer; he was in New-Y York; and his news
paper enterprises, eliminating IN the establish
mcnt of The TRIBUNE, followed almost as
matter of course. He was a master of his
business. He was thoroughly enamOred of
hard work. He could live with the frugality OF
an ancnorite. He was burned ont: his Ne,C-
YORKER newspaper only plunged him deeper
and deeper in debt, which he abhorred, but
me struggled on, wasted neither time nor
su4l men usually are became acquainted with
the great people who gathered at Albany
ostcnsbly to enact our laws or administer
them; and so his life was always life OF
progress. until he did such yeOman service for
the Wings in his Log cabin, with its circulation
OF sc. 900 copies, that his Importance and ability
as a political editor became thoroughly well
known, and, "incited by several Wing friends"
he printed on the 10th of April, lS4l, the
first number of TIE TRIBUNE. He felt THAT
"the right sort Of a cheap Wing Journal
would be enabled to live" He printed 5000
copies and " nearly succeeded in giving away
all of them that would not sell" lie had
achieved his standpOint-hOw wOrthily and de-
yotedly he held 1t we need not say. To the
last he loved the printing Office and the
prnting Office loved him. He kept those
whom he employed well to their business;
he preferred to have his printers intell-
gent, assiduOus, and Of steady habits, and
those who fortunately united these qualiiica
tons were sure of his cOuntenance, and
OF his assistance in days Of adversely.
When special demands were made upon
the composing r0om occasioned by crush"
of matter" he not seldom encouraged
the Glands" by his personal presence, and
Joined with them in a hasty lunch spread upon
the stonc" seasoning the meal with many a
cheerful lest and sending them back to their
cases refreshed and encouraged. The craft
everywhere regarded him as its shining light,
proudly joining his name with that of Frank
! lin; and when the long procession followed
him on his way to his last rest at Greenwood,
no mouIners were more sincere than these who