The daily gazette., 1881-12-10
SATURDAY, DECEMBEa 10. 1851.
DEATH OF A GREAT Ep,roR-I

"AA~& ~ Weo - 1eehNOt lao ouetd'utd
the loss of one of the most accom-
plished editorial writers and useful
literary men of the age. No man
now resident Of the State of Penpsyi-
vania ever rendered so much valuable
aid to the State, if his political senti-
ments were right, as Col. John W.
Forney. As politician while acting
with the Democratic party, he proved
enc of the most efficient men in every
campaign, and was the only mau on
whom Mr.. Buchanan had to rely 10
enable him to defeat the schsmes Of
Simon Cameron, for many years, and
did more to bring about the pomina-
ton Of Pennsylvania favori son."
by the Democratic Convention in
1856, and afterward to secure his cleo.
tion to the Presidency than any man
In the United States and no doubt
would have been a meu Der of the
Buchanan G binet had lie MOI been
Objectionable to the great men of The
South who could never overlook the
unfortunate error which Col. Fo new
committed in writing the letter to Nj.
Green, of the Boston Post, in behalf
Of his friend, the great American &C
tor, Edwin Forrest. The exposure of
this letter, and its publication By
Green, threw Colonel Forney open to
censure, and the most able Demo.
cratic leaders of the South refused to
recognize him and meet him as an
equal thereafter. They would not
enter Mr.. Buchanan's Cabinet It For.
ney formed member Of it aud 30 had
the President Informed. Here was
the sting. His great friend and pa
tron from a boy loved Forney, and
was ready to give him any place with
in his gift that he could without com
promising his own character in the
minds OF the great political leaders of
the day nor could Forney for The
same reason have obtained coutjrma.
ton as Minister to foreign court.
These were the things Forney coveted
to wipe out the unfortunate stain
upon his reputation. So deeply had
it distressed his sensitive feelings that
it drove him 20 the use of alco.
holic stimulents to excess, and after
his reformation he could not endure
the slight which he felt he received in
not being more closely connected with
the administration. He desired also
to be its organ but his speeches in
the campaign, in which he lie. drop
many remarks that were not palata-
Bile to the Sou Ihern leaders during
that transition period in politics, and
therefore, could not be entrusted wi h
the MANAGEMENT of the Washing on
organ. Mr.. Buchanan offered Mr..
Forney the Cpnsulship OF Liverpool,
the best paying Office in his gift, OF
any other Office that he desired-be
hoped 10 get him out of the political
vortex that 0 the mind of the sage
OF Wheatland was evidently an.
preaching on the question of slavery
IN the Territories, to be followed by
the still more terrible question OF
slavery in the States. He saw that
Mr.. Forney, like Douglass, had been
compelled to yield to the rapidly
growing prejudice against that in.
sttutoD or snier earlier defeat which
followed to he Democratic party from
It's divisions. Could Mr.. Fo uey haze
led the administration it wouh ~ i
have been compelled to split " ~ o..
South on the qaes ion which sgbsa.
qnentiy arose on the Lecompton con,
stitution. Or, he might by his ad.
dress aud ability as an editor have
postponed the issue by securing lht
evasion OF the question at that lime
Bul as the President ch Sc her ad.
visors Mr.. Forney felt that he lac
been discarded and his great service
moderated, and hence his visits Ia
the White House, where he had an.
peared to have almost an irresistabI,
influence for the first year, becam
less frequent. After the estab
hshmsnt Of the Press, the breach be.
came open and daily grew wider, un
til Mr.. Forney espoused in his news
paper to be the most determined per
sonal and political foe of his torme
great friend, Mr.. Buchanan, and hi
hostility never ceased until the cart
covered the remains of the mao VIII
had aided him for at least twent
years, as printer boy and subse
quentiy as an editor.
Whel Mr.. Forney abandoned tn
Democratic party, he was at once sur
rounded by the leaders of the Repub
hcan faction, and because all powerful
in that party in Philadelphia and
great part of the State. He assisted
In the election of Mr.. Lincoln by sus
tanning Douglass, and finally becam,
the organ of Mr.. Lincoln's admins
tration. His course during the wa
was remarkable as one of its mos