New-York tribune., 1882-02-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MYRON UOLLEY.

MYRoN noEY What lie Did for Liberty p3a for the
Religion. svo. Pr. 32s Boston; frih'ea ''i Wv
Author.
This biography of notable man is written, as we
incidentally learn. by Elizur Wright. who IL HIS
own published. because three leading ho'ses
though guaranteed against loss, declineo W Pu''',
IT, either with tho authors name or wl'hou, H. as
the volume is both historically valuable ana chtei
tanning reading are rather surpr'seu a' SUCH ~ a
rejection Myron Holey. who was descendant vi
Edmund HALEY. the great Royal Astronomer oi 'hat
name The spelling having been changed, was porn
in Salisbury Connecticut, in 1879, and died IN
Rochester. n T., March 4, 1s41. lie was educated
at Williams College at the New-liaven Law
School. and IN the law Office of Judge Kent in
Cooperstown. He never practised law, but en-
gagged chiefly IN agricultural pursuits lie was
member of the General Assembly i'll 1916. and was
apponted in that year one OF tho Board of Canal
Commissioners The great work was carried on
under his personal supervision. and the hnanc'al
management of the enterprise. so lar as regafued
disbursements, was mainly in his hands. lie acted
with wisdom and energy. lie had diihcultV altel-
ward in settling his accounts with tho state though
there was no genuine suspicion of his honesty, and
Mr.. Wright thinks that lie was hardly treated ana
received only an insufficient reparation.
When the excitement against Masonry incident
10 the affair of William Morgan broke out. Mr.
mated actively in its operations lie was one OF
the foremost speakers on that side IN lhe ood'e
and his pen was often employed to draft the ad-
dresses of the Anti-Masonc Conventions. lie
edited in the same interest The Lyons COuntryman
and The Free Elector published in Hartford, Conn.
Subsequently he again engaged in farming on the
Genesee, below Rochester.
As the anti-slavery agitation increased, MT.
Holley became much interested IN it. lie was says
Mr. Wright Z" the one man VINO did more than any
other to start the political movement when culm-
mated in 1860 in the victory OF party opposed 10
any further geographical extension OF slavery
lie commenced his anti slavery lators by delivering
lectures in 1888. These are said to have made
deep and lasting impression lie began the adVo'
cacy of political action against the institution IN
an Grafton delivered on the Fourth of July, 1889
Mt Perry NY. He proposed an abolition nomina-
tion for President at a State Antl-Slavery C0nYen-
finn in Cleveland in 1889, hut his proposition was
not favorably received by that body. He tired the
same experiment at a Convention in Warsaw, " l."
at which James G.. Birney was nominated ior lhe
Presidency-a nomination which Mr. Birney de-
cined The National Convention for the formation
of n Liberty party was held in Albany, April /,
1910. In this convention Mr.. Holey bore promi-
nent part, and his eloquence displayed upon the
occasion is said to have been of the highest order
Again Mr. Wright says that the Liberty party
was practically his achievement"
Mr. Hoey spoke constantly and effectively be
sides editing The Rochester Freeman. lie had IN
ipred his health by his abors and died in March,
1S41. 1t must be admitted that all the extracts
from his writings and speeches which are given III
this volume indicate man of unusual intellectual
ability of fine OratOrical powers OF sweet ana
genial nature and of rigid conseientiousncss. If Mr
Holley had chosen his lot with either OF the
two great political parties of his day he must un-
doubtedly have risen to eminence. But he seems
all his life to have been ready to sacrifice himself
for tha sake of what he deemed the right. He died
Door in this worlds goods but rich in the rewards OF
a good conscience.