The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-31
HORACE GREELEY.
Some of His Peculiarities as Detailed by
His Son.in-LaW.


''The peculiarities of Horace Greeley have
all been greatly overdrawn," said his son-in-
law, Colonel Nicholas Smith, of New York,
to a Republican reporter. at is generally
thought that Mr.. Greeley was very much
given to profanity when excited, but all the
time that / knew him never heard a single
profane word fall from his lips, and my wife
has often said the same. His temperate hab-
lis are well-known; he never touched any
thing in the way of liquor, except cider,
and singularly enough, was very fond of
cider. / have boy eight years old, who is
named Horace Greeley, and he has inherited
this love for cider and dislike for other
liquors from his grandfather, illustrating
the great law of heredity. Mr.. Greeley was
very positive in his convictions. To illus
trate: DIR. White, the late President of the
Cornell University, tells this story of him:
In company with the Professor of Latin and
Greek at the Cornell University, DIR. White
called upon Mr.. Greeley. TheProfessor rail-
lied Mr.. Greeley upon his known objection
to the dead languages in the practical educa-
ton of young men, and hot discussion was
commenced. Mr.. Greeley piled argument
upon argument until the Professor was COM
pletely cOrnered.
"'You must admit, Mr.. Greeley, he finally
cried, that the Latin and Greek are the great
conduits through which the learning of the
ancientS have come down to uS?'
YES said Mr. Greeley, Il admit that,
butt pointing to the water faucet, you see
that faucet; l drink three or four glasses of
water daily from that, and that comes there
through the CrotOn aqueduct. But, my dear
sir, is that any reason why should chew so
much lead pipe?
Mr. Greeley was not very particular 10
regard to his dress. Parton, In his Life of
Greeley tells good story of him. Webb,
of the Enquirer, was very neat in his dress,
and was always firing editorial shots at Mr..
Greeley for his popularity in this respect.
Webb some time before had been engaged in
duel and had been sentenced to the peni-
tertiary, but was pardoned by Mr. Seward
| Mr.. Greeley stood his remarks for some time
| before taking any notice of them, but he
| finally became tired and answered through
| the Tribune: 1T is true that ] am not as
| particular in my dress as are some people,
but can say for myself that do not wear
my costume through the clemency of the
Executive, when l should be wearing the
stripes of the penitentiary garb.'
This caustic reply stopped the remarks
| from the Enquirer. Work was Mr.. Greeley s
nepenthe. My wife has often told me that
he would go out o his country home, Cha
pauoua, on Friday evening to remain until
| Monday and rest. But Saturday, after work
| ing all morning in his grove at his favorite
pastime of saving limbs off the trees, at
noon he would board train for the city.
| There are fifteen or twenty of his old saws
| lying in the barn at Cbapauqua now, some
| of them with handles forty feet long, to
reach the top limbs of the trees. / believe
! he gave away more money during his life
| than any man that ever lived. ] have now
| at home about ton of worthless paper, aud
at least a bushel of old watches, which fell
lows from the country had borrowed money
| on.
1.-THE old quakers around Chapauqua used
to be very much amused over his supposed
| gullibility. AT one time an old Friend
wanted 10 sell him pair of oxen, for which
he asked an exorbitant price, but Mr.. Gree
| ley, without saying word, gave him a
| check for the amount. The Quaker, some
| time later was heard Eek pressing wish that
he had asked twice as much for the oxen.
"Wben Mr.. Greeley was nominated for
| President if the election lad taken place a
week later he would have swept the country.
But the capitalists of Wall street knew he
| would not serve their interests and opposed
| him. His history of the civil war was being
published by the Chase Bros, of Hartford.
| 1t was being sold by subscription, and they
| said they never had a book which sold so
rapidly. Just at this time Mr.. Greeley went
| on Jefferson Davis bond and he was set at
| liberty. The book dropped dead in the hands
| of the publishers Just from this action. Ten
| years later the country saw that this was the
only civilized way of disposing of Mr.. Davis.
| The work of Mr.. Greeley was all for his con-
| temporaries He did nothing to perpetuate
| his name in the minds of posterity, and his
| name Will live only in the memories of the
| people as great and good man."