Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-27
HORACE GREELEY.
"reminiscences Of an Old Tribune Com
poSitOf.
Traits Of Character which Endeared the
Great Journalist to the PEOPLE.

Traits Of Character which Endeared The
Great Journalist to the People.
There are many men in the Soldiers Home
ST Togus who could furnish "reminiscences
and experiences both interesting and instruc-
tive. Nearly every State is represented,
and nearly every battlefield has its survivors
there. The veterans love 10 live over
among themselves the scenes of the past
and yet there is little boasting, little
Naunting TO be found among them. Men who
have seen the rigors of active service need
no such devices to maintain their claim to
experiences, both hsirbrcadth and startling
The home is for disabled volunteer soldiers
and therefore all bear the marks of battle,
or show in broken down constitutions the re-
suits of active service upon the field
/ But it is not only "reminiscences of the
war, but of other places and
events which can he found among the
/ inmates of the Home, One of the most
interesting inmates at the present time is Mr..
Joshua Barstow of Norwich, Connecticut.
MIR. Barstow is seventy mine years of age yet
his eye is still bright and he reads readily
without spectacles. Mr.. Barstow is an old
/ printer He learned the trade in 1924 and
worked ON various papers which are are now
historical, among them. The old New York
Gazette, Horace Greeley's Log Cabin,
and the New York Tribune upon
4 uh hi.h ln ~
of years. In conversation with a Kcnnebec
Journal reporter, Mr.. Barstow said. IL did
my first work in New York on the old
Gazette We got our news from abroad
by boa, then, and used to wait there till
seven, eight and even nine o'clock in the
morning. | can assure YOU it made a tedi-
Gus night for us"
You were ON the Log Cabin, were your"
"les was under MIR. Greeley there, and
all through the memorable Harrison and
Tyler campaign
When did you 90 onto the New York
Tribuncy"
That was in ls42 believe" Greedy and
McElrath were the proprctors. Mr. Greeley
ness man
"Of course you became acquainted with
Mr.. Greeley"
"Yes quite intimately so. lie was
hands, or his 'boys" as he al
ways called them that | ever saw lie
was a man of great mind, and when he came
and went to his work, when he walked ON the
street, wherever he was he was always work.
ing up some train of thought. As u result
when he sat down TO his desk he was always
ready to write His thoughts came faster
than his pen could put them down and he
easily furnished copy for six rapid com
postors. Another peculiar thing about Mr..
Greeley was that he appeared able to talk and
write at the same time and he would 20 ON
with his work and keep up n conversation
"That is wonderful power"
yet it seems somewhat incredulous, but
il is a fact for have seen him do it many
time. always accounted for it by the
/ fact that he used to have his matter so well
thought out and formulated beforehand that
writing it out became n merely mechani-
cal proceeding
"lou say he was familiar with the hands"
Yes extremely 50. As II matter Of
fact the printers of this country never had
q irmcr friend than Horace Greeley. In 1850
he was the president of the New York Typo
graphical Union. He was never a rapid
practical printer himself although an exceed
/ ingly careful one. 1t was this fact think
that led him to give up this part of the bust
ness aud turn his attention to the Editorial
part of the business. When he started
in with the Tribune. he often found himself
in very stratened circumstances II was
his custom to hurry about and collect in
money enough to pay his hands. When this
was done a great load was of from
his mind. ] remember the happy look
that would light up his face when
he would lay down the wages for the men on
the composing stone. have often heard
him say at such times, "lt does me more
good to pay you your wages than TO sit down
to a sumptuous feast At election time you
may imagine-for presume it's not much diff
ferent now-how much We were driven. When
the returns were all in and our hard task was
over, it was Mr. Greelcy's custom to send
out to some restaurant and procure what he
called gorge" and which he always shared
with the hands. The board was always
nobly spread but never with anything in the
shape of strong drink, for
Mr.. Greeley neither drank himself
OF ountenanced the habit in others"
"Did you see him after the war!'
yes | never went TO New York without
him that he did not give me hearty greeting
and appear glad to see me. was there
soon after ne had gone bail for jefferson
Davis. 1t was trying time in Mr.. Greelcy's
life. His best friends censured him most
severely, but he bore up under it bravely."
/ remember | said to him "What have
you been doing Mr.. Greeleyi'
"Oh, it will all come right he answered.
''iIis charitable traits are historical"
"Yes, he was a man whose charity was
fully developed. remember was IN MS
office one day to ask about some point con-
nected with bis copy. As was about to leave
a woman came in who pleaded poverty. Mr..
Greeley was very busy at the time, but he put
his hand into his pocket and hauled out $500
D which he handed to her and went on with his
writing without once looking up
, "Mr. Greeley did not write model hand,
did he?"
''No, but his poor penmanship has been
e greatly exaggerated. 70 be sure he didn't
. come up to a Spencer, but those who were
accustomed to his writing experienced little
difficulty in reading it,
What do you think of his political prin-
: ciples!"
, Mr.. Greeley in principle was always .
Republican. He advocated all his life those
great cardina principles of the advancement
of American Industries and the protection of
Iakx iot, he. ~,