Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-05-29
Greeley's Unpublished Letters.

Mr.. Charles A. Dana, of The New York
Sun. They consist of thirty-three private
letters written by Horace Greeley to Mr..
Dana. At that time Dana was managing
editor of The Tribune. The letters refer
largely to the conduct and policy of the
paper. They range over the years 1856 to
1859. All but three are written from
Washington. Greeley was there as the
correspondent of his own paper.
He seems to have disliked Washington,
and speaks of it as "this hole" In his
first letter he says: Living here is hor-
ribly dear for those who have to see peo-
ple." This sounds strange, because in
our time Washington is the cheapest
large city to live in in the United States.
In the letters crop out the same honesty
of purpose, the same vigorous English
that gave the sledgehammer blows OF
The Tribune editorial page. He says of
one of the papers hirelings:
As to old McRea, think we may as well let him
have his $40 a week for few weeks yet. though
genius, II he was not u fool He has no idea of
keeping his mouth shut, but tells everybody he Is
connected with The Tribune, but doesn't go its
Ens etc. He annoys me to the amount Of SIC
per week af1east; but let him wait little
Of Washington and congress he writes:
hate this hole, but am glad have come. IT
does me good to see how thosa who hate the Trib-
une much fear it yet more. There are q dozen
here who will do better for my eye being on them.
The Tribune was very great power
in the land in those days. 1t was the
head and front of the little party that
was trying to organize itself against sla-
very, and its utterances were looked for
daily with eagerness by both its friends
and it's enemies. Like great editors in
all times, Greeley was held responsible
for every word in his paper. He was
threatened with violence and death vari-
GUS times during 1866.
In January, 1856, he writes to Dana:
Every traitor and self seeker hates me with a
demoniac hatred, which Is perpetually bursting
out Lastly your friend, Judge Shankland, gen.
eral Of the Kansas volunteers, has notified me
that he shall cowhide me for rudeness in refus-
ing to be further bored by him) the first time he
catches me in public. Now, am hater Of nov
city and never had any taste for being cowhided,
cowhid or cowhidden, or whatever the past par
ticiple Of the active verb used by Gen. Shankland
may be; but he is short of funds, and could not
think of putting him to the trouble Of chasing me
all over the country, so shall stay here for the
present l trust the man Of whom he buys the
cowhide will know him well enough not to sell It
on tick
Once he was actually assaulted by Mr..
Rust. Dana copied into The Tribune ex-
tracts from other papers, showing the
outrageous character of the attack.
Thereupon Greeley writes to him:
would not publish articles about Rust's as
sault on me- but especially those that speak OF my
weakness, inofensiveness, etc. do not desire any
sympathy, At oil events, don't wish to beg for 1t,
It was as much as a mans life was
worth to speak his mind on certain topics
in those days. Yet not for one moment
did the great editor keep silence. He
was vexed beyond measure that The
Tribune had allowed the pro-slavery part
of Pieree's message to go by without a
good round editorial rating, at the same
time that it had printed eleven columns
on the feasibility of sustaining Italian
opera in New York city. He begins his
letter:
Friend Dana-What would it cost to burn the
Opera house? IF the price is reasonable, have it
done and send me the bill
The letters show Greeley oftentimes
worried, sometimes furious, and at times
almost wild. 1t was during the long and
tedious contest that ended in the election
of Banks to the speakership in the win
ter of 1855. Greeley was then working
with might and main for Banks. Cajol-
cry, argument, persuasion, every known
inducement was used to win over adhe.
rents to the Banks party. Sometimes a
member would be recalcitrant. Then
Greeley would attack him in the paper
After time he would yield, and he won
for Banks. Not knowing this, Mr.. Dana
at home, perhaps, would continue to stab
him artistically in the paper. He would
see this and fly into q rage, curse The
Tribune, and swear he would never vote
for Banks. Greeley in despair would
write:
Dana-I shall have to quit here or die unless you
stop attacking people without consulting me.
After the election Of Banks, Greeley
writes of somebody who is probably still
alive, as Mr.. Dana does not give his
names.
- may be as great rascal as he Is repre-
sented; Il So begin to see the utility Of rascals
In the general economy Of things. Banks would
never have been elected without him. He can
tell you story as interesting as the Arabian
Nights, and great deal truer. he has done more
and incurred more odium to elect Banks than
would have been involved in beating ten speakers
It is odd to note the uncertainty and
slowness Of the mails between New York
and Washington thirty years ago. We
note, too, that Greeley was anxious and
felt i'll used as a callow beginner in jour
nalism when his letters were not printed
Immediately. One Of his maxims was
this: ssNever waste ammunition on those
who have already committed suicide"
Greeley wrote Of the papers southern
policy: .....>... ...-.,. 49,. ..:. r
charge you above all things not to allow any
thing to get In which seems impelled BY hatred of
the south or a desire to humiliate that section.
One of the letters begins: Dana, for
Gods sake, speak the truth to me-"
The National Guards have never been
in better shape than they are at present
Congress apportioned $400, 900 for militia
expenses among the states according to
population this year, and the citizen sol
diers in some of the states are making