The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-23
TEE TRIBUNE JuRILEE.

Last week the New York Tribune cele-
brated the tiftieth anniversary of its
brit day. 1t was memorable gathering
of brilliant and eminent men who came
to testify their admiration and regard for
the great paper founded by Horace
Greeley and conducted to complete and
splendid success by Whitelaw Reid.
Conspicuous among the speakers were
Chauncey NJ. Depew and George William
Curtis, both of whom made admirable
addresses. The ceremonies and speeches
and jubilant congratulations were well
deserved, for the Tribune is one of the
most potent forces in our civilization,
one of the strongest bulMarks of our
freedom and prosperity. tits more than
a newspaper, it is an institution, per-
manent power, living organ of truth. of
justice, of liberty and progress. 1t was
founded to fight despotism, demagogism
and corruption, and the encrOaching con
spiracy of the slave power against the
life of the republic. 1t was established
not for news gathering, not for literature,
not for art, not for money making: but
to defend feedUm, to expose tyranny, to
educate, inspire and rally the people to
the rescue of civilization from the grasp
of plantation barbarism, under the mask
of democracy The paper came none too
soon for our National safety and peace.
Horace Greeley was n born editor, prop
gandist and leader. He had genius. lie
had courage and faith, and profound
convictions. lie loved liberty and hated
tyranny with ''sacred animOsity.n He
was born on the hills of New
Hampshire and was filed with the daunt-
less spirit of her mOuntaineers. No man
of our history ever brought to great
purpose and mission a bigger brain, a
stOuter heart and more absolute devotion
than Horace Greeley. As the conflict
increased the paper grew in circulation,
in power, in fidelity, until it became the
trumpet and voice of millions of free
men, until it became the terror and
dread of every stakeholder and doughface
in America. Next to Garrison, Greeley
was the best hated man in the country,
and the Tribune was hOnored with the
same hostility. The Tribune went into
homes in every Northern and Western
State and was read by millions every
week, and became their teacher. guide
and defender. The vast moulding power
of the Tribune during those fateful years
before the civil war cannot be Overesti-
mated. 1t probably did more than any
one agency to invigorate the conscience,
enlIghten the judgment Of the people and
deepe their love of liberty and the re.
public. 1t has been said that our sol
diers loaded their muskets with ideas as
well as cartridges, and it might also be
said those ideas came from the Tribune
of Greeley. The tyrants feared the re-
lentless exposure and crushing logic and
ridicule of the Tribune more than they
III Il NIaa Il.
leaders because the Tribune went father
and wider and the assaults were repeated
every day and every week. With an in
tellectual and moral cannonade the Tri
bune conducted during those against the
ramparts of slavery and its dastarC
Northern allies? The paper not only
spoke the fiery thoughts of Greeley, bu
it published and scattered over the con
tinent the burning denunciations o
Phillips, Sumner, Seward, Beecher, Chase
Wilson, COrwin and Abraham Lincoln
The Tribune became the mouthpiece anC
organ of all the orators, poets, writer
and champions of the period. From it
presses, as from a canOp's mouth, leapeC
all the lightning bolts from the army o
freedom. Greeley "buided better thai
he knew He died with despairin,
INOhbNo VI AiiN GNA pNtulNN VI MS paper
{ but it is stronger after its wrestle witt
the storms, and is to-day the greatest
most influential and powerful paper ol
the continent. 1t still keeps the nam
of Horace Greeley at the head of the edi
torial columns, it still preserves til
, Greeley spirit and traditions and sti
maintains the great fight for tariff pre-
: lection, for honest money, for free an
fair elections, for National sovereignty
State rights and universal freedom. n
good cause or interest in America eve
had reason to fear the Irilnne. No t,
rant or demagogue, or boss, or CORFU
zionist ever admired the Tribune. T
establish such a benefcent institutio
and influence; TO make it the guardia
of free institutions, the champion of tn
poor and defenscless, the unflinching fo
of all forms of injustice and wrong, t
make it one of the safeguards of civiliz;
tion, tins is a great achievement, this
one of the grandest triumphs OF huma
energy, genius and faith.
J They did well to celebrate with musi
and eloquence the birthday of this gre;
} paper and honor the name of its fOunde
NORTH adams Transcript.