New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-11

And what II We miss that country blestf
And what II the fates above us will
That within It's pleasance anon we restf
With the wrongs all rghted,
The ills requited
The last fight won,
The voyage DONE
We shall sigh for the oldtme strife and questi
EDMUND C. sTEDMAN.
The musical programme was again taken up
at this point, the orchestra playing George w.
Chadwick's "Scherzo, from Symphony No. in
fat"
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.
Late as was the hour at which George William
Curtis arose to speak of "reminiscences of The
Tribune" an audience not perceptibly dimin-
ished in size greeted him. In introducing him
the chairman said:
"Some years ago one of the greatest platform
speakers delivered lecture in Brooklyn on Sir
Philip Sidney. AS soon as he had finished an
eminent Brooklyn divine arose and said that the
lecture had been to him sad perpexity. AS
listened he said, to the story of hero so strong
so brave, so unselfsh, so public-spirited hero
without fear, without reproach, hero devoted
to whatever things make for the beautiful. and
yet still more devoted to whatever things are
lovely and of good report, 1 was not quite sure
/ could not keep it clear in my mind whether
was listening to Sir Philip Sidney discussing on
George William Curtis, or George William Curtis
discussing on Sydney Applause) Ladies and
gentlemen | present this peerless orator to YOU
l am prouder every day of my life that am con-
nected with paper with which he was once con-
nected 1 introduce to you one of the executors
of The Tribune the editor Of Harpers Weekly. ="
A knight without fear or rcproach, George Will
lam Curtis.
Mr.. Curtis was received with enthusiastic APP
plause, and it was several minutes before the
audience gave him chance to speak His elo-
quent sentences evoked frequent tributes of APP
pause. He spoke as follows:
When used to declaim at school webster's apos-
trophe to the veterans Of Bunker Hill, venerable
men, you have down to us from former
generation did not suppose that should one day
be presented to an audience as venerable
man who had down from former
generation of The Tribune. But now that the moment
has arrived l am glad to accept the honor and
confess the age, for proud to have been actively
associated in that generation with great American
newspaper. And a great newspaper The Tribune
was from its beginning During the decade from
1850 TO 1860, the most mOmentous period OF our
history when the slavery controversy Fastening
to civil war, there no greater popular force In
the country than The New-York Tribune, and no
public figure conspicuous and universally FAMILIAR
than its Editor. 1t seems to me that there has
never been newspaper which, upon the whole,
represented so dstinctively the character and con-
victon the intelligence and instinct Of the American
people as The Tribune at t1at time (Applause)
There was one dominant and absorbing public
question. It's challenge searched every party and
every public They could not escape the fiery test
and all of them by their passed judgment upon
themselves. The Wing party shriveled and vanished
But the chief National organ of the Wing party like
the phenx soaring from the funeral pyre from
party ruin, the bannerb bearer Of a new party, the
herald and harbnger Of free Union Gould The
Tribune have been silenced or suppressed from
1850 to 1860 it would have been like
sencing the voice Of Samuel Adams for ten years be-
fore the Revolution. There were, OF course, other
and cooperating forces and influences. The moral
appeal Of the Aboonsts had created the constituency
of The Tribune. In the gIeat contest all did their
part. But In the public mind The Tribune was fore
most It's daily issue a startling drumbeat. Its
unprecedented weekly circulation an incessant
broadside. (Applause)
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
The Tribune the commanding, persistent, pen
etratng voice that aroused, instructed persuaded ana
inspired the public sentiment which at last accom-
plshed the greatest act of the century, the abolition
ot American slavery without the dissolution OF the
American Union. Great applause)
INT in that decade of which l speak, 1t not ex-
clusively an anti-savery Journal Every great pubic
interest-educaton art, temperance. social reform all
regarded it as their peculiar organ. The most in
tellectually accomplished woman In the country, Mar
paret Fuller died in 1880, but she had given dis
tipction 70 the literary criticism Of The Tribune which
was confirmed by one of the bravest and most modest
of American scholars George Ripley ana has never
been lost (Applause.)
Rpt as the friends of Mr. Garrison complained that he
injured his peculiar cause by apparently idehth9hs !"
Win every grotesque freak of philanthropy, so IL was
tnO
bensve too tolerant Of social and political qnaver ana
crochets But it was its pride that every ilenaiess
causc found a friend in The Tribune. (ApphuscJ ~
was inst that excess which made 1t Inc IrlDu"le'
(Applause1 Emerson says that II nature Is scio"o'
bent upon accomplishing result, she overhaul, siO
tcndency IL she wants slavery abolished shc Piotu
william LLOYD Garrison II she wants lriDuhc vi
the neople she creates Horace Greeley lApPiau'0'
FAITH IN THE EDITOR
The power Of the paper was largely que 10 popuin
faith in the editor His large information his rcaul
a oso,rce his deadly eanestness, his grim
,,o his crisp and incislve STYLE made his arucIes'
49,, ,tiacts I'm which he was interested, the eheotNo
blows of a tiip-hammer. (ApplauseJ Io ia"
ready wit A bright Topartee, Tor frlehd OF Ioe'
member that the paper appeared one HormHs WIN .
leader Of Mr. Greeley's the temperance queSto' III
which he incautously arraigned by name uio I'm
,,ar. wines and liquors. denouncng win equalS u'
-, se,ority As the progeny of SATAN sherry ana
de,ra and blue ruin and carct and s'ohe-"an
aud hook and heGseck and champagne "heh n0 a.,
lived at tho Office the entire junior eultoilai Sun
,od him with A roar OF laughter. But wien inc
80. % his error WIS clearly pointed out to him'
Nv Greeley who had been leaning against the uoor'
teamns upon his Juniors with his usual bencvol'n,
mile. remarked quietly, in his high treble: we'll
ness Pm tho only man in this Office WHO coud NAM
that mistake Qaughter)-a remark when am wi.
would be equally true. even In TINS la'er sci''"'
The Tribune. daughter and applause)
Never was a paper more happily named Tor MI
Greeley was dlstnctvely popular tribune lapplauSe'