The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-11
ment. Under this he inserted his reply =

ment. Under this he inserted his reply il
the words:
"You are a Id liar"
Mr.. Greeley only responded in this msn
ner when the faisehood was SO palpabls
rs not to admit of a controversy. Hs
USED USED to say he ne approved Of
he certainly never rendered himself amen.
able to the charge of ambiguity in any.
thing he wrote. He always meant wis.
he said and never left room to question
his meaning. This could no. be trul-
said of his contemporaries, one of whom
informed the writer that he sometims,
purposely wrote IN an ambiguous
ley's great popularity in tia
rural districts of New York is to be found
here; the country people appreciated mora
highly than those of the city the clear AMI
forcible language he used. He was also
the first of the city publishers 20 Issue a
dollar weekly: this tended to bring him
yet nearer the country folks. many mora
of whom than formerly now perused his
articles. Those not previously in SYM
patty with Greeley and his views soon he.
came his warm friends and admirers, who
when for any reason or purpose they went
to the city, could not think of returnin.
home without visiting and personally tes,
tifying their regard for him. This in time
became rather annoying, and he was
finally. during his hours for meditation
and writing, compelled TO station man
outside his door to keep out intruders.
While he was walking to and fro in deem
thought one afternoon, printer on the
floor above saw Greeley's bald head
pass and repass a. intervals dI.
rectly under large knot hole in
the floor of the composing-room. This
man chewed tobacco and was seized with
an irrepressible desire to drop quid on
the bald head beneath. With such prs-
cision did the man drop the quid that i,
landed in the center of Greeley's crown.
Hastily raising his hand to his head ana
as quickly withdrawing it, for an instant
he was staggered at the sight of the quid,
Then rushing up stairs he exclaimed a. he
entered the composing room:
II can lick the ID loafer who threw
that gaid of tobacco on my headl Where
"He has Just gone out" replied the As
sistant foreman, with difficulty restrain.
ing his laughter.
Greeley was neither morally nor phy.
sically q coward, as was demonstrated
more than once. and he would certainly
have tried to thrash that printer if be
could have found him.
Notwithstanding the fact that he wm
often very profane in his language, regard.
less of those present. no editor in Nev
York had SO many warm friends among
the clergy as Horace Greeley. Preacher
of all denominations and all grades seemed
to delight in his acquaintance and com
partnership. and were among his frequen.
visitors. They evidently recognized in
him a man of pure heart and clean hands,
else they would not have held him in such
high esteem. His benevolence kept him
poor while his business was extremely
profitable. Perceiving this, some of his
more wealthy friends purchased for him
sixty acres of land near the ctr
that he might have at least
home in which to end his life
On this little farm he delighted,
during his leisure moments. in taking an
ak and cutting down a tree or working In
small garden. A humorist MARX Twain,
l believe), describing Greeley's farming
operations in city paper, said it cost
him $12 to grow each cabbage. Philoso-
pher though he was, he never could appre-
ciate joke; so he took the trouble to
deny this statement, and called the author
a liar.
Among the many praiseworthy acts Of
this great journalist was the bringing to
public notice John G. Whittier and Phoebe
Carey. He was the first to recognize
the literary merit of their early produc-
tions, to which his attention was called BY
mutual lricuUS. Many others, WnOSe
lives have been rescued from oblivion and
made happy through the columns Of his
paper, could testify to his appreciatiye,
generous and unselfish nature. In his
hands the press was, as it should ever be,
Mightiest Of the mighty means
On which the arm of progress leans;
Mans nobiest mission to advance,
His woes to assuage, his veal to enhance, .
His rights to enforce, his wrongs to redress. E
Mightiest of the mighty is the press.
l have said elsewhere that the publish
ers in New York employed critics whose
criticisms were paid for in advance by
actors, vocalists and managers. 1t should
have been added that Horace Greeley never
would sanction any such practices; conse.
quently the Tribune. while he controlledit
was the only journal in which truthful
and honest criticism could be found. He
was absolutely incorruptible; it was the
knowledge of this fact, with his many
other good qualities, which gave him sn
influence in the rural districts of New
York that exists to this day.
Much more might be said in this con-
nection before the subject became thread
bare; but / fear to trespass on the
patience of the reader, upon whom l have
already inflicted more than was designed
at the outset. CHARLES PRoscH