The morning call., 1892-09-18
GREELEY THREATENED TO PRAY.
An Incident of the First Meeting of the
Free Soil Party In Saratoga.

An Incident of the First Meeting OF the
Free Soil Party In Saratoga.
The Presbyterian
To those who have come to Saratoga for
number of years it has become full of remi-
niscences and of memories freshly awakened
by the old haunts. We looked at spot on
the piazza of one Of the large hotels at which
a group Of men were won't to gather In the
evening long years ago. The writer was
the youngest of the company, and though
not the oldest, the chiefest Of them was DIR.
Horace Bushnell of Hartford, then in his
splendid prime.
The Free Soil party was starting into ex-
istsnce. and to consolidate and enlarge the
party in the State of New York a convention
was held in Saratoga, followed by mass
meeting in the woods adjacent to Congress
Spring. Horace Greeley was the animating
spirit of the movement, and on the platform
of the maSS-meeting the white coat ana the
white face of the famous editor were con-
spicuous. The managers Of the infant
party, which was setting up lis banner as
party of thigh moral IDEAS" sought for 1t
the benefit OF the clergy. and asked Dr.
Bushnell TO open the meeting In the woods
with prayer. He declined, aud advised the
gentlemen who brought the request TO Sc
cure the services of the Rev. DR.. Cheever,
who was then in Saratoga, and who, ne
thought. had taken up position on the
growing anti-slayeTy controversy In advance
OF his own. and, therefore, could more
earnestly pray IN their behalf.
Both diYines were, however. on the plat
form at the mass-meeting. as the people
gathered about ii. For some reason not eX-
planned DR.. Cheeyer slipped away from the
platform into the surrounding woods. DIR.
Bushnell saw the movement and went Into
the woods In another direction. Mean
while all pTellminaries were attended to,
president and secretary elected and In
stalled in their places, and when the presi-
dent stepped forward and said, ''The meet
ing will be opened with prayer by the Rev
DR.. Cheever Of New YORK. and turned to
where, as he supposed, DIR. Cheeyer was
sitting, DR.. Cheeyer was not there. To re-
lleye his embarrassment some one near who
was ignorant of the situation spoke few
words in his ear, and, accepting the lnfor-
nation as correct, he turned again to the
audience and said:
''Dr. Cheever is not present, but l have
the pleasure of saying that prayer will be
made by the Rev. Dr. Basbnell of Hart
ford.'
He looked on the rank Of the men beh nd
him, but DR.. Bushnell was not to be seen.
The chairman recovered from the double
embarrassment sufficiently 10 say:
''As our friends of the clergy seem relue-
tant 10 favor us with their services we will
have to proceed without prayer"
In the evening Of the same day the usual
group assembled in the corner of the
piazza OF Congress Hall. DR.. Bushnell was
there. but said nothing of the afternoons
meeting or Of his quiet disappearance from
the scene. Suddenly some one came bust.
ling along, and in quick, emphatic tones
said
'Dr. Bushnell, do you know what Horace
Greeley says Of you?"
NO" said Dr. Bushnell, "and care lit
tie"
"Wel, said the man, che says that the
next time you and others refuse to pray for
their Free Soil meetings-there q vigorous
oath of the wrathful editor was inserted
he will pray himself"
Il hope he will said DR.. Bushnell. 'and
for himself, too"