The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-17
SEATTLE. SUNDAY. JUNE ~.
GREAT AMERICANS.


On the s0th ult the printers statue TO
Horace Greeley was dedicated in New
York city. IL Was pureIy non-partisan
celebration. Republicans, like chauncsy
Depew and Murat Halstead. were present
on the platform; the Grafton Was deliv-
cred by Democratic congressman and
journalist. Amos ]. Cummings. Three
Grand Army of the Republic posts were
present, and Democrat, CO... John X.
Fellows. ACCEPTED the statue for Demo-
cratic Mayor Gilroy. Ii was tribute to q
truly great American; not to a great
partisan or politician.
The number of great Americans, in dis
tinction from great partisans or poiiti-
clans, are few, and 10 this small band
Horace Greeley fairly belongs. Whyf Be
cause while he was q pugnacious partisan
enough in season, yet in the times that
try mems souls Greeley. like Franklin.
Washington, Hamilton. Marshall, Web
ster, jackson, Clay. Blaine. Lincoln and
Grant, could rise Clean above partisanship
into the serene upper air Of patriotism
and nationality as separated from sec
tionalism. Justly was Greeley called our
Later Franklin" although he was not so
great, so versatile a man as Franklin, nor
had he such Astounding self-poise and self
command; nevertheless he was great
American and a true patriot.
Like Grant, Greeley came of old Scotch
Irish New England stock. that had fought
In the battles of the old French war and
of the Revolution. He was the child of q
common school and q country printing
Office. Nearly sixty-two years ago Gree
ley. at 81. landed at the Battery in New
York city with $40 in his pocket. Before
the political campaign of 1870 ended Gree
ley was the editor OF the Log Cabin, with a
circulation OF 30, 600. Then he started the
New York Tribune with very able man.
Henry J. Raymond, for lieutenant. and
Thomas McElrath, a sound business man.
At the head of the counting room. 1t was
Wing In politics, but IL was no party slave,
and denounced its candidates when they
seemed to Greeley deficient In integrity or
capacity. lie was as much an intellectual
evolution as Abraham Lincoln. He
steadily outgrew the ahsurdity of many Of
bis early theories. but be always followed,
like Lincoln, his flag. on which no had
written the legend that the supreme OBJ
ject of his life was 10 better the condition
OF mankind. He advocated temperance;
he stood by the rights of labor; he fought
human slavery as both a moral outrage
and an economic blunder; his sympathies
we're with kossuth in Hungary In 1s4s;
with oppressed and starving Ireland in
isl6-4s with Garibaldi and young
Italy" and he hated and despised Napo-
leon the Third for his cruel coup a etat in
ISL lie loved and worshiped Henry
Clay as did Abraham Lincoln.
Clay was stakeholder but. like the
illgstrious stakeholder Washington. Clay
deploFed slavery and never defended IL
saying OF class of men who would re-
press all tendencies TO liberty and ulti-
mate emancipation. "they must il they
would do this, so back TO the era of our
independence and mnzzle the cannon
which thunders its annual joyous return T:
they must blow out ali the moral lights
around US; they must penetrate the
human soul aud eradicate there the love
of liberty and then, aud not till then,
could they pernetnate human slavery in
this country. l look upon slavery as a
great evil and deeply lament We derived il
from cur ancestors. IL state Of nature
existed and I vas about 10 found a state.
no oae would be more strongly opposed
10 Incorporating slavery among its ele-
meats.
Clay eloquentIv denounced slavery IN
the District Of Columbia as "a foul blot on
the face Of the national capital" When
We remember that Clay vas Nirglnian
by birth; that he became Ksntackian BY
emigration and was a STAKEHOLDER. these
eloquent words ars spleadid testimony 20
his moral capacity to rise above the preja-
d.ces Of social education aad sgixmatire
slavery as sin. Clay was indeed a very
geoat and noble nature. Webster never
SPOKE with the same eloquent frankness Of
slaverg, and yet Clay did Il when he knew
that Il he catered 90 the popular prejudice
II his section he could easily have eeen
elected president. When Gay said. ia
rather lie right than president" he spoke
the sincere feeling 81 his chivalrle soai.
and Il vas duo TO the education that
Henry Cay gave Kentucky that Kentucky
refused 70 leave the Uaion. and BY this act
probably saved the nasjon
Lincoln and Greeley were both political
papils CT thss wonderful Southern states
man. Clay, a man u manly sweetness,
courage. ohlvalFy and strength, Tie nnest
modest Squire In our GALAXY OF statesmen
before tas wAr, and surpassed ~ nobody
during 81 since the War in political virtue
unless Il b Liaeon. Who. Ike Greeley.
sat al his feet and drank ia his humane
spis4G
As long as Clay lived Greeley and LIN.
coin both wcse csntsnt 90 fosiow him, bus
on rs death, in lS2 sho Whis party vas
dissolved and tie Republican pasty ross
GA is ruias. Lineala ana Greeley thea
bolh took advanced sFoaaa on tie subject
o. s!Avesy. 6ssSlsy wss mere r.1aSAl