The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-30
What the Future Had In Store for
Horace Greeley.


The father of the United States Senate,
the Hon. JUSTIN S. MORRILL, of Vermont,
ia printing in the Forum some private
letters from political and personal friends
of his in past days. The collection is inter
esting, as might be expected.
For example: Mr.. MORRILL, wrote to
HORACE GREELEY in March, 1872, COM
planning OF the course of the Neto York
Tribune in attacking the Republican party
and opposing the reelection of Gen. GRANT.
whether intended or not" said Mr.. NOR
RILL, "your blows, aimed at individuals,
hit the party; n ere long 1t is evident
you will not be q recognized leader of the
party" HORACE GREELEY replied, prompt
ly on the next day:
"NEw YORK, March 10. 1879.
II DEAR SIR: Can you really believe that tho
maker OF the frst Grant Cabinet COR any ono sub
servient to that is nt to DO Presidentp cannot.
"Iforgive the ignorant, who talk as you do; 1 hold
such rs you responsible for misleading them. Tho
man who could make such Cabinets a. GRANT has had.
10 hardly ut for a Justice OF the peace. And the Cab
inets are symbolical Of the whole concern.
"Gen. GRANT has seen NJ to mako special war on
my friends in this State, He did this repeatedly. and
without excuse. He made q very fair distribution of
his patronage in this State. There was no complaint,
and no cause for any. The next year no undid all his
own work and prescribed all who wero formerly
known as Radicals. lately as 'Fenton' men. No true
reason for this can be given that does not disc.od.t
his sagacity or his integrity.
1--WE did not make war. We were warred upon,
and had to stand on the defensive. Il ID now too late
for reconciliation. We must 60 to the wall. or he
must.
"Tho man cannot DO reelected. A. least. I think 20.
That ho ought not to be. I believe you think a. well
As I do.
'As to myself. tho end of my career cannot be dis.
tant. Twas a pack horse for WEED and SEWARD for
the nrst half OF my career. I revoltod ct last. and
was not ruined. I can bear whatever the future has
In store for me. Yours, HoRAoB GREELEY"
"Hon. J. 8. MORRILL,"
What pathetic interest in the concluding
scenes were already shifting, under the SUI
pervision Of WHrTELAw REID. for the last
tragic act in the drama of GREELEY's life.
Would he ever have written that he could
bear whatever the future had in store for
him, had he known in March what the
future and WHITELAw REID had in store
for iii in November2
In six months GREELEY was running for
President against GRANT. Just seven
months to a day after the date of the letter
to Mr.. MORRILL,, GREELEY visited the
Tribune Office for the last time, a hope.
lessly broken man because his hand had
been torn from the lever of the press by
the cold clutch of a p~itiless beneficiary and
subordinate of his own.
In less thar three weeks thereafter, on
Nov. 20, 1872, twenty-five years ago yester.
day, HORACE GREELEY was dying in a pri.
vate mad house; broken in mind and in
spirit by a blow heavier than the mere po
litical disaster which had not been able tc
shatter either his courage or his hopeful
ness for the future.
Twenty-Five years ago yesterday WHITE
Law REID stood over HORACE GREELEY.
death bed. do you know me, Mr.. GREE
LEYr asked REID. GREELEY nodded
touched his mortally wounded heart. and
turned to the wall to die. He knew WHITE
LAW REID.