The Irish standard., 1908-11-07
OLD HORACE GREELY BROKE DOWN C0MPl PlETELY
General Grant Displayed Not the Slightest Excitement
When He Heard the Announcement of His
Election to the Presidency.

Hardly more dramatic event in a
mans life can be imagined th-n his
reception Of the news Of his victory Dr.
defeat for the exalted position Of Presi-
dent Of the United States. What those
who have been through it really eelt
upon such occasions is, Of course,
known only to themselves; but how
many candidates have borne them
selves in such situations is known, for
the sayings and doings of public men,
even in their pcost trying moNents, are
public property eagerly seized upon
and set down. And just now the
country will be reading with undis-
guised eagerness how the two leading
candidates in the present contest re-
ceived the news Of the peoples irrevo-
cable decision, says q writer in the
Chicago Record-Herald.
Gen. Grant received the news of his
first election, in 1868, at Galena, Ill.
He had stuck pretty close to his home
gre,.-since he had been nominated. He,
was no spellbinder and he krew it.
His managers were content IT, have
him stay at home, for the general was
no politician, and there was no know
ing what he might SAY if they took
him about the country on a speech
making tour. So he read his papers,
smoked his cigars and talked politics
with his neighbors and the big pol
teal guns who now and then came %
see him. He read the papers carefully
and was much intele ested in the cam
paign in a sort oe impersonal way sls
if it was some friend of his who vas
running.
At about 10 o'clock on election even
irs Grant went to the home Of E. E.
Nashburne, not far from his own
home. Arrangements had been made
tn hear the election returns there, and
wires had been laid connecting the
house with the telegraph Office. A
dozen or more friends and townspeople
were at washburne's. but excepting
the host and Grant none of them vas
Of any national interest or Importance.
Everyone save Grant was keenly ex-
cited. He did not pretend to be in
different to the result. but he displayed
rot the slightest excitement. One Of
the spectators said that he had often
seen Grant more excited over a game
OF cards than he appeared to be over
the election returns that night.
Between i and o'clock Of the morn
ing of Nov. the returns were suffi-
GENTLY definite to assure the eager
group that Grant was to be the next
President, and all present congratulate
ed him. EIe received the congratula-
tions calmly and then started to walk
up hill, alone. to his modest home.
' Grant received the news of his Sec
ond election in the White House and
received it as calmly as he had us
first. Meanwhile. Horace Greeley.
who had run against him, was receive
ing his death slow. He had known
for weeks that his case was hopeless,
~ut hoped against hope. His wife had
died few weeks before election after
long illness, during which the de-
roted husband had sat up with her
night after night. When the news ot
his overwhelming defeat came to him
he broke down completely. He paid
one more visit to the Tribune Office,
where his condition shocked all who
saw him. Then, returning to his home
at Chappaqua, N. Y, he took to his
bed and died in about 10 days-a dis
appointed, broken-hearted man.
Rutherford B. Hayes was at his
home in Columbus, o.. when the news
Of the result of the election Of 1876
came to him. He had never been very
sanguine Of election and used to say
to his friends, well, we have a fight.
INK chance "a fair fighting chance"
On election day he kept closely to t':e
house. where few friends and poli-