Evening journal., 1910-11-15
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When Greeley Descended
From Sublimity to Profanity
BY "HOllsnd."

Until he was candidate for Presi-
dent. Horace Greeley had been placed
I'm nomination for only two political
Offices, Notwithstanding his long ca
reer as one Of the leaders OF the
Whig, and afterwards Of the Republi-
can, party. He was once elected TO
Congress, TO fill a vacancy, and he was
elected a member Of the electoral col
lege from New York state In 1864.
When the New York state electors
met at Albany on the day fixed by
statute I'm order TO perform their con-
stitutional duty, Greeley was in a very
unhappy state of mind At a little
caucus or preliminary gathering the
evening before, the electors had unani-
mously chosen him thei- president. An
hour or two before the meeting at
noon the next day, a fellow-elector
called upon Mr.. Greeley at his room
and said TO him:
What are you going to do7 So
and-so the name of an
elector-"went out with a few friends
last evening, and he forgot himself
He acquired a great thirst and he was
put to bed just about daylight this
morning. We have now got him up.
and made him drink soda water, and
are having him shampooed. But /
doubt If he is able to be present al
the meeting of the college,"
Its a damned disgrace" piped
Greeley in his shrillest notes. How
long do you suppose 1t will be before
you can get him into condition, at
least to be present and counted?"
We'll, We'll do our best to have him
there by o'clock.
II Will organize the meet at noon.
replied Greeley, "and then / will talk
against time. Our party cannot af-
ford to elect proxy to fill the college
at this time. We've got TO have the
man present, although we have the
right to MI a vacancy"
At IL o'clock Horace Greeley sat at
the head of the table of the state cleo
toral college, minus one member. He
called the college to order. BY his
side sat the secretary of state, who
was, ex-ofiicio, a member of the coll
lege, although he had no vote. Mr..
Greeley looked around from one to
another OF the presidential electors.
Gentleman of the electoral col
lege, he began, 1--WE have met to-day
to perform a duty Of vital consequence
TO this republic The fate of the ma
tion has depended upon the election
by virtue OF which we are here Our
duty is to register officially the will Of
the people of this state: which is,
that Abraham Lincoln be declared
President-elect and Andrew Johnson
Vice-President-elect."
Then Mr.. Greeley looked furtively
at the door, and seeing no sign Of
coming commotion there, continued
his speech. Those who heard it de-
Glazed that It was the most eloquent
address they ever heard Greeley make
It's patriotic sentiment was expressed
in the magnificent diction of which
Greeley was the master. He invoked
the Christian sentiment of the nation
for the cause of Lincoln and the
preservation OF the nation. He spoke
as though inspired Yet at the end
OF one or his most sublime and elo-
quent sentences, he paused, appar-
entity TO take a drink of water, and,
leaning low, so that he could be hea I'd
only by the secretary OF state, asked
Mr.. Secretary, how long do you
suppose IL viii be before that damned
drunken scoundrel is brought in here
can't keep up this strain much
| longer"
He turned to resume his address
when he heard commotion at the
doo-. Again he bent and whispered to
the secretary of state:
They are bringing in that scoun-
drel Of a drunkard, and If he can only
sit up in his chair long enough, well
hurry this thing through"
The unfortunate elector. who had
erred in judgment rather than in dis.
position, with very sad and heavy
eyes was led to his seat. He was
present; that was enough. The elec.
tors Of the state of New York speedily
declared their vote And then they
had heard a wonderfully heautifu
] speech from Horace Greeley. gor die
any of them, except the secretary o
state know why Greeley had spen
nearly an hour in thus addressing
them; or how he had descended I'm al
instant from patriotic sublimity to in
dignant profanity.
| Copyright. 1910, by E. j. Edwards
All rights reseved.)