Evening star., 1911-01-29

ton in support of the nomination OF Gen.
Winfield Scott for President. That an
nouncement appeared in the towns whis
newspaper. I was connected with its
democratic newspaper. but I venture to
say that whig in Hamilton or round
about was more greatly excited over the
announcement that Horace Greeley, the
editor OF the New York Tribune. was to
deliver a campaign speech at Hamilton
than |. And the excitement was general;
l remember seeing groups gathered daily
around the billboard upon which had been
pasted notice to the effect that Greeley
would address the citizens of Hamilton
on a certain evening.
As the eventful evening drew near the
excitement became more and more lively.
and all that day farmers were coming in
not only to hear hut to see Horace Gree
ley: the Weekly Tribune had big circu-
lation among them. We had been told
queer stories of his personal appearance.
! remember seeing one picture OF him in
which he was represented as going about
in trousers tucked in his boot tops and
with badly crushed hat upon his head,
hut his eyes appeared to be cleaning
through his spectacles. That was the
kind of man We expected to see
The night of the meeting the hall was
packed / think there were as many
democrats as wings in the hall. A few
minutes after o'clock Greeley came
from a rear door upon the platform. For
a minute or two the hall was perfectly
silent. Everybody was so absorbed in at
ia<t beholding the great Horace that no
one thought TO applaud. But Greeley did
not appear to mind that. He walked
across the stage to a chair, which, / re-
member. was somewhat rickety, and hav-
ing seated himself, awaited introduction.
4 4
We looked at his boots and discovered
that the trousers were in their proper
place. and that the boots themselves had
been well BACKED He wore an old
fashioned black coat, and he had on a
somewhat rumpled collar. We couldn't
see whether there was a tie or not, be-
cause that beard of peculiar cut covered
the place where the tie ought to be. But
l did observe that his linen was snow
white and we'll cared for.
He passed his hand over his head,
looked over the audience perfectly un-
concerned. threw his coat-not the great
white coat he was accustomed to wear,
but a lighter coat, for it was early fall
across the back of n chair, and after
TIE introduction walked toward the front
OF the platform and emitted greeting.
Fellow Citizens" in what thought was
the most peculiar kind of falsetto voice I
IFdu cNtI IL, lO"eNtT, was very
clear. We could catch every word, and
Greeley hadn't spoken five minutes before
lie had the entire audience at his COM
mand. / remember thinking what beauti-
full English he used l think he had a
little memorandum in his left hand, but
didn't see him looking at it. The entire
address seemed to be eytemporaneous He
spoke. | should say for about an hour.
But his speech didn't do any good, for
that county went strongly democratic at
he DrpSidpntial election.
After the speech Greeley shook hands
with few persons. and then he en-
tered into conversation with the local
whig leader; he was apparently very
anxious to learn what the relative
strength of the two parties was in the
county. That conference over. he hur-
ried away to catch a late train for
Utica. and his speech speedily became
a tradition in Hamilton. Several men,
bers OF the Colgate College faculty
heard him, and / remember seeing
James w. Nye. who was afterward
United States senator from Nevada. but
was then a practicing lawyer in Ham,
ilton. very attentiyely listening to
Greeley. and apparently closely study
ing the famous whig editor.
! did not see Horace Greeley again
until the fall of 1856 The whiS party
was ended with the defeat of Gen.
Scott for the presidency. Greeley had
.o;,a.j ,yraat additional renufafipn N