Evening journal., 1912-09-19
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Two Unexpected Offers
That Relieved Horace Greeley
of Financial Embarrassment
BY Holland.

Horace Greeley. who was running
for President just forty years ago
this fall, seemed like many other the
orists and masters of polemics and
able political economists, to have lit
tie or no money sense when Il came
TO his own personal plans. He was
the easiest man to borrow money OF
in New York City. Rarely did anyone
appeal to him for a loan, large or
small, who did not get the money if
Greely could put his hand upon t.
These expenses and other generosi-
ties ate quite heavily into his salary
as editor and income as chief stock
holder OF the New York Tribune.
There came time, shortly before
the Civil War, when Greeley found
himself really hard up. He did not
feel justified in drawing upon the
Tribune for the funds which he need
ed While he was contemplating the
negotiation OF a loan he received a
message from Robert Bonner. then
proprietor OF the New York Ledger,
which was at that time a very profit
able newspaper. In response to that
message Greeley met Mr.. Bonner, who
said:
"Mr. Greeley. 7 would like to have
you write for the Ledger a series of
articles Of a personal reminiscent ma
ture These / will publish once a week
and hope to continue them through
out a year II you will agree to do
this I will pay you so much, and Mr.
Bonner named a sum which almost
took Mr.. Greeley's breath away.
Greeley instantly accepted the offer
and said to Mr.. Bonner that it had
Just come in the nick OF time, in that
II would relieve him from a somewhat
serious financial embarrassment.
These articles we're published week
by week In the Ledger aud later were
collected and published in book form
under the title Of "Recollections Of a
Busy Life Greeley made more money
out Of that single venture. compare
lively speaking. and in view OF the
time he put into the work than he
did in ten years association with the
Tribune.
There was another occasion when
Greeley was lifted out OF financial en-
barrassment, and narrowly escaped
making considerable fortune,
through an unexpected offer that
came to him. In the third year OF
the Civil war he was asked by a firm
Of subscription book publishers il he
would write for il. a history OF the
war. The terms which were offered
for the work, including guarantee and
royalties, were highly gratifying 10
Greeley. At that time the heavy ex-
penses which the Tribune was COM
PEELED to meet for collecting and pub
fishing war news had greatly reduced
the profits and consequently Greeley's
income. Greeley accepted the propo-
sition and with the assistance of an
amanuensis. worked every day for
over year from 8 O'Clock to 4 o'clock
in the preparation OF the history.
The early sales exceeded expecta-
tions. II these sales could be main
tanned for two or three years. Greeley
was certain to gain a fortune of as
much as three hundred thousand dol
lars. But when it was reported that
Horace Greeley had signed the bail
bond for Jefferson Davis and qualified
as a bondsman in the sum of one hun
dred thousand dollars. the sale of
this work was seriously impaired.
Had Horace Greeley not signed the
bond by which Jefferson Davis was
liberated after being held upon a
charge of treason. in all probability
the sale of the work would have ex-
ceeded five hundred thousand copies.
As it was In the first year of its pub
lication, nearly two hundred thousand
copies were sold.
But altogether Greeley did not gain
a fortune through the history never
theless the money which he did re-
ceive from 1t relieved him OF serious
financial embarrassment in the last
year of the Civil War
Copyright, 1912, by e. J. Edwards
All rights reserved