The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-06
Frederic Haslkin' 5 Lette
PRESIDENTIAL L CAMPAIGNS.
xIII.-The Grant-Creely Race Of 1872

the founder and editor Of tAs
une and the most eminent -.
per man in the country. Bros.
risen to prominence a. u. !.
Of the st. Louis Democr,t
consolidated with the Glohe !. =
the Globe Democrat. IthM.
instance that a national tiels
named composed exclusfv,s
journalists.
Newspapers Of great m.
rallied to Greeley's support
OF the Sun and Bennett of 4.
aid battled for him in Nav
Henry Watterson, TO-DAY 4.
survivor Of that era Of jor,,.
giants. was in the very thicI
battle for Greeley and ~
Alexander X. Mcclure. Murr
stead. Samuel Bowles OF the n,
field Republican, Horace VA
the, Chicago Tribune, Franz i.
and scores of others were n,
ing the election of Greeley ~
defeat Of Grant necessary a
the Republic. So bitter VI, n
Hunciation Of Grants admi,iS
ton that the press di not IN
to take up Jere Blacks st,is'
that no tyranny was so bad :
Of q republic thoroughly ro,ta}
Greeley's NominatlSl
The Democrats met in BAN,
on July 3. Thomas Jetferson r.
dolph, grandson Of the foupd.
the party, was chairman. n
cinnau Liberal Republican
form was adopted without
change of a word. and Greeley
Brown were endorsed and nooa
ed as the regular Democrats ?
didates. Thomas F. Bayard q /
aware and Daniel W. voorhees, al
diana voiced a feeble protest hi
vain. The politicians believed +
it was the golden opportunHy
kill the Republican orgaam,}
and they seized 1t.
Horace Greeley formally acos
, the Democratic nomination. Gl
ley, who had hated jackson,
spised Van Buren,, scorned n
damned Pierce and buchanan
Douglas; Greeley, the abolitiea|
Greeley, the protectionist; Gfss|
the prohibitionist: Greeley,
woman suffragist; Horace Gu
was the candidate Of the ID
cratic party for president |
Democrats all over the Unim
membered the bitter things Gnl
had said about them. The RyI
7 lican orators helped them WI
member. They did not rem
to vote.
In July, or perhaps a. ht
August, it seemed certain tint
; Democratic Liberal coalition N
sweep the country. Many mem
lieve the wave would not have
coded if Adams or Davis had
at the head of the ticket. But @
| ley was simple as a child in y
teal politics, however able and
found he was in theory. No grs
campaign speeches have ever
delivered than those made by G
ley on the stump in 1872. A
had denounced slavery in the I
in the name Of humanity, he
, denounced carpet-bagssm for
same reason. As he had demo
cd the political corruption Of
| slave ligarchy before the war
+; now denounced the money cor
ton that was beginning it,
reign.
Suddenly, a SILVER OF fear
distrust swept over the cou
Would Greeley, who had been
able to keep his own newspaps
able to conduct a business adm
tration? Would Greeley, who
the dupe of every sharper who
him. be any better than Grant Y
lecting advisers? What was
financial policy? The business
terests of the country, partly
fected by the fear of a Greeley
| ministration. and partly angr!
cause Greeley was attacking
street financial methods, rose
for Grant. Money went into
campaign as it had never gone
fore. The October elections
rectly forecasted the result.
A few days before the elee
Horace Greeley's wife died
had been at her bedside day
night for weeks, and he w1
hausted from loss of sleep,
broken hearted over her q
Then the election came. The y
ley ticket carried but seven 81
and was ingloriously dels
Three days after the election
strain became greater than tne
man could bear, and the greG
ace Greeley was taken to pr
asylum in Westchester county
insane man. Fortunately me
came soon, and on Nov. ~ Gfe
died. Within a month after
election, the magnanimous "
president of the United ~
stood beside the bier OF the )
Greeley whom he had bestea-
!, Greeley whose fiasco had bso'
tragedy.