Hughes, the popular author of "Tom Brown at Oxford," sent frequent and able letters from London. The result of this liberal policy was to make the Tribune indispensable to people of intelligence, even though utterly opposed to its political views.

In 1848, when General Zachary Taylor, "the hero of Buena Vista," was elected President, Greeley was chosen as member of Congress from New York city. He made no effort to secure the election, and when consulted by a fellow-candidate, Mr. Brooks, as to what should be done to accomplish it, he said to his messenger, 'Tell Mr. Brooks that we have only to keep still, and General Taylor will carry us both in." Mr. Greeley's presence in Congress was soon felt. He discovered that it was the custom with members of Congress to charge "mileage" by long and circuitous routes from their homes to Washington; and he soon made one of the greatest newspaper "hits" of the time by publishing in the Tribune a complete statement of what each member would receive if his mileage were computed by the shortest mail route, alongside of the amount he actually did receive. It may be imagined that that issue of the paper had a large sale in Washington, and for some time there was a great deal of "rising to explain" by honorable members. Mr. Greeley also introduced a Homestead bill," which years afterward became one of the most popular measures ever passed by Congress, but which then received not a single vote beside his own!

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THE YEARS BEFORE THE WAR.

But Greeley's strength was as a journalist, not as a legislator. At the close of his brief term he retired from Congress, and during the stormy decade preceding the civil war he made the Tribune a mighty power. He warmly espoused the cause of freedom, and denounced the Fugitive Slave Law, the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and the endless aggressions of the slave power with a vigor and pertinacity which made him one of the best-hated men in America. His course was not always consistent; and he often brought upon his head the wrath of friends as well as enemies. Moreover, in the conduct of a great daily paper much must be left to the judgment of subordinates; and all their mistakes were, of course, laid to the charge of their chief. Many of the old readers of the Tribune supposed that every line in the paper was actually written by Horace Greeley. He rarely took the trouble to justify or explain; and therefore, while in one sense one of the best known men in the country, he was one of the most misunderstood. Mr. Greeley had no time or thought for personal explanations; he was bent upon saving the country,-individuals could take care of themselves.

During the war Mr. Greeley's course was somewhat erratic and unstable. The Tribune had been considered in the South an "Abolition

paper; Mr.

HIS COURSE DURING THE WAR.

68E

Greeley had condemned all the preliminary movements of the secessionists, and had come very near demanding the impeachment of President Buchanan. Just at the crisis, when every word from an influential source was potent to turn the scale for good or evil, Greeley astounded and dismayed the loyal, and put a ready weapon into the hand of secession, by his ill-timed, ill-considered article, "Let the South Go!" The advocates of secession were triumphant, and concluded that if the Tribune was willing to "Let the erring sisters go in peace," other people might be depended upon to acquiesce. The immediate result of that article was to cause fifty Southern officers in New York to vote that they 'resign their commissions in the

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United States army and join their brethren in the South." But no sooner had these men taken his advice, and the "erring sisters" attempted to "go," than the Tribune was the first to try to pull them forcibly back again.

Before the administration was ready with its plans, before the Union army was drilled or properly organized, Mr. Greeley broke out with his famous war-cry, "On to Richmond!" which undoubtedly did much to precipitate the disaster of Bull Run. Then, when the Union cause looked dark, "despairing of the republic," he rushed to Canada to discuss, unauthorized, with Confederate envoys, terms for a treaty of peace disgraceful and injurious to the United States; yet all this time the Tribune flourished.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

After the war closed it received another shock, when one morning its readers learned that its senior editor had gone to Richmond to offer bail for Jefferson Davis. Mr. Greeley afterward justified his action with much force; but at the time it seemed utterly unaccountable. Throughout all these tergiversations, however, he kept a hold upon a large class of readers who believed in him, to whom he was a mental and moral lawgiver, who refused to believe any evil of him; and, if some visitor to the city-for a large proportion of Tribune readers were country, and particularly Western, people-on coming back, reported that in an interview with Mr. Greeley the editor had indulged in

unlimited profanity, the unlucky individual was incontinently discredited and voted a calumniator.

In the years following the war, Greeley's pen was more busy than ever. Beside his editorial writing in the Tribune, he prepared the second volume of

his war history, "The American Conflict," and his delightful autobiography, "Recollections of a Busy Life." He was always intensely interested in the growth of the West, where he had made a memorable tour in 1859, extending to Salt Lake City; and now he unceasingly advocated western emigration. His terse advice, "Go West, young man, and grow up with the country,"

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1872.

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became a sort of national watchword, and many thousands of eastern people resolved to turn their faces toward the empire of the West.

In 1872 a curious political combination was made. Probably such a surprise was never sprung upon the country as the nomination of Horace Greeley for the Presidency, by a convention of "Liberal Republicans" and bolting Democrats. That he should be defeated at the polls was inevitable. Strange to say, his experience as an editor, his own denunciations of political opponents, had not prepared him for the bitter attacks which were made upon him. He could not digest the ridicule of the caricaturists, who, it is safe to say, never before had such a tempting opportunity. He worked hard through the canvass, traveling and addressing meetings; body and mind suffered from the fatigue and excitement. To add to his troubles, Mrs. Greeley, who had been out of health for a considerable time, died at this period; he watched over her day and night, obtaining very little sleep, and altogether the burden became too great for him to bear. His health gave way; he became unable to sleep ; and sleeplessness was followed by inflammation of the brain, which soon ended his life. Everything which medical skill and attention, with the loving care of his two devoted daughters, could do, was done; but all was unavailing. A short time before his death, the terrible delirium incident to his disease subsided, and he became himself once more. After some hours of calm and serene rest, with his faculties restored, he passed quietly away, repeating the sublime words of Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."

Horace Greeley sleeps in Greenwood Cemetery, Long Island, on a hill overlooking the beautiful bay of New York, and within sight of the great city where his busy life was spent. In the centre of the plot stands a granite pedestal, on which is a portrait bust of heroic size, showing the upper part of his figure, in the historic white overcoat, with the front thrown back, exposing to view the inner pocket, filled with letters and papers. This monument was erected by the printers of New York, the bust and the two tablets on the sides of the pedestal being of type metal. On one of the tablets is the figure of a young man setting type, his "stick" in his left hand, the right resting on the "case." On the other tablet is the inscription:

HORACE GREELEY.

BORN FEBRUARY 3d, 1811.

DIED NOVEMBER 29th, 1872.

FOUNDER OF THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE.