Greeley Horace

Horace Greeley ALS Responding to Accusations that he Neglected the NY Tribune in Order to Write his Civil War History

Two pieces of correspondence, including a 2pp ALS inscribed overall and signed by newspaper editor Horace Greeley (1811-1872) as "Horace Greeley" at the bottom of the second page. Greeley was responding to a 2pp ALS sent to him by Olive S. Brown, an elderly wool famer in South Hartford, New York. She wrote Greeley complaining that he neglected newspaper readers in order to write his new history of the Civil War. Isolated foxing. With expected paper folds and several minor closed tears along these folds, else very good to near fine. Greeley's letter on cream bifold paper with "Office of The Tribune" letterhead measures 5.25" x 8.25".

Olive S. Brown wrote this letter to Horace Greeley on June 1, 1866 from a rural community located about halfway between the Finger Lakes and the New York/Vermont border. Brown inquired about the price of wool since it was not discussed in the paper, and accused Greeley of having misplaced priorities.

In part, with unchanged grammar and spelling. Paragraph breaks have been added for improved legibility.

"Permit me in friendship to address you…We that is my lamented husband and self have taken your paper almost from the commencement…We have learned by long experience to place confidence and be guided often by your opinions believing you wished to get the best information you could and impart it impartially to your patrons -

My Husband was a wool grower - I have followed in the same line of business before this season of the year your paper has been consulted as to the state of the market and I have ever found it a reliable guide which I could look up to more than any thing else in regard to the price of wool - Why is it that this year that we have been left minus as it relates to the price of wool? Not a word has been said in regard to it since the 14th of April and that in as few words as possible Are you so entirely absorbed in your History that you forget the interest of your patrons?

I look upon Horace Greely as a man that could not be bought with money to suppress that which ought to be told or written - I was taught by my husband to reverence his character and it would be hard for me to unlearn that now - At the age of three score I rode 18 miles to Glennsfalls [Glens Falls, New York] before the last presidential Election to hear Him speak - I obtained His photograph at Ford Edward same after set it in a beautiful oval frame…No! Horace Greely could never be bought by party to suppress that which ought to be told --"

In his reply written from New York City on June 5, 1866, Greeley wrote:

"My friend:

I am indeed very busy with my History which absorbs all the time I do not choose to give to my paper; and I have hardly thought of wool this year. But Folen (?) Robinson has written an article on that subject which will appear …in this week's Weekly Tribune. I did not suppose people cared about wool prices…and according to my recollection, it is now rarely time for that. The real price of Wool is likely to be but slightly affected this season; but the…price will go up or down with the premium on Gold. Please watch the fluctuations of that premium, and you can tell as well as + whether Wool is about to rise or fall…"

Olive S. Brown accused Greeley of devoting too much time to his "History". This was the 2-volume The American Conflict: a History of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America, 1860-'65 (Hartford, Connecticut: O.D. Case, 1864 and 1866). Overall sales of Greeley's history were substantial. While sales of the second volume dipped after Greeley advocated releasing Jefferson Davis from federal custody in 1867, the set still sold almost a quarter of a million copies by 1870.

Horace Greeley is best known for founding and later editing the New York Tribune. This daily subscription newspaper was one of the first of its kind to feature serious news stories of national scope, and to eschew more sensational or unbalanced reporting. Greeley, who was very socially conscious, even used his paper as a platform from which to champion issues like emancipation, communal living, and western migration.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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