James Parton, The life of Horace Greeley

[283] and condemned her to more years of festering stagnation. ‘As I looked out of the window of my hotel, in Boulogne,’ says a recent traveler, ‘it seemed to me that all the men were soldiers, and that women did all the work.’ How pitiful! How shameful! A million of men under arms! The army, the elite of the nation! One man of every ten to keep the other, nine in order! O infinite and dastardly imbecility!

I need not say that the Tribune plunged into the European contests headlong. It chronicled every popular triumph with exultation unbounded. One of the editors of the paper, Mr. Charles A. Dana, went to Europe to procure the most authentic and direct information of events as they transpired, and, his letters over the well-known initials, “C. A. D.,” were a conspicuous and valuable feature of the year. Mr. Greeley wrote incessantly on the subject, blending advice with exhortation, jubilation with warning. In behalf of Ireland, his sympathies were most strongly aroused, and he accepted a place in the ‘Directory of the Friends of Ireland,’ to the funds of which he contributed liberally.

It was in August of this year, that the famous ‘Slievegammon’ letters were published. As frequent allusions to this amusing affair are still made in the papers, it may as well be explained here. The country was on the tiptoe of expectation for important news of the Irish rebellion. The steamer arrived. Among the despatches of the Tribune were three letters from Dublin, giving news not contained in the newspapers. The Tribune ‘without vouching for the accuracy of the statements,’ made haste to publish the letters, with due glorification. This is one of them:

Dublin, Aug. 3, 1848.

No newspaper here dare tell the truth concerning the battle of Slieve-namon, but from all we can learn, the people have had a great victory. Gen. Macdonald, the commander of the British forces, is killed, and six thousand troops are killed and wounded. The road for three miles is covered with the dead. We also have the inspiring intelligence that Kilkenny and Limerick have been taken by the people. The people of Dublin hare gone in thousands to assist in the country. Mr. John B. Dillon was wounded in both legs. Mr. Meagher was also wounded in both arms. It is generally expected that Dublin will rise and attack the jails on Sunday night, (Aug. 6.)

All the people coming in on the Railroad are cautioned and commanded