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[[Image:Horacegreeley.jpg|right|thumb|Horace Greeley|300px]]
[[Image:Horacegreeley.jpg|right|thumb|Horace Greeley|300px]]
'''Horace Greeley''' (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American publisher and editor who revolutionized the news by creating a national market for his [[New York Tribune]], a founder of the [[U.S. Republican Party, history|Republican party]], reformer and presidential candidate. His ''[[New York Tribune]]'' was America's most influential newspaper from the 1840s to the 1870s and "established Greeley's reputation as the greatest editor of his day."<ref>Michael Emery and Edwin Emery, ''The Press and America'' (1988) 124-6.</ref> Greeley used it to promote the [[Whig Party]] and after 1854 the new Republican party, as well as antislavery and a host of reforms. Crusading against the corruption of [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s Republican administration, he was the presidential candidate in 1872 of the new [[Liberal Republican Party (United States)|Liberal Republican Party]]. Despite having the additional support of the [[U.S Democratic Party, History|Democratic Party]] he lost in a landslide. He was a leading advocate of economic modernization and opposition to slavery, and his ''Tribune'' newspaper was the main voice of the [[Whig Party]] and later the [[Republican party]].
'''Horace Greeley''' (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American publisher and editor who revolutionized the news by creating a national market for his [[New York Tribune]], a founder of the [[Republican Party]], reformer and presidential candidate. His ''[[New York Tribune]]'' was America's most influential newspaper from the 1840s to the 1870s and "established Greeley's reputation as the greatest editor of his day."<ref>Michael Emery and Edwin Emery, ''The Press and America'' (1988) 124-6.</ref> Greeley used it to promote the [[Whig Party]] and after 1854 the new Republican party, as well as antislavery and a host of reforms. Crusading against the corruption of [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s Republican administration, he was the presidential candidate in 1872 of the new [[Liberal Republican Party]]. Despite having the additional support of the [[U.S Democratic Party, History|Democratic Party]] he lost in a landslide. He was a leading advocate of economic modernization and opposition to slavery, and his ''Tribune'' newspaper was the main voice of the [[Whig Party]] and later the [[Republican party]].
==Early Years==
==Early Years==
He was born in [[Amherst, New Hampshire]], the son of poor farmers Zaccheus and Mary Greeley. He declined a scholarship to [[Phillips Exeter Academy]] and left school at age 14; he apprenticed as a printer in Poultney, Vermont at The Northern Star the same paper where George Jones served as an apprentice, moving to New York City in 1831. In 1834 he founded the weekly the ''New Yorker'', which was mostly comprised of clippings from other magazines.
He was born in [[Amherst, New Hampshire]], the son of poor farmers Zaccheus and Mary Greeley. He declined a scholarship to [[Phillips Exeter Academy]] and left school at age 14; he apprenticed as a printer in Poultney, Vermont at The Northern Star the same paper where George Jones served as an apprentice, moving to New York City in 1831. In 1834 he founded the weekly the ''New Yorker'', which was mostly comprised of clippings from other magazines.
As a candidate, Greeley argued that the war was over, the Confederacy was destroyed, and slavery was dead — and that [[Reconstruction]] was a success, so it was time to pull Federal troops out of the South and let the people there run their own affairs. A weak campaigner, he was mercilessly ridiculed by the Republicans as a fool, an extremist, a turncoat, and a crazy man who could not be trusted. The most vicious attacks came in cartoons by [[Thomas Nast]] in [[Harper's Weekly]]. Greeley ultimately ran far behind the Democratic ticket, winning only 43% of the vote.
As a candidate, Greeley argued that the war was over, the Confederacy was destroyed, and slavery was dead — and that [[Reconstruction]] was a success, so it was time to pull Federal troops out of the South and let the people there run their own affairs. A weak campaigner, he was mercilessly ridiculed by the Republicans as a fool, an extremist, a turncoat, and a crazy man who could not be trusted. The most vicious attacks came in cartoons by [[Thomas Nast]] in [[Harper's Weekly]]. Greeley ultimately ran far behind the Democratic ticket, winning only 43% of the vote.
In 1872 Greeley was among several high-profile investors who were defrauded by Philip Arnold in a notorious diamond and hoax. Meanwhile, as Greeley pursued the White House, [[Whitelaw Reid]], owner of the ''[[New York Herald]]'', gained control of the ''Tribune''.
Not long after the election Greeley's wife died. He descended into madness and died before the electoral votes could be cast. Greeley received no electoral votes, with the ones he was to have received being scattered among others.
==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==