New York Herald, “Horace Greeley and His Pike’s Peak Humbuggery,” July 10, 1859

HORACE GREELEY AND HIS PIKE’S PEAK HUMBUGGERY. – We apprehend that Greeley [has?] been egregiously humbugged by the speculators at Pike’s Peak. They have shown him gold in small quantities taken from those diggings under his own eyes; but we know that Massa Greeley is vain and credulous, and can be made to believe almost anything by designing sharpers. Thus, if we are not mistaken, he has from time to time been taken in and done for by New Jersey zine mining sharpers, by Lake Superior copper operators, and by Fourierite phalanx associations, to say nothing of vegetarians, spiritualists, Slievegammon revolutionists, women’s rights reformers, and bogus fugitive slaves. The Pike’s Peak speculators seem to have had a very good time with Greeley. They have been making a great man of him, and, as one good turn deserves another, he will very apt to be convinced before he leaves them that the mines of Pike’s Peak are richer than those of California. But prudent men will beware of all such reports from Greeley. He is very good natured, very credulous, and easily led astray.