The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-19
Ritbmonn pispatrb.
THURSDAY MORNING. ...DEu. 19 issi

THURSDAY MORNING. ...DYIJ. 10. 1881 :.
| as 1T FoILY OR KsavrRY r'-tnder tbis
caption the New Orleans Rec devotes a colnmn
TO the much mooted question of Reunett. :
| motives for putting the New York Herald
upon the course it is at present pursuing. Ben.
nett can scarcely be anything else than "wilv
and shrewd," says the writer, and though in
different to reputation for consistency, he
has always been noted for "sound Judgment.
and close observation of passing events As
there can be no good reason for believing
that, since the war, he has taken leave Of his
wits altogether, he refers his present course
to profound and Machiavellian policy" the
end Of which is the ruin Of Yankeedom. There
Is 10 other way, he argues, of accounting for
the "cNrieus articles, extravagant ideas, and
extraordinary propositions of the Herald"--
Before the war, it had always been opposedt to
| the abolitionists, and oven now it accuses them
OF indirectly aiding the South. When intelli-
| Senee OF the bombardment and capture of Fort
Sumter was received in New York, and the
mob compelled the newspapers to hoist the
stars and stripes, Bennett was particularly the
object OF its vengeance. He only escaped, by a
| timely flight, visitation which was
made at his own house. The next day
the. Herald hoisted the Federal banner.
and has ever since been the bitterest
| reyiier OF the rebels, with whom he had
| previously been associated On all questions of
national Importance. 1t is impossible to be-
! lieve i'll the sincerity OF such conversion,
! Notwithstanding the liberality, surpassing the
| hberality Of all others, with which the Herald
has contributed TO the war fund. The zeal,
| indeed, with which it has from April defended
! The Administration passes all belief Nor does
| 1t coniine itself to defence. 1t is continually
| urging upon it the most extraordinary policy
and tae most desperate enterprises. 1t tells
| Lincoln that his resources in men and money
are enormous beyond all possibility of belief.
| 1t tells England, France, and Spain that the
United States are equal to a struggle with
them all combined. 1t insists upon it that Lin
coin shall call ont million of men, and build
| two hundred ships-ofwar in addition to what
he already has 1t is eternally abusing Eng.
land IN the most violent manner 1t was the
hrst to defend the capture and detention of
Macon and Slideli. 1t urges upon Lincoln the
most boundless expenditure of money. /.
constantly stimul15es the North to renewed
exertions against the South, involving, OF
| course, al unheard of expenditure, by conceal
ing their numerous defeats, or proelaiming
them as victories. 1t tells them that the South
Is at Its last gasp, and calls the message OF
President Davis "a dying kick If. in spite
OF Bethel, Bull Run, Manassas, Springfield
Lexington, dc, Bennett really entertains
such an opinion, he must be superlatively
silly, and that we all know he is not.
Such is summary of the points taken by
the Bee, to prove that Bennett cannot be ac;
ing IN good faith, but that he is pursuing hi,
revenge by leading the United States into al
unfathomable gulf of debt. They are wei
put, aud strongly argued. We have ourselves
been inclined to the opinion expressed by th,
Bee, and have more than once signified it il
these columns. Yet, upon farther considers
ton, We hardly think it tenable. It ascribel
to Bennett policy too refined to form tn.
basis of long continued action. We are dis
posed 70 think that what are considered tn,
enigmas of history, are, in general, easily ex
plicsble, when we get possession of the cir
cumstancess that give rise to the motiv,
power. The world, for three hundred wears
was mystitied by the intent and purpose O
this very Machiaveli, whose policy Bennet
is assumed to have adopted, in writing hi
Prince. 1t could not conceive how a man whs
had been tortured and banished, for his exer
tions in defence of liberty, could indte I
nonr, fI.a, ,rcfr, ,,,.fta ,fs
merable theories We're broached to explain
the riddle, all of them ingenious, and al
equally wide of the mark, in that long inter
Val which lies between the age of Cardina
Pole and the days of Macaulay. AT last
about fifteen years ago, an original letter from
hachiavelli, accompanying the dedication 0
the Prince to Lorenzo de Medci the younger
was discovered in the archives of Florence
and the mystery was cleared up in an instant
The great poet, historian, and philosopher ha
become weary OF exile. He longed for the re
fined society and brilliant conversation of Flor
enee If suffering had not rendered him les
ardsnt patriot, yet events had taught him tn
hopelessness of his cause. The Prince wa
written as peace-otfering which was to pre
pare the way for his return, and that was al
Two traits, very prominent in the characte
of Bennett, sufficiently account for his preser
course, without resort to any very refine
theory. He is extremely avaricious and e,
tremely timid by nature. He has himself tol
!, US, more than once, that the support Of tn
Herald was due to the great city of Ne,
York, and that single street of that city too
more copies of it than all the Southern cour
try combined. He saw that the city of Ne,
York was united as one man against the Souti
and he knew that he must lose his main ID
pendence if he fell not in with the current
Such was the whisper of avarice. Timidity
in the meantime, forbade him to face agai
the personal danger to which he had Just bee
exposed. Such we Believe to have been tn
first motives for embarking ON his preser
course. Since that time everything has COZ
spired to keep him in it. For the rest, th
Herald has always been sensation journa
and has made half of its money by means
J sensations. Add to this the well-ascertaiue
truth that the renegade is always the mot
violent of ali others against the cause he hs
betrayed, and that in war times there is M
thing which makes journal so popular q
; high sounding braggadoeio and threats of d,
iiance against all the world. and you have, i
our opinion, complete explanation of th
causes which launched the Herald upon i,
present course, and has kept it steadily upo
/ it.. Doubtless Bennett is as yindictiye as COW
! ardly men generally are, aud would be glad
. see his prosecutors of April overwhelmed
, | oi thau ho v.,sV tt
. cost to himself. But we are not disposed I
think he would risk hia