New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-01-03
NUMBER 100.
Political Intrigue In New York.
THE MISSION TO FRANCE.

From the New York World
To the Editor Of the World i'o''A' De'e'+'e' ~
The good Mr.. Lincoln offered this post to Mr..
James Gordon Bennett, the editor of this paper:
but after two or three days consideration he de-
ciined it, on the ground that he could be of more
at horne.-[New York Herald.
1t seems to me, Mr. Editor, that the time has ar
rived when the readers Of the Herald, as well as
the other city newspapers, may be properly disa-
Pused respecting the alleged offer Of the mission to
France to james Gordon Bennett, by the +" good
| Nlr. Lincoln" The place was rendered to Mr.
Bennett but under conditions not at all aattering
to that person, and not until it was ascertained,
positively that he would decline the appointment.
| With your permission will ilarrate the circum-
stances connected with the affair, and describe the
intrigue or arrangement by which the support Of
the Herald was secured for the good Mr.. Lincoln
| in the Presidential contest OF lSGi. The fact is
notorious that prior TO the construction of the
Chicago PLATFORM the defeat of the good Mr. Lin
coin was seriously apprehendedby that gentleman
himself, as well as by the more experienced poll
| tcians who We're rapidly acquiring fortune and
fame through his fostering care. Mr.. Line DIN was
| so thoroughly convinced that the success of the
tIEion cause depended upon his continuance in the
Presidential chair that he felt himself constrained
to adopt any measures irrespective of their char
acter, which promised to promote his election
The Herald then, as on all similar occasions was
| changing about from day to day, advocating or
| rdicUling the good Lincoln as the win of the
| moment dictated.
| In this exigency, Mr.. S., well known gentle
man OF this city, was commissioned to protfar to
| Mr. Bennett the mission to France on condition
| that the Herald should zealously and faithfully
| support the good Lincoln throughout the canvass.
Mr.. Bennett faithfully performed bis part of the
| bargain, advocating the election Of Mr.. lincoln
with all the consistency and energy which the hope
OF a desirable Office was calculated to inspire.
| " len the victory was won and Mr.. Lincoln had
achieved the great object of his exertions it be-
came necessary to satisfy those who had aided him
| in saving the country OF course it had never been
intended that Bennett should represent this gov
ernment at the court Of the Emperor; but it was
1 deemed important to avoid provoking the vndic-
tive animosity of the Herald. and cabinet meet
ing was held to devise some eligible mode of obvi-
atlng the infeicities of the situation. The Secre.
tary of State proposed that Bennett should be
nominated to the Senate, knowing that he would
be promptly rejected and probably by unanimous
vote.
This, it was contended, would divert the ennlity
OF the Herald from the Executive, aud direct il
toward the Senate, Mr.. Seward and his associates
belonging to atschool of philosophers who bears
the misfortunes of their best friends with great
,comptaoes'es- But the good Mr. Lincoln had
lively sense of the in'psapriety and even indc
cency of the appointment, ana determined If ros
sible to pacfy Bennett without mourning .ha rili
; cuIe and odium which he knew must result froli
calling out the spirit of his bargain. The mission
must be rendered to Bennett, but his rejection o
the offer was to be secured in advance The tint
was to be kepta secret, so as to not revolt thu
moral sense of tie respectable portion of the com
munity. Nyckof' S Benefits tactotuln undertook
the delicate task of mana ging his part of the affair
AS preliminary step, Horace Greeley was induced
to write a letter recommending the appointment
Greeley, good natured and amiable, with strong
feeling of esprit du corps had no difficulty il
complying with this request, more especially az
Benefits selection would shut off Raymond who
wanted the place, and of whom the philosopher
was slightly Jealous. The next thing was to make
sure that Bennett would not accept. Flowing with
hefer is always a delicate operation, but Wye
koff was equal to it. He was familiar with the
scandal rife in Paris when the editor of the Herald
arrived there, some half dozen years ago, and
magninitiying the extent to which this scandal
would be revived and exasperated, in case Of the
fulfment of the good Mr.. Lincon's promise touch
ing the mission to France he mac such an impress
sion on an important and influential portion Of the
| Herald establishment that prompt and indignant
refusal Of the appointment was secured. Report
| ing the success of his negotiation at Washington
Mr.. Bennett was Immediately gazetted as the sue
cessor of Mr.. Dayton at Paris. The office was
courteouSly declined, with Il profuson Of thanks
to the good Mr.. Lincoln.
Mr.. Seward, who, with all his assumed philoso-
phic indiferences to newspaper criticisms has a
wholesome dread of the lidicue of the Herald
made a similar arrangement with Wyckoff respect-
ing the mission to Madrid. Benefits refusal of
that position was easily secured, and by the same
means employedin regard to the place OF Minister
| to France. A similar proiler with a like result
| followed, and the good Mr.. Lincoln was able to
congratulate himself upon having appropriated
the Herald without seriously compromising The
honor or interest of the country Nor Y. W.