New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-26
R. II. DANA, JR. AS A COUNSELLOR FOR
THE NEGROES.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.


ia me Editor Of The Tribune.
S,p. neroeiye that the Hon. Richard II. Dana, jry
has recently been writing letter to some colored
citizens of Boston, in the of which he holds
the following language:
NV brethren OF the African race should have long
memories Now that you have come TO the possession on
potca power and large share OF IT, claims VIII ne
made upon your confidence and gratitude which VIII not
always bear the test of examination
There is an old pToverb which AYERS that another
class of persons, besides members of the African
race. should have good memories, and do not see
how Mr.. Dana can be excepted from that class
if he is now attempting to palm himself of on
colored citizens in Boston or elsewhere as pc
culiar friend Of the negro race. If he could have
had his way as late as the month OF Septem-
ber 1863 when the nation was in the very heart OF
its struggle for Liberty and Union," the war
could have been brought to an end at any time,
without regard to President Lncolns Emancipa-
ton Proclamation and without regard to the lber-
alton of single slave in the South, except such as
had been made actually free within our military
lines. In speech delivered by this same Richard
H. DANA r, at Cambridge, Mass, on the 9th of Octo-
her, 1863 he publicly denounced those supporters of
Lincoln who wished to make the war struggle for
Universal Emancipation as well as for the restora-
ton of the Union He said:
Canning deprecated a war OF opinion. Burke stood
aghast the specter Of armed doctrine In time OF
peace the dOctrnare is an annoyance But III the OF
civil war; when all foundations broken up all inter,
ests in peril and mems passions reused to fury, what
can be dangerous TO let loose on the community
than armed dOctrnaiTe lie the0rlZes Win DayOnels
he dOgmatiSes in blood.
Mr. Dana then proceeded to explain away the
legal effect of President Lncolns proclamation of
emancipation, and contested the proposition that 1T
had any power "by its own force to change " the
legal status" of slaves in the "enemys territory
And So Also in regard to the reconstruction of the
seeded States he opposed the policy of forcing
emancipation upon them as a condition of their re-
admission into the Union. To this effect, he said
Whatever theory may be propounded all wllagree that
from traitors and Is ready 10 submit TO the dra1t ana
the laws, and is fighting the enemy from lts own sou
beng over solely on the ground that IL has not yet be-
come a Free State, or has not yet begun course OF
Emancipation, perhaps for want OF time and not OF will
all will agree that such course would be an excuse Of
a transcendent imperial power: 1T.
/ protest, therefore, with all my heart ana might,
against all attempts to commit this Government TO any
system dogma, however high or holy ITS purpose,
obliged to fight for. protest against them, because
they tend divide loyal people, TO break the march OF
our S aTe T re to SUSTAIN The in the
suppression of the rebellion by foree of arms protest
against them because Ihey lead TO the growth and SUI
pTemacy of an armed fanaticsm, militant metaphysics,
wars Of opinion instead OF an armed magistraey war
for sedefense and all the dangerous Tor the very
that the ultimate purpose is high and molly
Now it is not my purpose to cOntrove t the logic of
Mr. Dana in the year 1863 On the contrary, am
one of those who ooncurred with him then las still
dol in the theory on which he wished our war to be
conducted, and because of this identity in opin
ions applauded him at the time for what supposed
to be his resolute cOnstitutionalism. The result
proved that had as much mistaken the political
cOnstancy of Mr.. Richard II. Dana, jr., as he had
mistaken the drift of opinion in his party So soon
as he found that an armed fanaticism" had grown
too popular to be longer resisted with polite safety
in Massachusetts, he contrved to forget all the par
lous words he had uttered in the name of Canning
and Burke against wars of opinions" and ulti-
mately became as glib as anybody on the dialect of
"fanatcism." Indeed, he seemed to think that be
was under some obligation to atone for his ateness
in learning this dialect by cleaving to it after those
to whom it was native had laid it aside, and hence
he was fifty employed by Mr.. Seward, in the year
1867 to resist the motion for Jefferson Davss release
from military detention, while fanatics like Mr.
Greeley and Mr.. Gerrit Smith were favorable to it,
and while such undoubted '1oyalists" as Senator
Wilson were denouncing his confinement, without
indictment OF trial. as violating common juf
sound policy, and national honor.D
can fix pretty well the date when Mr. Dana made
his political somersault from constitutionalism"
to fanaticism," but can you inform me at what
precise epoch in his recent changeful career he ac-
quired right to address negroes as his brethren
of the African race and pray that they might have
long memoriesi If their memories are only long
enough to go back less than ten years. it must re-
quire good deal of audacity for Mr.. Richard II.
DANA jr., to remind them just about this time that
claims will be made upon their confidence and
gratitude which will not always bear the test of
animation" SCRUTAToR.
Washington, Aug. as, 1872.
A RELIGIOUS EXCURSION FOR NORTH