New-York tribune., 1879-04-23

to show some signal mark ot respect to his memory
! Mayor Cooper sent communication feSaiulnE
the death of General Dix to the Board of Education
! and appropriate resolutions wereadopteu
THURLOW WEEDS "REMINISCENCES.
| SALIENT FEATURES OF GENERAL DIX's POLITICAL
CAREER FOR MORE THAN HALF CENTURY.
Thurlow Weed, who was early one of General
Dix's strongest political foes, since the war has
been one of his warmest political friends, and is
credited with having been the delegate IN the Re
publican State Convention in 1872 who brought
about the nomination of General Dix for Governor.
Last evening Mr.. Weed IN a conversation SAID: Il
| first became acquainted with General Dix at the
close of the last war with England in 1s14. lie
was aide-de-camp the staff of General Brown, OF
| this state, who commanded the American Army on
the Niagara frontier. He, with two or three other
young lieutcnauts, was commissioned, after having
| been only two years at West Point. | was a few
months older than ne and private, my only rank
as an officer at the close of the war being that OF
quartemastcr's sergeant. General Dix was the
youngest looking commissioned officer had ever
| seen.
"I next saw him when be came to Albany as
| Acknowledgement of the state. After the war he
| had settled at Cooperstown and had been admitted
to the bar. lie was AdJutant-Gcnerai under Gov
crnor Ihroop, think, and at that time was twenty
/ '
even he was exceedingly discreet and sensible, and
was eseemed for his trustworthiness by his elders
HIS manners were very pohhsed, and he was popular
everywhere and with everybody. He was accom-
| pshed az a scholar and as a gentleman.
! "Ho belonged TO what known for many
| years as the Albany Regency contributing with
/ his pen to the vindcation of the measures and
policy of the Democrats, most OF his articles beng
/ printed in The albany argus, Then l was pohtl-
! cally opposed TO him and the Regency and
! through The Albapy Journal, which edited. en-
deavored TO weaken the Regency's' influence. He
is next TO the last of that remarkable political or
ganIzatiOn, as at the time Of which speak he was
also its youngest member. / don't know that he
was selected to be Adjutant-General for the service
he was able to render the Regency with his pen,
but his skill in this direction soon discovered
and employed. For quarter of a century New
York State was ruled by this remarkable combina-
ton. The mastcr-sprits were Van Buren,, the chief,
Governor Marcy, Mr.. Flagg Silas Wright. Beuja-
min Noah, Charles +. Dudley, Roger Skinner,
Samuel l.. Tacott, and Thomas w. Olcott. who
after General Dix is the last surviving member
They were all men of mark, and possessed quail
ties which i'll alliance rendered the combination i'm
prcgnable.
General Dix subsequently, became Secretary OF
State and still later was elected member of the
Assembly from Albany County. At that time was
not very intimate with him personally We were
friends but the sharp political antagonists be-
tween Us prevented intimacy until Just before the
outbreak of the rebellion, in the breaking up OF
Mr. Buchanans Cabinet by the reslPnptlon OIL HOW
eli Cobb. Secretary of the Treasury the removal OF
! Tloyd, Secretary of War; and the resignation OF
Mr. Thomson, of Mississippi, General Dix was
brought into the Cabinet as Secretary OF the Treas
| urv This was brought about by Edwin NJ Stan
/ ton and Mir. Seward. Mr.. Stanton was loyal
! Democrat of influence. He became alarmed at the
| state of things existing III the Cabinet, and was
| ANXIOUS to bring loyal Democrat from the NORM
! into the Treasury Department. To this end he con-
ferred privately with Mr.. Seward, who was then IN
the Senate, and who at that tlmei as was gcheIaly
| known had been selected by Mr.. Lincoln for hS tu-
ture Secretary Of state. President Buchanan vas
rot in the of these interviews, which resulted
! in the appointment of General Dix.
| at was while Secretary of tue Treasury that he
| sent the famous dispatch to New-Orleans. At
! the close of the Buchanan Administration Cen
eral DIX received bis appointment of MaJor-GeneraI
in the army from Mr.. Lincoln, and very soon after
wards was placed in command Of Fort McHe4ry,
near Baltimore. At very critical moment, when
alarming efforts were being madetO draw Maryland
into rebellion Mr.. Lincoln asked me to visit Gem
eral Dix and obtain information OF what was pass
. ing in the Common Council Of Baltimore and the
Legislature of Maryland. found General DIX ID
a room alone, in gloomy fortress. with single
sentinel at the entrance. lie writing dispatch
10 ne Secretary of War. He LAID aside his pen and
gave me a full account of what had occurred, show
ing that the danger had been imminent, but by the
prompt arrest of some of the cOnspTatOT5 and TIER
confinement i'll the city the danger had been
avoided There were loyal men in Baltimore with
whom General DIX put himself IN communication
/ Immediately assuming command OF the post.
These loyallsts kept him Informed OF every act OF
tbe cOnspratOrs. believed then as believe now,
that except for the good sense, promptness and en-
ergy of General DIX there would have been for
| midable attempt made to take Maryland out OF the
! Union. The attempt would have ended In failure,
| hut II would have made the authorities at wash
| ipqtOn great trouble aud caused much boOdshed.
| alt so happened that / was chosen as delegate
from this city TO the Convention at Utica that nom
mated General Dix for Governor, although at the
! time of my being chosen happened to be IN Buf-
talO and arrived IN Utica only about two holus be-
| fore the convention assembled. My motive in ad-
| yccating the nomination of General Dix was de-
rived from the belief that he would harmonic con-
! hicting elements In the party and be strong can
| didate, whose election would be certain. There
WAS another consideration. Four OF two years pre-
| yIouslv do not recall which just now, il was ar
ranged that General Dix should be the Democratic
candidate for Governor, 1t being the intention OF
/ the leading Republicans to give him also their sup
port for the reason that there was such condition
of things throughout the country, that the Repub-
! licans more anxious for the welfare OF the
! country and the Union than for the party and
wanted a war Democrat elected Governor OF the
! Empire State. Dean Richmond, Peter CaGger aud
! Judge Allen, of the Court of Appeals, had made
| confidential arrangements by winch General DIX
/ was 70 receive the nomination both OF the Demo-
| Gratis and the Republicans. we were al amazed
! when Judge PierrepOnt of Staten Island, arose in
! the Convention and withdrew the name OF General
! Din when his nomination seemed sure. lt was as
sumcd that Judge PieTTepOnt, who was his intimate
friend, spoke with the latest authority, ana II was
also known that he had seen General Dix since my
/ interview with him. SO Hoffman got the Demo-
cratic nomination After that felt that II the Op-
pOrtunty presented itself, should advocate as
strongly as / could his nomination for the Once.
! The tine came. He supported with great
unanimity and enthusiasm His nomination i'll
! splred the Republican party with confidence.
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