New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-02-14
How Thurlow Weed Won Over Bennett.

just before the hostilities began Got
the war of the rebellion) one of tho
duties intrusted to him was to secure
the influence of the New York Herald
on the side of the administration. The
sympathies of that paper were with the
south. and its opposition to Mr.. Lincoln
and Mr.. Seward encouraged rebellion
and strengthened the rebel cause. Fer
nando Wood, then mayor of New York,
entertained kindred sentiments. With
its large circulation in Europe, the Her.
ald was creating dangerous public
opinion abroad, and it was felt that Mr..
Weed was the only man who could bring
about change in its policy. The SUBJ
ject was brought before q cabinet meet
ing, as our representatives in England,
France, Belgium, and elsewhere, had
impressed the government with the
necessity of action. 1t was agreed that
Mr.. Weed should be asked to visit Mr..
meeting that Mr.. Weeds relations with
Mr. Bennett were such as to insure the
failure of the object contemplated; but
Mr. Weed was summoned to Washing
ton by telegraph, and told that "his ex-
pcrience in telling cats" pointed him
out as the man to accomplish this
special task. Lincoln insisted that he
should make the trial, and Weed re-
turned by the next train to New York
with that object. His acquaintance
with Bennett commenced in 1872, when
the latter was a Washington reporter
Weed was deeply interested in the sue
cess of Henry Clay whom Bennett re-
peatedly attacked and derided, 80 that
the two journalists had been in direct
antagonism. One charge made by Ben
nett had so incrnsed Mr.. Weed that not
a word had passed between the two for
more than thirty years, although they
lived much together at the Aston house,
in New York, and were brought other
wise in contact. On reaching the city
Weed sent word that he wished to see
Mr. Bennett, and was invited to dinner
that afternoon at Washington Heights,
where Bennett lived. The two editor,
sat a long time at table, and the ques-
ton was evidently put before the Herald
proprietor in an entirely new LIGHT. In
parting, Mr. Weed was cordially invited
to visit his host frequently, at his Office
buu lcolucllCc. NotuItlS WIS Cucu SalGl
in regard to the future course of the
Heruld, but that journal came promptly
to the support of the government, and
remained earnest and outspoken against
the rebellion. 1t was charged that Mr..
Bennett had been inundated. and that
he had been bought up by the admins
tration. but both these accusations
were wholly unfounded. Mr.. Weed ap-
pealed solely to Mr.. Bennett s Judgment
and to his sense of duty as an intluen-
tial journalist to the government and to
the union. A direct and simple appeal,
as Mr.. Weed so we'll knew how to make
it, was successful, and the social rela-
tons thus re-establishcd between these
two journalists continued throughout
the remainder of Mr.. Bennett life. MIR.
Lincoln frequently expressed to Mr..
Weed his desire to acknowledge in some
way his sense Of obligation to Bennett,
and some two years afterward, when
the French mission was open, the presi-
dent authorized Mr.. Wakeman, then
surveyor of the port, to offer it to Mr..
Bennett, which offer, however, was de-.
lined.-Albany Eeeui'ag Journal.