The record-union., 1897-11-30
DkhA'S "reminiscences.
he WAS FOR WAR, GREELEY
WAS FOR PEACE.
The Character of His Employment
in the War Depart
ment.

1A C0e war OepaTt-
The recent death of Charles A. Dana
will render his "reminiscences OF Men
and Events of the Civil War, the mrs.
part of which appears in the present
November number of Mcclure Mag
azine," of great interest. The paper
Is illustrated with portraits from tiie
War Department and collectloh oi
Civil War photographs. At once, Wlth-
out phrasing, Mr. Dana opens his SUD-
ject ,and his peculiar straightforward
and trenchant English is conspicuous
Il had been associated with Horace
Greeley on the New York Tribune
for about fifteen years when, one morn
ing early in April, 1867, Mr. Sinclair
the advertising manager of the paper
came to me saying that Mr.. Greel@y
would be glad to have me resign L
asked one of my associates to find from
Mr. Greeley if it was really his Wlsh.
In a few hours he came TO me saying
that | had better go. l stayed the
day out. in order to make up the paper
and give them an opportunity to find
a successor. but 1 never went into the
office after that / think / owned
fifth of the paper-tw wenty shareS-at
that time. This stock my colleagues
bought.
Mr.. Greeley never gave a reason for
dismissing me, nor did I ever ask for
one l know, though, that the real ex-
planation was that while he was for
peace I was for war, and that as long
7 c+ay -0l hn rNy-t1N mo- =
a spirit there which was not his spirit
that he did not like.
my retirement from the Tribune
was talked of in the newspapers for a
day or two. and brought me a letter
from the Secretary of War, Edwin M.
Stanton, saying he would like to en-
ploy me in the War Department. I
had already met Mr. Lincoln, and had
carried on a brief correspondence with
Mr.. Stanton. My meeting with Mr..
Lincoln was shortly after his Inaugural
tion. He had appointed Mr.. Seward TO
be his Secretary of State, and some of
the Republican leaders of New York
who had been instrumental in pre-
venting Mr.. Stewards nomination to the
Presidency and in securing that of Mr..
Lincoln, had begun to fear that they
would be left out in the cold in the
distribution Of the offices. General
James S. Wadsworth, George Opdyke,
Lucius Robinson, T. B. Carroll and
Henry B. Stanton were among the
number of these gentlemen. Their ap-
prehensions We're somewhat mitigated
by the fact that Mr.. Chase, to whom
we We're all friendly, was Secretary of
the Treasury But. Notwithstanding,
they We're afraid that the superior tact
and pertinacity of Mr. Seward and Of
Thurlow Weed, Stewards close friend
and the political manager of the Re-
publican party, would get the upper
hand, and that the power Of the Fed
eral Administration would be put into
the control of the rival faction. Ac-
cordingly, several of them determined
to go TO Washington, and 1 was asked
to go with them
Mr.. Lincoln received us in the large
room up stairs in the east wing of the
White House, where he had his working
office, and stood up while General
Wadsworth who was our principal
spokesman, and Mr. Opdyke stated
what was desired After the interview
was begun, big Indianian, who was
messenger in attendance in the White
House, came into the room and said
TO the President:
She wants YOU
Yes. yes said Mr. Lincoln, without
stirring.
Soon afterward the messenger re-
turned again. exclaHning:
- I say, she wants YOU
The President was evidently an
noyed, but, instead of going out after
the messenger, he remarked to us:
One side shall not gobble up every
thing. Make out a list of places and
men you want, and l Will endeavor to
apply the rule of give and take
General Wadsworth answered:
Our party will not be able to re-
main in Washington. but we will leave
such list with Mr.. Carroll, and what
ever he agrees to will be agreeable to
u.s..
Mr.. Lincoln continued: Let Mr.. Car
roll come in Tomorrow, and we will see
what can be done
This is the substance of the inter
View, and what most impressed me was
the evident fairness OF the President.
We all felt that he meant to do what
was right and square In the matter.
While he was not the man to promote
factious quarrels and difficulties within
his party, he did not intend to leave in
the lurch the special friends through
whose exertions his nomination and
election had finally been brought aboat.
At the same time he understood Der
fectly that we of New York and our
associates in the Republican body had
not gone 10 Chicago for the purpose OF
nominating him, or of nominating any
one IN particular, but only TO beat Mr.
Seward. and thereupon 10 do the best
that could be done regarding the selec-
tion of the candidate
SO far there had been no personal
acquaintance between Mr.. Dana and
Mr. Stanton, the Secretary of War
though several letters had passed be-
tween them. Mr.. Dana was a warm
advocate Of General Fremont, and he
had asked Mr. Stanton Ito give Gen
eral Fremont a chance" The ~eply