The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-08-24
Charles A Dana.

No hiosrspN Of this Dr, Jskyll and Nj
Ilyde Of American Journalism has bc~u Al
nouneod, more the pity for Il would b
iaterestins not only 20 have an erplsns,ia
} --from either judicial or partisan poln
OF vies---1f his career, bot .lso TO kno.
the inner mesning Of some importsnt chap
tcrs of cur history 10 which be Was pro
mirent actor, Moreover, such hlcgrsph
u sd,quste, would itcresse the all 10,
mesgre list of biographies II AmeriesI
journalists which have any vslae ~ later
probation Of men and their times. Precmi
nent in this list ~ It now stand is Mer
Rams life Of samuel Bowles.
We said that Mr.. Dana Was the Or
Lkyll and Mr., Hyde Of American l,urnai
ism. The duslism WAS so proroutc d that
possibly Il sceouuts for the fact that nc
life Of the man h" appeared or, so FAR a,
we know, has been pr, jActcd. II would be
easy for biogrspher TO explain the man
who 10 latter life was the lover OF ltera.
ture, art, horticulture and travel, who knew
the languages Of several people and was
master Of his own, and make him harmon.
ixc with the youth who studied a while At
Harvard, then i,ined the Brook Farm pom
munity, Was Greeley's right-hsnd man on
the Tribune from ls47 to 1861, assistant
secretary OF war under Stanton for a year
and who complied the Household Book OF
Poetry" and oollsborsted with George Rip.
ley In the making Of ency clopa las. There
IL unity to facts like these.
But how reconcile them with his villIfca.
tion Of Presidents Grant, Hayes and C,oye.
land, Henry Ward Beeeher aud Charles n.
Parkhurst, bis eompali luship Of ben njsmin
Butler and Richard Croker, bis advocacy Of
Tsmmsny rule In New York city, and the
perIipscity of his hatred for some Of the
most high minded idesllsts In our public
lie during the last third OF the nineteenth
century. Nominslly a defender Of Chris.
tisnity, he I'D It IN such a way as to sug.
gest often the defcription OF DR.. Southt
sermons Of sbcb It was said that ~ preach.
Ing them Or. South appeared "to utter
truth Itself with the mocking and envenom-
ed spirit OF fAnd +"
Rev DR.. J N, Buckley Of the New York
Christian Advocate, u penetrating analyst
Of character and men and constant reader
OF Mr.. Dana's writings, was once asked
why he read them, He replied that since
IL was his business TO fight the devil he
read the Sun to know what the devil WAS
thinking about. In his character study Of
Mr.. Dana after the latter's destb, DR., |
Buckley shrewdly pointed out the parallel
between Mr. Dana and Bepismin Butler.
" Both had immense brain power, seemed
not to know fear, were born fighters, re.
garded their work as fun, were masters
OF English, knew the meaning OF words
and sent them forth as from catapult,
were vlndiciive, made many changes In the
course OF their lives, hated a friend with
whom they had quarrelled more than an
enemy who had never been friendly to
hem; both were sufficiently audscious not
10 be disturbed At any time by charges Of
inconsistency, and both would main tail
hat they were consistent"
DR.. Buckley also has we'll said what Mr..
Danas most severe critics and most per.
,lexed dissectors would be frank to admit,
namely, that his intellectual force, bis
prompt recognition Of genius, talent, or H.
lustry, his high admiration for accuracy
md determination to command 1t at any
,rice, bis steLch defence of the principles
4 law and order, his puncturiug OF pretend
re, his bringing to the surface many things
hat would not otherwise have been known,
'ut the knowledge OF which was important
o the public welfare, and his satir'z'ng Of
cant" we're useful. |,
Mr.. Dsna's greatness as an editor Judged |
" intellectual standards and by the stamp
4 individuality and unity which we gave
o bis journSl, is indispu'able; It Is when
ts'ed by abiding ethical rules and fidelity
o the best interests Of the people that he
alls to the ground, and compels the ver-
ict Of beirg one who prnsti'uted ptcst
'owers to unworthy ends. Tb- youth who
onsorted win George Vllhsm Curtis and
ieorge Riply Al Brook farm became the
'ublic advocate Of Benjamin Butler and
chsrd Croker.
John Swin'on, who worked under him,
eports Mr.. Dana as saying to his subordi-
ates: you've got to square this paper
With the Almighty and the Judgment day
very day jou live; aud that Is the way to
dit paper" M Dana ard the Almighty
ave met. II