The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26

nent and reneWs Itself forever. Ths
carnage Of the battlefield disappears, but
the liberty thereby achieved remains for
the latest generation. The impulse given
10 the heart and mind OF Christendom 10y
the year ists will wake after It's ruins are
rebuilt. This impulse is everywhere, In
new and more vigorous life In all countries
OF Europe-even In England" Thus con-
oludes q series OF letters which the 'biog-
rapher is warranted in terming the most
interesting that Dana ever penned, with the
exception Of those ooyafipE the civil war
In America.
Dams returned TO New York in March,
lSts, and resumed editorial work on the
Tribune. During the year named that
paper began it's advocacy Of a railroad to
the Pacific, and took a leading part In the
discussion OF slavery, as well a. in the
championship OF q protective tariff. IL
was al this time that Greeley, in reply TO a
warning from q Southerner that the Union
was In danger, declared frankly that dis
solution would not be the dreadful affair
represented. II the South should ever
want to secede, we go for giving her the
a bcNt nD6Ill' lie btulllucIN Ndo ONNd-
slonally repeated during the following
decade, but so far as Gen. Wilson has been
able TO discover it never received Dana's
approval. He was as radically opposed to
slavery as was Greeley himself, and even
more uncompromising in resistance to the
repeal'o the Missouri Compromise and the
extension OF slavery into the Territories,
but throughout the agitation OF this ques-
ton he refused to tolerate theidea of dis
solution OF the Union
In June. 1880. Dana spent a week in Chi
cago, and while there delivered a lecture
on slavery, the manuscript Of which. in his
" handwriting, lie now in the biographer's
possession. This lecture was prepared with
great care, and evidently constitutes the
most formal and complete statement OF
Dana's opinions on that subject ever made
by him. Gen, Wilson tells us that after
careful recital Of the historical facts Dana
reached the conclusion that through the
action Of the slave holding States them
selves and the growth of public opinion
slavery would ultimately come TO a peace
full and not a violent end; that neither revolt
nor outside interference was probable
He dismissed the idea Of violent emanoipa-
ton in this country as chimerical, hut de-
clared with prophetic confidence: 'The
United States will e%xtinguish slavery before
slavery can begin TO extinguish the United
States.' We learn with interest that no.
where in this disquisition 10 there a touch
OF s~ectionalism or OF dislike TO the South
ern people. The ~biographer adds that
during all his association with Dana in the
South, where they were constantly face to
face with slavery and those who upheld il.
he never heard him utter a word in opposi-
ton 70 the sentiments and views set forth
in his Chicago lecture. sHe had no word
Of blame or even OF criticism for the
Southern people, who had inherited slavery
from their ancestors. He was always kind
and considerable OF their feelings and inter-
ests, and while with the rest OF US who were
fighting to reestablish and perpetuate tho
Union. he approved the Emancipation
Proclamation as q wal measure, I never
heard him utter O word in it's behalf as q
means OF bringing about the abolition OF
slavery. had not the slave States undertaken
to seceda,' .,.
The fact Ia recalled that Dana as manag-
ing editor OF the Tribune was long the ar
bitter OF what should appear in the columns
OF that great paper. He accepted or re-
jected the contributions sent to him, and
not content with that. edited them with
an unsparing hand. The blue pencil was
never out Of use. No writer was too great,
no subject too important, TO escape its
rapid and unerring stroke. Throughout
the sixth decade Of the nineteenth century
James 8. Pike of Maine, afterward Minister
TO the Netherlands, was one Of the Tribune's
principal correspondents and contributors.
He wrote much and we'll, but like the rest
he came under the correcting inhuence OF
DanA's criticism. This is eIemplified by
a letter from Dana referring to Pixies
Campaign Life Of Gen. Scott" Having
taken liberties with Pixies proofs, he wrote;
III you don't like this, swear all you wish,
but you can't help IL. The thing is put
through. and what you may say is o matter
OF perfect indifference" Then, as though
to soothe his friends wounded feelings.
he added: Il have discovered that | am
necessary TO you. Without me who would
take the devil out Of your letters and add
a genteel air OF moderation to their con-
tents? Nobody. You would be a done up
man, ruined by FOUR own eIuberant great
ness. Now / foresee your destiny. 1t 10
to be President, which I shall make you.
Be grateful, then, beforehand.
vi.
BY the middle OF 1864 Greeley, who was
the largest owner as well as the editor-in-
chief Of the Tribune, had come TO the con-
clusion that TO 60 OF as they were then
going would lead to ruin, and that expenses
must be reduced. Dana seems TO AVE
opposed cutting down the paper, but was
overruled, On September 1 Of the year
named he wrote to Pike. who was in Wash
ington. as follows: you gee they have
carried It against US, and cut the Tribune
down. I don't believe ii will do n per-
manent harm. though it must bring down
the Weekly TO about one hundred thousand,
l. calculate. The saving effected by the
change is some $3.50 a week" At this time
Dana was also negotiating for a stimuli
taneous rise OF price TO three cents on the
part Of the three principal New York daily
papers. He reokoned that II all three
papers should do il together none Of them
could suffer the slightest injury. He had
no fear Of any new competitors. declaring
that three hundred thousand dollars
Gould soaroaly auf7oa m creafa n nav