The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-02-02
'EW NEWS Of YESTERDAY.
One Great Sorrow Of Noted
American Author.
d G..l EpWARp8.

-
liongsst remembered % tho author Of
that great sea classic. 80 Years Be
fore the MAST" the nrst American
work to, b widely translated Bit
among the lawyers Of his tine. and
especially among those who made =
specially Of. International law. Dana's
reputation q . lawyer was even
greater than that which she popularly
enjoyed ~ the author Of M Of the
most popular books OF the day.
When Dana was ut the height OF
his. fame 90 the master Of interna-
.tional law. President. Grant found Il
necessary to. remove John Lothrop
Mitley from, his post % minister to
Great Britain on account Of insubor.
dination. The cause Of the removal
was generally known: nevertheless.
both the president and his secretary
;of state. Hamilton Fish. We're severe,
~ criticised for removing Motley, the
general esteem in which he was held
'as author and historian causing the
administrations critics to overlook
the fact that Motley had fatty refused
TO obey the instructions Of his imme.
diate superior, Secretary Fish. Espe.
cially in Massachusetts, Motley's own
state, the people were indignant. they
taking 1t. apparently, as an affront to
the state because Motley had been
removed from his post Of high dis
tinction.
Six years later, in order to quiet the
hostile feeling in Massachusetts to-
wards the administration, when the
president received the resignation Of
General Robert G.. Schenck Of Ohio.
Motley's successor as minister to
Great Britain. he determined to nomi-
nate a Massachusetts man. for the
post. Secretary Fish recommended
the appointment Of. Richard Henry
Dana .Jr.., urging that he won fame
both as an author and a master Of in.
ternational law. The president at
once warmly approved the recommen-
dalton. and in due course sent Dana's
name to the senate. fully believing.
that confrmatfonasM disappointment
would follow within , day or two.
That was in 1876. Y
"Bmt the next day" said the late
Col: George Bliss. for many years an
intimate friend Of Richard Henry
Dana .Jr: and long a Republican par
ty leader in New York state. zone
Of the Massachusetts congressman
called upon the president and report
ed that Ben Butler. who had a per-
sonai grievance against Dana, and
one or two other prominent men Of
Massachusetts had begun an intrigue
with the avowed, object of prevailing
upon the senate not to confirm Dana's
appointment. In view Of this fact.
the presidents caller limited. It. per-
haps would be the better part for the
president to withdraw. the nomination
Of Dana.
~ will not withdraw it, President
Grant replied. grimly. IF Massachu,
sets. through the intrigues Of Butler
and others. is able to defeat the nomi
ination of Richard Henry Dana as
minister to Great Britain. then 7 want
that record: made. I. want 1t known
that, II ,Dana:s nomination is rejected.
Massachusetts did It.. - 4,
We'll. the intrigue was successful:
Dana's naine was rejected by the sem
ate. but that made. no difference IN
his position with the public. They
knew that he had richly deserved the
honor because of his legal learning,
hissapatr1otism. his character. The
fast that the public stood by him con.
soled Dana greatly. but the blow that
Ben Butler and his intriguing assoc
states induced the senate to give
Dana. was one from which Dams never
fully recovered to his dying day. Sell
he over grfeved over It. and
often to his most intimate friends he
would speak In sorrow Of this chapter
Of his career. It was the one great
Of his life"
1911. by +. j.. edwards. All
.ss Rights Reserved.)g
3tam,a Amaxon ouasA.