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an unprecedented circulation of two hundred and eight thousand through the mails, and thus, with the daily and semi-weekly, doubtless came before at least a million readers every week.
While the circulation was confined largely to the
Northern and Western States, it must not be forgotten that those States contained the principal centres of population, and when sufficiently united in public sentiment were sure to come into control of Congress and the general government.
It needed but a few acts like the assault on
Sumner to so influence and unite the
North as to place a political victory within its grasp.
That
Dana fully expected the election of
Fremont, and counted upon it to preserve the
Union for at least four years to come, is shown not only by the editorials of the
Tribune, but by his private correspondence:
In July he wrote to James Pike:
... It is a great canvass; for genuine inspiration, 1840 couldn't; hold a candle.
I am more than ever convinced that Fremont was the man for us. ...
Later he added:
... If you had approved either Fremont or his life, I should have been alarmed, but your total condemnation quite reassures me. I notice that Garrison, Parker Pillsbury, S. S. Foster, and other disunionists hold the same language.
It is alarming thus to see all the Damphools against us. Our course and our candidate need no other indorsements. ...
On October 4th he declared:
The political prospect brightens constantly.
In this State it is hard to tell how big the majority will be. I bet on fifty thousand over both Fillmore and Buchanan . ... Pennsylvania, week after next, will go by from thirty to forty thousand against Buchanan. . . . The tide is rising with a
