Chapter 22: beginning of a New era
- Editor of Chicago Republican -- Opposes policy of Andrew Johnson -- Supports Grant for presidency -- life of Grant -- failure of Chicago newspaper -- returns to New York
Having terminated his connection with the War Department, Dana sent in his resignation on July 1, 1865, and a few days later proceeded to Chicago for the purpose of becoming editor of the Daily Republican. It has been stated that he was not specially anxious at best to take up again the work of journalism, and that he had hoped on his retirement from the public service to make some business connection which would offer better inducements than editing or publishing a newspaper, but this hope was not to be realized. His talents according to the belief of his friends lay in the direction of his previous employment, and at the instance of Senator Trumbull and other prominent men of Illinois, he consented to accept the editorship of a new Republican paper which had been started a few weeks before. Its capital was fixed at five hundred thousand dollars, and this sum, had it been paid in, or even subscribed by solvent people, would have been ample, but as it turned out the enterprise was based largely upon promises that were never realized. Dana threw himself with his accustomed vigor into the discussions of the day, and soon made his mark in the affairs of the city and State, as well as of the nation. The re-establishment of the Union, through the reconstruction
