John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[488] self-vengeance, to which he never made any reply, and I believe that they were all false. He was one of the proudest men in the world, and he scorned to defend himself against such imputations just as much as he scorned every suggestion which looked to his surrendering any opinion, purpose, or policy of his own.

In politics Mr. Bennett usually supported the Democratic party, and upon the question of slavery, which was the great theme of the half-century, he was always on the side of the institution, and poured all the violence of his sarcasm, logic, and hatred upon the abolitionists. His support of slavery was undoubtedly one of the points of popularity which made the Herald strong with the business interests and the conservative sentiment of the country. Yet in 1856, when the Republican party started out on its magnificent career and nominated John C. Fremont for president, Mr. Bennett for the first time turned his back upon the Democrats, and gave a qualified but not ineffectual support to the Western pathfinder. Now, for the first time, he began to make room in the Herald for arguments against slavery, and began even to write against the institution himself. These arguments were not like those of any other writer, but they were exceedingly efficacious, and this kind of qualified support was partially continued up to the nomination of Lincoln. But it was never pushed to the point of entirely breaking with the Southern interest until after the Civil War began. Even then it was reported that Bennett would not hang out the stars and stripes from the Herald office until after Fulton Street had been visited by a mob. But, however that may be, it is certain that Mr. Lincoln made a great account of the Herald afterwards; and I know of my own knowledge that at one time he tendered to Mr. Bennett the appointment of minister to France. The compliment was declined; but it was appreciated, and I don't think that after that there was ever a word in the Herald which could have caused pain to Mr. Lincoln.

Finally, when the career of Mr. Bennett was ended, the antagonisms and hostilities that had surrounded his life were