Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
History
Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall)
Boutwell, George S. (George Sewall), 1818-1905; United States -- Politics and government
Simon Greenleaf, the author of the work on Evidence, was a member of
the Convention, and his influence was considerable. He was a dry,
hard-headed lawyer. His influence was due to his reputation rather
than to his power as a debater. Had he come to the Convention as an
unknown person, his standing would have been in the second or third class.
Richard H. Dana, Jr., added to his reputation by his speeches in the
Convention. His style was free from exaggeration, and he addressed
himself to the question at issue and always with effect. My intimate
acquaintance with Mr. Dana began during the session of the Convention.
In 1854 and 1855 I visited him and his father, the poet, at their home
in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Mr. Dana, Sr., was a genial man, but
reserved, and not much given to conversation. My friendship with Mr.
Dana continued until General Butler became a candidate for Congress in
the Essex district, and Mr. Dana became the nominee of the dissenting
Republicans. That year I placed myself in the hands of the State
Committee for a limited number of speeches, and by direction of the
Committee, I spoke twice in the Essex district in aid of General
Butler, who was the regular nominee of the party. From that time Mr.
Dana avoided me, and when we met he addressed me with the coldest
formality. At a meeting in this canvass held in Gloucester, I combated
the charge of the Democrats that there had been many and great
defalcations under Republican rule, and among other things I said the
greatest defalcation was by a man who had been identified with the
Democratic Party. A man in the gallery said: "Name him." I answered:
--"His name is ----." "Oh," said my questioner, "I don't care anything
about that! I didn't know but it was General Butler."
When General Grant nominated Mr. Dana for the English mission, I was in
the Senate, and I endeavored to secure his confirmation. General
Butler appeared as his opponent. The case at first turned upon his
manners and his responsibility in the matter of his edition of
Wheaton's International Law. In the suit instituted by Beach Lawrence,
the Court had found that Dana had violated the copyright of Mr.
Lawrence. I made a careful study of the case, and I flattered myself
that I had satisfied the Senate that Mr. Dana's offence was merely
technical, and that it ought not to interfere with his confirmation.
At that moment there appeared a letter from Mr. Dana which contained
an attack upon General Cameron, then a member of the Senate, and Mr.
Dana's case was rendered hopeless. He secured his own defeat when his
enemies were powerless to accomplish it. He was, however, very
grateful to me for my effort in his behalf. The result was a heavy
blow to his ambition and he resolved to prepare a new work on
International Law. For that purpose he took his residence in Europe,
but death came too soon for the realization of his purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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