AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
ANDREW DICKSON WHITE
WITH PORTRAITS
VOLUME I
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1905
Copyright, 1904, 1905, by
THE CENTURY CO.
---Published March, 1905
THE DE VINNE PRESS
TO
MY OLD STUDENTS
THIS RECORD OF MY LIFE
IS INSCRIBED
WITH MOST KINDLY RECOLLECTIONS
AND BEST WISHES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I--ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION
CHAPTER I. BOYHOOD IN CENTRAL NEW YORK--1832-1850
The ``Military Tract'''' of New York. A settlement on the
headwaters of the Susquehanna. Arrival of my grandfathers and
grandmothers. Growth of the new settlement. First recollections
of it. General character of my environment. My father and
mother. Cortland Academy. Its twofold effect upon me. First
schooling. Methods in primary studies. Physical education.
Removal to Syracuse. The Syracuse Academy. Joseph Allen
and Professor Root; their influence; moral side of the education
thus obtained. General education outside the school. Removal to
a ``classical school''''; a catastrophe. James W. Hoyt and his
influence. My early love for classical studies. Discovery of
Scott''s novels. ``The Gallery of British Artists.'''' Effect of
sundry conventions, public meetings, and lectures. Am sent to
Geneva College; treatment of faculty by students. A ``Second
Adventist'''' meeting; Howell and Clark; my first meeting with
Judge Folger. Philosophy of student dissipation at that place and
time.
CHAPTER II. YALE AND EUROPE--1850-1857
My coup d''tat. Removal to Yale. New energy in study and
reading. Influence of Emerson, Carlyle, and Ruskin. Yale in
1850. My disappointment at the instruction; character of
president and professors; perfunctory methods in lower-class
rooms; ``gerund-grinding'''' vs. literature; James Hadley--his
abilities and influence, other professors; influence of President
Woolsey, Professors Porter, Silliman, and Dana; absence of
literary instruction; character of that period from a literary
point of view; influences from fellow-students. Importance of
political questions at that time. Sundry successes in essay
writing. Physical education at Yale; boating. Life abroad after
graduation; visit to Oxford; studies at the Sorbonne and
Collge de France; afternoons at the Invalides; tramps through
western and central France. Studies at St. Petersburg. Studies
at Berlin. Journey in Italy; meeting with James Russell Lowell
at Venice. Frieze, Fishburne, and studies in Rome. Excursions
through the south of France. Return to America. Influence of
Buckle, Lecky, and Draper. The atmosphere of Darwin and Spencer.
Educational environment at the University of Michigan.
PART II--POLITICAL LIFE
CHAPTER III. FROM JACKSON TO FILLMORE--1832-1851
Political division in my family; differences between my father
and grandfather; election of Andrew Jackson. First recollections
of American politics, Martin Van Buren. Campaign of 1840;
campaign songs and follies. Efforts by the Democrats; General
Crary of Michigan; Corwin''s speech. The Ogle gold-spoon speech.
The Sub-Treasury Question. Election of General Harrison; his
death. Disappointment in President Tyler. Carelessness of
nominating conventions as to the second place upon the ticket.
Campaign of 1844. Clay, Birney, and Polk. Growth of
anti-slavery feeling. Senator Hale''s lecture. Henry Clay''s
proposal, The campaign of 1848; General Taylor vs. General Cass.
My recollections of them both. State Conventions at this period.
Governor Bouck; his civility to Bishop Hughes. Fernando
Wood; his method of breaking up a State Convention. Charles
O''Conor and John Van Buren; boyish adhesion to Martin Van Buren
against General Taylor; Taylor''s election; his death. My
recollections of Millard Fillmore. The Fugitive Slave Law.
CHAPTER IV. EARLY MANHOOD--1851-1857
``Jerry'''', his sudden fame. Speeches of Daniel Webster and Henry
Clay at Syracuse on the Fugitive Slave Law ; their prophecies.
The ``Jerry Rescue.'''' Trials of the rescuers. My attendance at
one of them. Bishop Loguen''s prayer and Gerrit Smith''s speech.
Characteristics of Gerrit Smith. Effects of the rescue trials.
Main difficulty of the anti-slavery party. ``Fool reformers.''''
Nominations of Scott and Pierce; their qualities.
Senator Douglas. Abolition of the Missouri Compromise. Growth
of ill feeling between North and South. Pro-slavery tendencies
at Yale. Stand against these taken by President Woolsey and
Leonard Bacon. My candidacy or editorship of the ``Yale Literary
Magazine.'''' Opposition on account of my anti-Slavery ideas. My
election. Temptations to palter with my conscience; victory over
them. Professor Hadley''s view of duty to the Fugitive Slave
Law. Lack of opportunity to present my ideas. My chance on
Commencement Day. ``Modern Oracles.'''' Effect of my speech on
Governor Seymour. Invitation to his legation at St. Petersburg
after my graduation. Effect upon me of Governor Seymour''s ideas
regarding Jefferson. Difficulties in discussing the slavery
question. My first discovery as to the value of political
criticism in newspapers. Return to America. Presidential
campaign of 1856. Nomination of Frmont. My acquaintance
with the Democratic nominee Mr Buchanan. My first vote.
Argument made for the ``American Party.'''' Election of Buchanan.
My first visit to Washington. President Pierce at the White
House. Inauguration of the new President. Effect upon me of his
speech and of a first sight of the United States Senate.
Impression made by the Supreme Court. General impression made by
Washington. My first public lecture--``Civilization in Russia'''';
its political bearing; attacks upon it and vindications of it.
Its later history.
CHAPTER V. THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD--1857-1864.
My arrival at the University of Michigan. Political side of
professorial life. General purpose of my lectures in the
university and throughout the State. My articles in the
``Atlantic Monthly.'''' President Buchanan, John Brown Stephen A.
Douglas, and others. The Chicago Convention. Nomination of
Lincoln. Disappointment of my New York friends. Speeches by
Carl Schurz. Election of Lincoln. Beginnings of Civil War. My
advice to students. Reverses; Bull Run. George Sumner''s view.
Preparation for the conflict. Depth of feeling. Pouring out of
my students into the army. Kirby Smith. Conduct of the British
Government. Break in my health. Thurlow Weed''s advice to me.
My work in London. Discouragements there. My published answer
to Dr. Russell. Experiences in Ireland and France. My horror of
the French Emperor. Effort to influence opinion in Germany.
William Walton Murphy; his interview with Baron Rothschild.
Fourth of July celebration at Heidelberg in 1863. Turning of the
contest in favor of the United States. My election to the Senate
of the State of New York.
CHAPTER VI. SENATORSHIP AT ALBANY--1864-1865
My arrival at Albany as State Senator. My unfitness. Efforts to
become acquainted with State questions. New acquaintances.
Governor Horatio Seymour, Charles James Folger, Ezra Cornell, and
others on the Republican side; Henry C. Murphy and Thomas C.
Fields on the Democratic side. Daniel Manning. Position
assigned me on committees. My maiden speech. Relations with
Governor Seymour. My chairmanship of the Committee on Education.
The Morrill Act of 1862. Mr. Cornell and myself at loggerheads
Codification of the Educational Laws. State Normal School Bill.
Special Committee on the New York Health Department. Revelations
made to the Committee. The Ward''s Island matter. Last great
effort of the State in behalf of the Union. The Bounty Bill.
Opposition of Horace Greeley to it. Embarrassment caused by him
at that period. Senator Allaben''s speech against the Bounty
Bill. His reference to French Assignats; my answer; results;
later development of this speech into a political pamphlet on
``Paper Money Inflation in France.'''' Baltimore Convention of
1864; its curious characteristics; impression made upon me by it.
Breckinridge, Curtis, and Raymond. Renomination of Lincoln; my
meeting him at the White House. Sundry peculiarities then
revealed by him. His election.
CHAPTER VII. SENATORSHIP AT ALBANY--1865-1867
My second year in the State Senate. Struggle for the Charter of
Cornell University. News of Lee''s surrender. Assassination of
Lincoln. Service over his remains at the Capitol in Albany. My
address. Question of my renomination. Elements against me; the
Tammany influence; sundry priests in New York, and clergymen
throughout the State. Senatorial convention; David J. Mitchell;
my renomination and election. My third year of service, 1866.
Speech on the Health Department in New York; monstrous iniquities
in that Department; success in replacing it with a better system.
My Phi Beta Kappa address at Yale; its purpose. My election to a
Professorship at Yale; reasons for declining it. State Senate
sits as Court to try a judge; his offense; pathetic
complications; his removal from office. Arrival of President
Johnson, Secretary Seward, General Grant, and Admiral Farragut in
Albany; their reception by the Governor and Senate; impressions
made on me thereby; part taken by Governor Fenton and Secretary
Seward; Judge Folger''s remark to me. Ingratitude of the State
thus far to its two greatest Governors, DeWitt Clinton and
Seward.
CHAPTER VIII. ROSCOE CONKLING AND JUDGE FOLGER--1867-1868
Fourth year in the State Senate, 1867. Election of a United
States Senator; feeling throughout the State regarding Senators
Morgan and Harris; Mr. Cornell''s expression of it. The
candidates; characteristics of Senator Harris, of Judge Davis, of
Roscoe Conkling. Services and characteristics of the latter
which led me to support him; hostility of Tammany henchmen
to us both. The legislative caucus. Presentation of candidates;
my presentation of Mr. Conkling; reception by the audience of my
main argument; Mr. Conkling elected. ...
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