Though At
One Time A Member Of The Massachusetts Legislature, He Was Defeated
As Candidate For The Lower House Of Congress, And In 1876 Suffered
The Bitterest Disappointment Of His Life, When The Libellous Attacks
Of Enemies Prevented The Ratification Of His Nomination As Minister
To England.
Previous to this he had served his country as United States
District Attorney during the Civil War, a time when the office
demanded the highest type of ability and uprightness.
That the
government appreciated this was shown in 1867 by its choice of
Dana as one of its counsel in the prosecution of Jefferson Davis
for treason. The position of legal representative before the
Halifax tribunal of 1877, which met to discuss fishery questions
at issue between the United States and Canada, was given him no
doubt in part because of his eminent fitness, in part as balm for
the wound of the preceding year.
But whatever satisfaction he may have found in such honors as time
and ripening years brought to him, his chief joy and relaxation lay
in travel. When worry and overwork began to tell upon him, he would
betake himself to shore or mountains. Upon several occasions he
visited Europe, and in 1859 made a tour of the world. At length,
in 1876, he gave up active life and took residence abroad, with
the idea of finding leisure for the preparation of a treatise on
international law. He was still engaged in collecting his material
when, on January 6, 1882, death overtook him.
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