ne. He followed the Van
Burens in 1848, becoming the Barnburners' candidate for governor, and
immediately preceding the reduction of Fort Sumter advocated the
restoration of the Missouri compromise, perpetuating slavery in all
territory south of 36 deg. 30'. After the war he joined President Johnson,
presided at the famous Philadelphia convention in 1866, and in return
received appointments as minister to The Hague and later to France.
For several years, under the changing conditions of Weed's leadership,
he figured as a possible candidate for governor, first of one party
and then of the other, but the Republicans declined to accept him in
1862 and 1864, and the Democrats refused to take him in 1866. After
President Grant had relieved him of the French mission by the
appointment of Elihu B. Washburne, he inclined like Weed himself to
the Liberal movement until the nomination of Greeley, whom they both
despised.

Seymour charged Dix with being "a mercenary man," who "rented out his
influence gained from political positions to companies of doubtful
character for large pay."[1389] At a later day he sketched his
readiness "to change his politics" for "a large consideration and pay
down." It was a drastic arraignment. "Starting out with a view of
being an Anti-Mason," wrote Seymour, "he shifted to the Democratic
party for the office of adjutant-general. He hesitated between Cass
and Van Buren until he was nominated for governor by the Free-Soilers.
He went back to the Democratic party for the New York post-office
under Pierce. He went over to Buchanan for a place in the cabinet; and
from his Free-Soil views he became so violent for the South that he
would not vote for Douglas, but supported Breckinridge. After
presiding at an anti-war meeting he went over to Lincoln, when he was
made a major-general. To get a nomination for the French mission he
took part with President Johnson. To get confirmed he left him for
Grant. In 1868 he intrigued for a presidential nomination from the
Democratic party; as in 1866 he had tried to be nominated by the same
party for the office of governor. I think this history shows that he
valued his political principles at a high rate, and never sold them
unless he got a round price and pay down."[1390]

[Footnote 1389: Bigelow's _Life of Tilden_, Vol. 1, p. 228.]

[Footnote 1390: _Ibid._, p. 232.]

Of the same age as Dix, Weed knew his history perfectly, which during
and after the war resembled