The Journal of Benjamin Moran, 1857-1865

Chicago, IL: Univ. of Chicago Press, [1948-49]. Hardcover. 24 cm, 1489 pages total, 2-vol. set. Illustrations. Footnotes. Index. DJ's worn and soiled:,small tears and small pieces missing. Benjamin Moran (b. Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 1820 – d. Braintree, Essex, on 20 June 1886) worked at the United States Legation (later the US Embassy) in London from 1853 to 1874. In 1853, around the time that James Buchanan, who was from the same county in Pennsylvania as Moran, became US ambassador in London, Moran became a temporary clerk at the legation. In 1854, he gained a permanent post and, in 1857, he was appointed Assistant Secretary and the he was promoted to Secretary, serving until 1874. From 1857, he kept a private diary which was subsequently published; the diary is of interest mainly because it documents how the US Civil War was seen in the UK. Buchanan was elected President and George M. Dallas became Ambassador in London, where Moran stayed. Moran became co-owner of the London-based Spectator magazine, which he used to promote Buchanan's views against a generally hostile, anti-slavery British press. They dramatically altered the tone of the magazine and its circulation declined substantially. It was sold in January 1861, by which time Abraham Lincoln had taken over. In 1875, he was made Minister Resident to Portugal and, since this was the first instance of this kind of promotion in US diplomatic history, some regard him as the first American career diplomat. When the office of Minister Resident was discontinued in 1876, Moran was made Chargé d'Affaires at Lisbon, serving until 1882. Condition: Good / Fair.

Keywords: Civil War, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Moran, Charles Adams, Queen Victoria, Napoleon III, Great Britain, Diplomacy, George Dallas

[Book #22184]

Price: $125.00