Quincy Adams (whose " Letters from Silesia " were originally published in it), maintained the " Portfolio's " high reputation for many years. It was said, after the death of Brockden i3rown, that Dennie was the only man in the country that made literature a profession. His appearance was de- scribed by Buckingham in this manner: "He was rather above the average height, and of slender frame ; was attentive to his dress, appearing one May morning at the office in a pea-green coat, white vest, nankeen small-clothes, white silk stock- ings and pumps, fastened with silver buckles which covered at least half the foot from the instep to the toe." He wrote very rapidly, and deferred the preparation of his " copy " until the last moment. One of the best of his lay sermons was written at the village tavern, where he and his friends were amusing themselves with cards. It was delivered by piece-meal, at four or five different times, and if he happened to be engaged in a game, he would ask some one to play his hand for him while he "gave the devil his due." Dennie founded in Philadelphia the " Tuesday Club," which included most of the contributors to the " Portfolio." His work was confined principally to periodicals, but two collections of his writings were published — " The Lay Preacher, or Short Sermons for Idle Readers" (Walpole, N. H.. 179G), and a volume of " The Lay Preacher," collected by John E. Hall (Philadelphia, 1817). He aimed to unite " the familiarity of Franklin with the simplicity of Sterne " in these ingenious essays.
DENNIS, George Robertson, senator, b. in
White Haven, Somerset co., Md., 8 April, 1822; d.
there, 13 Aug., 1882. He was graduated at the
Polytechnic institute of Troy, N. Y., and the Uni-
versity of Virginia. He studied medicine at the
University of Pennsylvania, was graduated there in
1842, and, after practising for several years, he re-
tired and devoted his attention to agriculture. He
was a delegate to the National convention that
nominated Fillmore in 1856, and to the Democratic
national convention in 1868. serving as one of the
vice-presidents. He was elected to the Maryland
state senate in 1854, to the house of delegates in
1867, and to the senate again in 1871. While fill-
ing this office he was elected U. S. senator from
Maryland as a democrat, serving until 187;:3.
DENNISON, William, war governor of Ohio, b. in Cincinnati, Ohio, 23 Nov., 1815; d. in Columbus, 15 June, 1882. His father was a prosperous business man, and had him prepared for college in the best schools of Cincinnati. He was graduated at Miami in 1835, studied law in Cincinnati, under the direction of Nathaniel Pendleton and Stephen Fales, and practiced in Columbus until 1848, in which year he was chosen to the state legislature. About this period Mr. Dennison became interested in banking and in railroad affairs, and was president of the Exchange bank and president of the Columbus and Xenia railroad company. In 1856 he was a delegate to the first National convention of the Republican party. He was chosen governor of Ohio in 1860 by the Republicans, and delivered his first message to the general assembly in 1861. At his suggestion the legislature voted $3,000,000 to protect the state “from invasion and insurrection,” and conferred power upon the executive to raise troops. Gov. Dennison was an anti-slavery man and an ardent admirer of President Lincoln. In response to his call for 11,000 troops, he offered 30,000, sending agents to Washington to urge their acceptance. He took possession of the telegraph lines and railroads in the name of the state, and siezed money in tran-situ from Washington to Ohio, which he gave to the quartermaster-general to clothe and equip soldiers. Gov. Dennison was a delegate to the Republican national convention in 1864, and was elected chairman. He was appointed by President Lincoln postmaster-general in 1864, and continued in that office , under President Johnson, until his resignation in 1866. Gov. Dennison was a member of the National Republican convention at Chicago in 1880, and was leader of the friends of Senator John Sherman during the struggle for the nomination. He was also a candidate for senator that year. He contributed largely to Dennison college, Granville, Ohio.
DENNY, Thomas, banker, b. in Leicester,
Mass., in 1804 ; d. in New York city. 21 Oct., 1874.
He was graduated at Harvard, with honors, in
1823, studied law in Boston, and was admitted to
the bar, but soon removed to New York and en-
gaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1852 he became
a member of the Stock Exchange, and in 1858
formed the banking-house of Thomas Denny &
Co. Mr. Denny took deep interest in the promo-
tion of education and philanthropic and Christian
effort. He was an active promoter of the College
of the city of New York, and of the Free School
for girls, in 12th street, in that city. He was
one of the. foundei's of the Society for improving
the condition of the poor, a director of the New
York juvenile asylum, trustee of the Society for
the relief of the ruptured and crippled, and one
of the managers of the City mission.
DENNY, William, deputy governor of Penn-
sylvania, from August, 1756, till October, 1759.
On his arrival in the colony he was warmly wel-
comed ; but his determination to obey the instruc-
tions of the proprietors soon rendered him un-
popular. He had frequent disagreements with the
colonial assembly, but his need of money finally
became such that he signed a bill taxing the pro-
prietary interests, which action led to his recall.
DENONVILLE, Jacques Rene de Bresay, Marquis de, French governor of Canada. In 1685 he succeeded De la Barre as governor of Canada, and retained that office for four years. He was a brave soldier, but his administration of the duties of his office was such as brought the French colony in Canada to the verge of ruin. Acting on the ad-
vice of Louis XIV., he, in 1687, sent forty-one of the warriors of the Five Nations across the ocean to be chained to the oar in the galleys of Marseilles, and followed up this act of cruelty with an unprovoked attack upon the Senecas. They and other Indians retaliated so successfully that, after the massacre of the French at Lachine, there was hardly a French post left between Three Rivers and Mackinaw. During the period of his governorship he found a most determined opponent to the French claims of territorial extension in Gov. Dongan, of New York, who, in opposing Denonville and the French, was acting contrary to the instructions he had received from King Charles
