Politically he had been a Democrat until the outbreak of the Civil war, since which time he has been an adherent of the Republican party. As such he was in February, 1883, appointed United States Minister to Persia, being the first American to hold the post of minister in that oriental realm. He did excellent work in the protection of the rights of American citizens in Persia, and was usefully active in other directions. Resigning on the accession of President Cleveland, Mr. Benjamin returned to his labors in art and literature, changing his place of residence several times, and finally making Washington his home. His books number twenty in all, including poems, works of fiction and of travel, critical and descriptive books on art, a work on "Troy," one on "Persia and the Persians," etc. Three of these works were republished in London, and one, translated into two East Indian dialects, was published in Bombay. In addition, his contributions to periodicals have been very numerous and were frequently illustrated by his own hand.
As may be seen, Mr. Benjamin's career has been a varied one, in literature, art and diplomacy. His one experience in politics was in 1892, when he was made president of the Republican club of Richmond county. New York. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha and Phi Beta Kappa college fraternities, the Boston Art club, the Sons of the Revolution, etc., and has been vice-president of the Society of American Authors. Though always a good pedestrian and fond of horseback exercise and of athletics, the sea has been his favorite field of enjoyment, his special gratification being in yachting and long sea-voyages. He has found life a complex problem, circumstance together with the resolution formed in early life to be a free lance and to preserve entire independence of action in the expression of his energies, having more than once influenced him to vary his pursuits; and he has been led to the expressed conclusion that the sum of life is effort, and that well directed effort, with a high aim, even when seemingly a failure, contributes to what we may hold to be the ultimate success, the formation of an elevated character.
