The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-11-17

T
il We find him committing amy great errors Mani
testify 10 the conclusion that like Waller Scott lac Is
a dishonest historian Aud If we find these errors up
on a subject which hls political preJudices would
operate against his honesty, II they operated at all
and which Is a source OF modification 10 almost eve
~ Englishman and certainly TO every English Tory,
do find in such fact anything to forliiy such con-
clusion; Common sense gives an affirmative answer
Stating these premises, We assert what every
| American knows who has read Alisons history, ana
| Is acquainted with the events of our last war WIN
Britain that in his account of hat the historian
has committed enormous Upon inns suulee' NC
Is not accurate historian and as ne cannon ono, ue
excuse of Ignorance, upon what ground can ne e'ai
the title OF an honest historian hi' aPo'oss.' .ie
newspaper 10 which have referred, says that inns
mart of his work was merely an Episode We admit
that in physical importance, the American "ar pears
no comparison with the war ensuing from the freneh
revolution. la those wars millions OF men were
engaged millions of slaughtered, thrones
we're demolished and new thrones erected, to be
demolished in turn cities were sacked populous KING
doms desolaed, and old institutions swept away
like forests before hurricane. But alter all ms
mischief was accomplished, what was the result
The restoration Of desposm TO every portion oil Oon'
tinenial Europe and the rescue of the English ogar'
chy from destruction, 10 reign more hercey and VIM
dictyely than ever.
Napoleon was arrested in his march TO the conquest
of Europe, but liberty gained nothing, or very niue
The rights Of man came out oil that contest re-
eved from scarcely single fetter. Hence how
great in physical results the wars OF the French
Revolution did not produce moral results at all com
mensurate with the magnitude OF the elements en-
gagged. But in the short war between the United
States and Britain, two great moral problems were
solved for the benefit Of mankind One IS that our
republican Institutions assailed by national enemies
without any disniecton and treason Wilhin, are sun
competent 10 any either Of peace or war,
and therefore constitute, IN the memorable words
Of Jefferson, g the strongest government earth.n
Another is that the British Navy is not iDyncible but
the contrary must yield the palm of superiority TO
the science and energy and courage OF our demo-
crazy. Thus in contest involving physical means
ncomparaby less than those engaged in the wars of
the French Revolutions were moral results attained
which the gr at European contest did not reach and
thus IN relation TO great moral considerations, deeply
affecting the welfare Of future generations, do these
mighty contests sink into the shade in comparison
with our own. AT the commencement and through
the progress OF these wars, two illusions prevailed
One was that our republican institutions were too
weak to endure either external pressure internal
division. Another that British skill and courage
were nyincibie on the ocean, and that all opposition
10 them was futile. Yet how thoroughly, how tri-
umphantly for that Democracy which is the object of
the historians especial raacor, these illusions
dispeed by few thousands of Democratic regulars
and militia, and ga few fir built lrigaes!" Who can
fail to see the solving of these problems the sub
sequent struggles of the French Germans Belgians,
Italians, Spanlards and Portuguese for liberty Who
can fail to see in them the rapid growth of the
French and Russian naves'
The moral influence of such contest, compare.
lively Insignificant as were the physical means in
volved in it, such a mind as Alisons could not have
been blind And being an Englishman and a Tory
and therefore deeply participating in the morfca-
ton OF his countrymen at their signal defeats by
raw Democratic militia" aud fir built frgates, -
he could not have been devoid of curiosity about the
details devoid OF desire 10 ascertain how such things
could have occurred. And as he must have asccr-
tanned that authentic records whether American or
English, were accessible he would not have omitted
careful examination of them. Yet we find that
upon tins very contest more mortifying to his coun.
try than any other on record, with every Inducement
to investigate, and with ample means for reaching
the truth, he commits enormous errors! And his
New York apologst, American newspaper ex-
cuses him by saying that he regarded this contest as
merely an episode Admitting this, what right, we
ask, had he TO regard such contest producing such
results, in such light Episode And even if he
were sufficiently blind TO the importance of this con
test TO regard it in this light, does this excuse his
interpretations Is he authorized to falslfy his
tory upon any subject, because that subject is less
important, in his estimation, than some others; u,
had supposed that truth in all things, was the hsto-
rian's duty But according TO this American apollo
gist OF Alison, historian may lawfully falsify when
ever his subject is not Of the highest importance
Admirable morality
But what confidence do the errors Of Alison in his
Episode inspire for the rest Of his work If he not
sufficiently careful honest to tell truth on This can
he be trusted on anything else No, Whether his
episode be wrong through carelessness or fraud the
error deprives him Of all claim 10 implicit confidence
IN any statement. But, says his apologst in proof
oil ms edndor he quotes two republicans for one row.
alist, and two Frenchmen for one Engshman This
proves nothing for If he select ten truths from his
republicans and five falsehoods from hs royalists or
the reverse, what y the value OF his history 1uho
rites must be estimated by some other standard than
number, for one honest witness is worth a dozen
iasifers. The amount Of this apology for fal.i6-
cation OF history is, that the author was not acquant-
ed win his subject, and would have treated Il very
Inherently II he bad been. And in connection with
thus, he is praised for his candor and careful reeach
Tor hceniy years. among fifteen hundred authorities
Aho as GROWING excuse, we are told that the Anne
rican edition of his misrepresentation concerning
o" country are published with explanatory notes by
The publisher! This last is a great merit in the his
fo1dn We really think that the apologist needs
support as much as his author; and with ali due re-
sPeci Tor the noblest work Of the present age" we
must be allowed 10 call this work .iisOn's Romance
The last number Of this history, containing
the chapter on America, has materially changed
our estimate Of the merits of the historian.
He has evidently been influenced by the British
Government TO misrepresent Us in many re-.
spects. As for his evident prejudices against
Napoleon, We were willing to pass them by as
matter OF course, in perusng the interesting
incidents IN the history, which. Of themselves.
are, we doubt not, correctly given, and which
give the work all tie charms Of a romance.
En-. MAD.l
MARRyAT's New NovEL-Narrarive of the
Travels aud Adventures of Monsieur Violet