Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-07-15

anu---ii ne ever reaus--reaus the evidence afler-
wards. F sep8
Doubtless we ourselves, for the expedition of
justice, sometimes find thai mode Of procedure not
only convenient, but most necessary for there be
volumes enough, in the present crowded state Of the
literary docket and the actual enormous growth Of
literary crime, which one has no need TO be the
Judge Page of Popes time, in order 70 hang before
you heart But one should know with whom ~
deal after this fashion, and should administer this
sort of Crown Law only to ascertained or obvious
bockheads. Such is always our own practice:
wherever there is, from the known character of
Of an author, any hope that we shall be better able
TO crisicise his book after than before the having
read il, we constantly make it point to go through
that labor OF preparation sad il often is and,
upon the whole unusual is our course, we sus-
pect that our criticism is all the better for it.
The boldness Of Mr.. Wheelers undertaking, his
known and indeed unusual competency to it, and
the importance Of such book, if well executed, TO
not only the future historian but the present Foli-
tcian of our own country and of all others which
the sudyo of our affairs can enlghten, left US no
choice but attenyely to peruse this specimen Of his
labors that are to be-, this coup dessai, this trial
OF his strength--ths experimental volume, as the
first in novel and large design must always of
necessity be. Before saying how far we are salts
fed with it, we will endeavor 10 remove some of
those false impressions which others have taken up.
The author has obviously perceived and obeyed
that law Of Living Biography which we have already
explained: the temper of his book, that is to say,
is, in regard TO persons, eulogstc. Iii clearly not
so, however, beyond what we consider the almost
unavoidable measure. Men seem good deal taller
on the stage than off it, and giant at distance
looks puny in comparison with common man
near US. We see no instance of any servile, any
excessive eXaggcration OF mems abilities or elo-
quence or other merit. If over-estimaed, they are
oyer-estimated by the same SCALE 1t strikes us, in
deed, that the praise distributed is usually put into
rather cold and conventional terms, not by any
means such as vain or ambitious public men would
pay for. We have remarked no instance of the
contrary, unless it be (as some may think) in the
case of Southern member whose generous and
kindly personal qualities and liberal and honest
public ones make it difficult not to overrate his eo
quence. On the other hand, it is difficult not to
| be struck with the fairness with which Mr.. GID
DINGs-a gentleman by no means kindly regarded
POLITICALLY speaking) except by the small party of
the Abotonsts-is treated, despite of prejudlces
in which the biographer himself plainly shares As
with individuals, so with parties: the book seems
TO Us as resolutely fair as any man could well be
who had an opinion of his own: and how should
any body be capable of writing on such subjects
who is inert enough not to have any opinion as be-
tween parties There is no effort to exhibit one
party to its disadvantage, or 10 apologize for the
other. We see no case where the contrary might
be held, except that of the history of the Oregon
question attached to the Life of Mr.. Douglas; and
there, how could any body pretend 10 write like a
historian without stating the facts that they would
tell against Mr.. Polk
The next point to be seirightis hs-the dispropor-
tionae length of the biographies or rather Of par
tcuar one, where the hero does not tower above
every body else in greatness he does in his num-
! Der of pages. Senator DOUGLAS, that is to say,
| occupies one hundred and twelve pages, while no.
body else covers more than about half that space.
Here, however, the disproportion yanlshes the in
slant the fact is stated that Just eighty of these pages
are history of the Oregon question, not Of Mr.
Douglas, who is thus reduced to only thirty-two
pages. That history has obviously been embodied
where it stands, not because Mr.. Douglas PLAYED
any leading part in il, but because it was his for
tune to be, in the House Of Representatives, the
mover of the resolution for terminating our Joint
occupancy with Great Britain; which fact offered
the properest hook on which 10 hang the account
of the whole. Mr.. ID. makes no particular figure
in the story, and is but moderately magnfed in the
life, nearly threefourths of which tells against his
views on one Of the only two great public ques-
tons where he has been at all conspicuous.
4 lac HlsapprenenslOn incurred IN tnls case ought
perhaps to admonish Mr.. Wheeler not again to at
tach the history OF particular measure or policy
or event to an individual life. We foresee that his
Biography of Measures will make the most valuable
part of his work, and will become not merely the
general guide to Congressional history, but it.
self leading authority, which must be in the hands
and at the fnger-ends of all who engage in our po-
itical discussions, whether from the desk or the
stump. Others are to come in his next volume,
which will be of great importance in the canvass
now at hand
In short, we do not see that either OF our public
parties is to gain from such historian, except Just
so far as the written truth will profit them. And,
let us add, that in system like ours nothing Isl so
necessary exact and authoritative political records
to check party and personal alterations.
What Goldsmith says, in the opening of his Life
OF Parnell, OF poets, is in the main as true of our
politicians; their peaceful lives, spent in making
people happy, should have little of adventure For,
as the history of happy nations is dull so should
be that OF the men that make them happy. Few
Of the biographies in this first Of Mr.. Wheeler's
volumes are at all eventful
We have not left ourselves space to give exam
Piles of the manner in which the book is executed
to style. Its general character is, however, lu-
cid, earnest, and business-like--proper parliament
tary, we should say with few defects and not am
bilious Of beauties.
Fury and froth expect fcm Dennis rage: