The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-26

want of better description, we should call a
hazy form of religion, popular among many,
but In which we can trace very little OF that
kind of simple belief in an old-fashioned book,
once more undenyingly recognised as the stand
ard of faith and practice. The usual incidents
of a novel, unhappy marriage, desertion, Sc,
duction, struggles of duty and love, murder,
suicide, &C., have their place; and, though the
author, by the introduction of these scenes and
episodes, appears to wish to "point moral"
as well as "adorn a tale" yet there is an evil
dent failure in securing the effect aimed at.
The impression, as we lay down the book, is
not the one purposed but sort of dreamy re-
membrance of certain good ideas and agreea-
BILE descriptions, mingled in with melancholy
history and startling incidents, hardly likely
to have been gone through in the life of
woman, at the age of Berenice, when it closes.
The indications are, we think, that the work is
a first effort and there are CLEANS, all through
the volume, that the author has powers that
need not fear to draw forth another arrow, full
as pointed and yet better fitted to hit the mark,
and bear off need of merited commentator.
In the style of printing, double loaded, clear
tyye, and broad margins, it is all we could wish.
THE WAR KANSAS: Rough Trip to the Border among
New Homes and a Strange People. BY G. Douglas
Beaverton &c. New York Derby Jackson. 1856.
For sale by Taylor Maury Washington, ID. c.
"War in Kansas is the heading of many
column in the public journals, and the public
are beginning at last to awake to the fact, that
the words are not mere hue and cry, got up
for present effect. The history Of the outrages
which the bona .tide settlers in that Territory
have suffered at the hands Of set of lawless
men across their border, trampling down their
rights as citizens, robbing and numbering harm
less individuals, is yet to be written. When it
is so, it will be matter of wonder, that patience
has so long borne, with endurance, wrongs that
might well have called forth retaliation, and
the heroic fortitude of brave men and women,
champions and sufferers for Liberty, will COM
mand admiration by all who have not so long
eaten dirt, that they have no relish for strong
er and better food. But the correspondent of the
New York Herald, no matter what his profess
sions are, as to presenting fair statement of
facts, is not that authority to which any one,
who knows the character of that venal and
Pro-Slavery sheet, will look to derive accurate
information. The manner in which he here
speaks of the contest for freedom of election,
and the air of ridicule by which he attempts to
degrade the efforts of noble spirits struggling
to make Kansas a land of freemen and free in
situations, the Wholesale calumnies he vents on
the Emigrant Aid Associations, the evident
sympathy he has for Atchison and his marau-
ders, show that with such state of mind he
would have shamed father for bearing his part
unison with the men of'76. 1t must be soul
that has drunk deep indeed into subserviency to
the Slave Power, that can indite such pages,
and call them impartial. The author, by his
own showing, sold himself to the New York
Herald to write such letters as its conductors
would publish; and everybody knows what they
must therefore be. That his pretended portraits
are gross caricatures, so far as the Free State
party is concerned, needs not half an eye to
see. In the language he has put into the mouths
but has blended up expressions which might
perhaps be used by the uneducated class of
Northern men and women, with phrases that
never are heard in New England, but belong
exclusively to the South and Southwest. 1t is
a wellknown fact, that the New England set
tiers of Kansas are a class of persons better
educated than any colonization or emigration
that has gathered in our new States and in such
a contrariety to verisiimitude, while he betrays
his own want of high principle, he makes him.
self ridiculous. No doubt, if he were to publish
another volume on the more recent murders
and plundering, he would be as ready to bow
down in homage to the plotters and actors who
have sought to force Slavery upon an unwilling
people. But when once the opportunity has
been had of forming an estimate of this author
ship, the public will learn to look elsewhere for
such knowledge as they wish respecting that
battle ground of Liberty. The publishers have
given the book better dress than the contents
deserve. The authors portrait, a la Kansas,
whether correct or not, marks the man, and no
one would misjudge where his sympathies would
be directed.