Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-11-28

MADISON. BY William c. RiYes- YolumeI. Bos-
ton:-Idttle, Brown Co-1S50.
The volume entitled as above is destined
to take rank in American Libraries as the
standard work upon the interesting histo-
Tical and. bfogra phical subjects of which it
treats. Perhaps no man that has lived, or
is living now, could have been better fitted
for writing such book, than the distin-
guished author of the one before US. It
is not always the contemporary to whose
hands the Office of Biographer OF Historian
is most safely entrusted Especially is
this true when that Office is to be perform
ed with respect to times that were preg-
nant with political antagonisms, and men
who participated in the struggles and con-
ficts of such times. In thesmidst of the
agitating influences around him, preju-
dices and partialities inevitably fastcn
themselves upon the contemporary, and,
honest as he may wish to be, give undue
color to the subjects with which he deals.
After the lapse of years, when feelings
have been softeued and worn down, new
generation can mostly pass better judg:
ment upon the times preceding them, than
their ancestors, who were the movers and
actors in those times.
Mr. Rives, besides living at time, from
the standpoint of which the truest history
of the events of the days of Madison is ca
pablo of being written, is also, in other
respects, peculiarly suited to perform such
a work. He is thorough scholar, fluent
and elegant writer, is extensively acquaint-
ed with the history of our country-espe-
cially with its political and governmental
history. He is, moreover, a severe and
critical investigator, who omits no labor
OF search that may be required to throw
Light on whatever subject may possess his
attention. With these qualities, together
with the advantage of having lived a toll
erably long life in the same State, and in
almost the very sameplaces where so much
of Madison's life was passed, and having,
besides, exclusive possession of many val
liable materials for the composition of
{ such work, twill at once appear that in
attributing peculiar fitness to Mr. Rives,
we arc not assigning an undue amount of
praise
The book has been expected for some
time, and the whole country has been
looking forward for its appearance with
anxiety. They have been gratified by the
publication of the first volume, with the
promise of two more volumes in short
time. It's not our intention to enter into
a5fpll review of the volume published
That would require greater limits than we
can afford. We will be contcnted with
few general remarks upon its character
and design, and one or two extracts, as
specimens of the style of the author.
AS is observed in the preface, the work
belongs more properly to the department
of History than Biography, though parta-
King, to some extent, of the character of
both. 1t would be almost Impossible, in
deed, to. write the life of one who had SO
large share in the affairs of his country,
as Madison had, without, in some degree,
otrenching upon theprovince of History BY
describing the times in which he lived,
and which he helped to shape. His life
was so intimately blended with the forma-
ton and existence of our country, that
they could not be separated. The book is.
therefore, valuable in more respects than
as a mere Biography of one of the best and
wisest men of our country. In fact, it is
MS full and complete history of the Con-
tinental Congress during that interesting
period from 1880 till the close of the Revo-
lutionary war, as can elsewhere be found.
Without, however, going further into an
examination of the work, we present the
following, extracted from page 1871:
"When VIC look at the Declaration of
Rights prepared by him, George Mason,
='-OHc of the greatest and best of TINT extra
ordinary band of early Virginia States
men, and which, with few alterations,
was unanimously adopted by the Conven-
ton, we shall find it condensed. logical
aud luminous summary of the great Prin-
ciples of Freedom, inherited by us from
our British ancestors; the extracted cs-
seuce of Magma Charta, the Petition of
Right, the Acts of the Long Parliament,
and the doctrines of the Revolution of
1858, as cxpounded by Locke-distillcd
and concentrated through the alembic of
his own powerful and discriminating mind
There is nothing more remarkable in the
political annals of America than this pa
per. It has stood the rude test of every
.Yicissitude and whilst Virginia has al
ready had three different constitutions, the
Declaration of Rights of l77G has stood,
and yet stands, without the change of a
letter, at the head of each of them, how,
ever difficult it may be to reconcile with
its principles some of the provisions ofthc
later constitutions. At the same time, its
leading principles have been adopted into
the constitutional acts of many of the,
other States, and also into those Amend
ments of the Constitution of the United