The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-19
ll1,0L[THBII1AI COLOMBIA PE|H|GGNIy ||G'|IIyX.
( From London Quarterly Recie,c, July, '65.
Close of the American War.

=
Nations. By Lord Bury. London,
2 Col F7etcAe,'s History of the -An,e-
s1cux Var. London, 1865.
4 Campaigns in Virginia, Muylami,
&c, dc. By Capt. G. G. Chesney,
R- E., &c. Vol II. London, 1865.
Lord Bury, having held an official
position in Canada, and acquired q
personal interest in the affairs of the
New World, is led by /. natural train
of thought to the birth and infancy of
the communities which have grown so
rapidly into their present Importance.
Great would be the intere.t:and value
of the work-if such we possessed
Shat could teach us how Europe was
Feopled; trace the gradual divergence
OF 1ts present races under local inhu-
ences; tell us whence came the parent
=z-Ibes; and how, with q common tone
OF thought prevailing, language be-
zane SO diversified America has the
advantage over the other continents
xn Knowing its history from the root.
That history IS usually presented to
MS in fragments. Lord Bury, in the
work before us, gives us the benefit of
q clear and comprehensive view Of the
whole OF the great movement across
hhe Atlantic. And though at no one
TslIrse did there occur SO great miera-
!: Sioa. Us to amount to an 'se1odus."
: still |taa movement has, upon the
WHOLE, tEszsferred to the New World
large H1asses of the population of
Europe. Considering the taste for
historical composition so prevalent in
these days with the New England
writer's, 1t seems strange that it should
xemain for m English author to give
she complete history Of the peopling
IF America. But to each writer on
: the spot, the part Of his own people
stands disconnected from the rest,
: 1sith its separate life and special inte-
Z rests: 1T isnaSiac fur one at distance
to7 reduce to accurate perspective
.re1htries equidistant from himself.
lord Bury has undertaken this task
Of bringing all into the same field of
view. thus adding work to our lite
zrature which is as a chart of the world
go one who before had but disjointed
Snaps of its divisions. Unfortunately,
Ghe works appears at time when all
e<ho interest themselves in the affairs
esf America are absorbed in the events
securing from day to day. The
storm is, indeed, over now, but the
~Taves have not yet gone down; and
che mind is not yet in mood for
.-alm study AS this agitation sub
ssides, attention will be drawn 10 Ame-
J-ican history, which has hithel % been
regarded in this country with marked
Indifference. Out Of this Indifference,
~Se have been thoroughly aroused.
students will seek to trace their way
Ssark to the original calises of the tre-
xrendous events which have recently
occurred; and the European historian,
sshe had hitherto allotted spare
chapter to America, will have to assign
30 it in future a prominent place i'll
ahe worlds affairs. 1t might have
ass,cG in anticipation of such probable
4current Of thought that Lord Bury has
provided this valuable store-house of
facts, the fruit of long labor and re-
search, placed before us in a spirit of
philosophical inquiry, and clothed in
Serse and animated language.
1>alonel Fletcher's ''Hiatory OF the
american War" leads us to remark,
Shat III our opinion, Il considerable
period Of time must elapse before the
complete history of this great strng-
gle can be written. A civil war, be-
.y'ond all others, involves political
questions, and in this instance the
Sederal system of government rem
saers these unusually complex. The
cessation of the struggle will be fol
1orsd by deluge of biographies.
xnemoiss, reports; and these will have
40 be laboriously collated, winnowed
of their chatf, and reduced to mate
Slals for the historian. Nor is it pos
ssable as yet 10 command that calm view
Of the whole field which shall do full
justice to both sections of the Union