The colored Tennessean., 1865-08-12
Death Of Richard Hildreth, the His
torian.


Richard Hifdreth, the eminent historian.
died at Florence, Italy, on the 18th instant.
His death was announced to Hon. Charles
Sumner, on the 28th, by Hon. w. Hunter.
Acting Secretary Of State attWashington.
Mr.. Hildreth was born June 28th, 1907. in
the old town of Deerfed, Massachusetts.
His father was the Rev Hoesa Hildreth. a
prominent Congregational clergyman, who
was the last old school divine Of latitudina-
sian views to join the Unitarian from the
Calvanistic Church of NCE England, and
in his profession always stood in high
esteem for ability, public spirit and aG:-
tive benevolence. Being fitted for college
I al Phillips Exeter Academy, his faith.
er having removed to that town, Rich
ard graduated at Harvard in 1926, hav-
ing proved himself successful stu
dent of the prescribed course, without
however, entirely confRiDg' himself to it. Be-
sides his extensive readingsin history, polit-
ical economy and ethics, he became familiar
with the whole body of Greek and Latin
authors in their original languages. He then
entered the Office Of Theophilus Parsons, af
terward Dane Professor in the Law School of
Cambridge, where his remarkable power of
close and long continued application excited
1927, during Mr.. Hildreths residence at New
buryport, his literary life toOkits commence
ment in series of articles contributed to a
magazine then lately started in Boston by
Mrs. Sarah Jane Hale Not long after he be-
came contributor to Willis Bosten Magazine
the first editorial experiment of that
popular writer and still Subsequently to
Joseph L. Buckingham's New England
Magazine, In July, 1882, while prac-
ticing the legal profession in Boston, he
was induced to accept the post of editor of
the Boston Atlas, the exponent or organ of
Rufus Choate, Caleb Gushing and other ris-
ing politicians, who were then associated
together, and for several years Mir. Hildreth's
connection with the new paper gave it
decided pre-eminence among the political
Journals Of New England. III health in the
autumn Of 1884 compelled Mr.. Hildreth to
seek residence on plantation at the South,
where he lived for about year and wrote
the story of "Archy Moore" subsequently,
in 1852, republished in an enlarged form
under the title of ''The White Slave"
During the summer Of 1886 Mr.. Hildreth
employed his pen in transIating from the
French Of Dumont a work under the title of
''Bentham's Theory of Legislation" He
also at the same time wrote History of
banks, ana passing tEe winter Of 1878 in
Washington as correspondent of the Boston
Atlas, returned to the editorial chair a warm
supporter of the election to the Presidency of
General Harrison.
Abandoning journalism, Mr. Hildreth next
published his 'Despotism in America, and in
l840, for the benefit of his health, again had
to resort to a warmer climate During
three years residence in Demerara in British
Guiana, he acted successfully as editor of two
newspapers published in Georgetown, the
capital Of the country, and also found time to
write his Theory on Morals, published in
1874, as well as the Theory of Politics, .
printed in 1853. Mr.. Hildreth then turned
his attention to completing his History of
the United States" This afforded him CON
stant occupation for seven years, during which
he wrote little else. The first volume was
issued in 1849, and the entire work in the three
succeeding years.