The Portland daily press., 1866-11-21
New Publications.

Il
Rise, Progress, and Disastrous Failure. By
John Minor Bolts of Virginia. New York:
Harper and Brothers. -t
Mr. Botts's long-promised book is at last be-
| fore u.s. and that it will be very widely read
there can be no sort of doubt. Apart from its
historical value as relating to series of events
whose secret causes have not been too well UNI
derstood, it must derive special interest from
the peculiar characteristics of its author which
are stamped ON every page. His fiery vehe-
mence, his imprudence, his uncomfortable
resolution, his sturdy honesty, and his inordi-
nate self-esteem manifest themselves in every
sentence of the book. 1t is fairly boiling and
| bubbling over with John M. Bolts. He offers
it as the vindication of his political life, the
| key to which, he tells u.s. is to be found in the
Rebellion which he was one of the few to fore
see, and which his life was spent in efforts to
avert or to defeat. Hisrevelations in regard to
Southern politicians are such as would cover
them with disgrace if they were not already
buried out of sight in ignominy. He traces
the rebellion for the thirty years during which
he had watched the growth of the spirit which
animated it, and explains the causes and the
results of the action of politicians which final
ly brought on the war. He dwells at length
upon the slavery question, the action of ex-
| tremists, the Southern Commercial Conven-
| tions, the Compromises of 1859, the Kansas
Nebraska Bill, and the events which immedi-
ately preceded the breaking out of the war
In an appendix, he follows the history down to
later date; exhibits the evidence that North
ern support was promised to the rebellion, de-
scribes his own arrest, and his subsequent ILL
treatment in Virginia, and gives his own plan
of reconstruction. He writes in the bold, plain
and occasionally stormy style which might be
expected of him, and no reader need have any
fear of not understanding precisely what Mr..
Bolts means. In the preface we have the fol-
lowing racy account OF how the book came to
be written:
In October, 1861, the French Consul in Rich
mond applied to his friend, Mr. Charles Pal
mer, for all the information he could furnish
him upon the question of secession and the re-
bellion, the merits or dement's of which he did
not understand Upon this request being
made, Mr.. Palmer applied to Mr.. Bolts, who
he was we'll aware was far more competent to
enlighten his friend upon the subject than
himself, OF, indeed, any other gentleman in the
South. Thereupon the information desired
was furnished in a letter, which contained in a
condensed form, the important history consti-
tubluS Tile UdStS VI Tile present WOfk. since
1861, time and circumstances have led to an
enlargement of the history, and the views it
presents have been enforced by additional ar
guments, and the facts related substantiated
by incontrovertible testimony.
Shortly after this letter was sent to the
French Consul, it became rumored about Rich
mond that Mr.. Bolts was engaged in writing a
secret history of the rebellion, and as matter
of course, the Confederate authorities were
soon trying to ferret out the truth of the mat
4on. ~ L. -. q
in relation to the subject transpired. On the
first day of March, 1862 however, the Congress
passed an Act suspending the writ of habeas
corpus, and declaring martial law. The next
morning, which was Sunday, about an hour
before daybreak, the late General-then Can
tain-Godwyn, Assistant Provost Marshal I'M
der Gen. Winder (of Andersonville memory
with hundred armed men, surrounded Mr.
Bolts house, obtained admission, arrested him
in bed, and carried him off to filthy negro
Jail, where he was lodged and kept in solitary
confinement for eight weeks his house and
family ihshe meantime being placed in custo-
dy of two of Gen. Winder's satellites. After
his arrest, his trunks, writing desk, and every
receptacle for private papers were closely
searched, and his private letters and papers
taken possession of and carried to the Provost
MarshaPs office, where they were examined.
Mr. Bolts, knowing how obnoxious he had
made himself to the Confederate authorities
by his bold, outspol1en hostility to the doctrine
of secession, and also to all engaged in inaue-
urating the wicked and atrocious rebellion,
had cOncluded--aS soon as he heard of martial
law having been declared-that he would prob
ably De among the hrst victims of their VEN
geance, and he had taken the precaution TO
conceal the historical sketch in question in a
place where the rebels would not be likely to
find it, and through the medium ola friend it
was privately conveyed to the office of one of
the foreign Consuls for safe keeping until call
ed for.
Two days after the imprisonment of Mr..
Bolts, Captain GOODWIN, who was acting as his
jailer, presented himself in his cell, when the
following conversation occurred ~ -
After interchanging the ordinary salutations
Captain Godwyn remarked to Mr.. Bolts that
he thought they did not get hold of all his no
pers in their search. 'tf-.--' Pc &
Mr.. BottsIAh! perhaps not. Did you miss
any particular paper, Captain, that Won had
reason to expect was there?
Captain Godwyn-Yes; there was one we
DID not md that we were led to believe was
there. - 90
Mr.. Bolts Indeed And what paper was
Captain Godwyn-Well 1 don't know exact
ly how to describe it. - -
Mr.. Botts-I expect could tell YOU. Can
tain, what it was. Are you really anxious to
get possession of it? 10y ; -
Captain Godwyn-Wel, yes; should like
to get it. Where is it?
MFR. Botts-Ah! that you must find out for
yourself, Captain. You had no difficulty i'm
hnd1ng me at naadnight, and you will have to find
that for yourself. But, if you are very anxious
to get it, you shall have it, but only on NV
terms, and upon none other can you get it,
Captain GOdwyn-What are YOU terms?
Mr.. Botts-My terms are that you shall bring
me the affidavit of JEFF. Davis, sworn to before
Judge Halliburton, that, upon INV delivery of
s paper to you or to him. it shall be trans
erIeo without alteration or mutilation, to the
9 1;n OF the Enquirer and Examiner for pub
I Iication, just as it came from my hand: and. TO
S SW you that am not afraidfor ashamed to
iet your government or the world know what
nave written, will accompany the document
with five hundred or thoussnd dollsrS ~ ,ear.
for the expense of publicatioSy i' ~ pay
Captain Godwyn-It must ba n vow, -;
tant paper that you will give SO much 70 ipo,,o
made public. What is it? W move
Mr.. Botts-I presume you know what IL i
you are in search of but if not yotr shall EnoaT
1t is the secret history of this rebellion for tb;r
ty years before it broke out.
. CAPTAIN Godwyn-Why are you SO anxious
10 nave it published? ~ T
because" replied Mr. Bolts, rising from his
soaS anu 4; aovancing toward the Captain, at the
SAM 'ilife SHAKING his huge fist within few
In1 I vi ms face, and speaking with great
x yg III voice and manner, "because. by
neaVeu, SIT, n tne people could read it and
learn tne truth, 1t would lead to a revolution
within revolution, in which I conld 10 IL on-
tive partp 'A0 az
Upon this the committee rose. and tho Gov.
tain departed to report progress and ask leave 70
sit again. ia W
During Mr.. Bolts Imprisonment, the French