Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-22
Union and American.


From the Baltimore Gazette.l
As the address Of Mr.. Bancroft, at what
were termed the Memorial services, on Mon
day, would have filed some FIVE closely
printed columns Of the Gazette, and IS il was,
moreover, utterly worthless for any historical
purpose, we omitted it altogether. 1t read
very much like few pages from Bancroffs
History, azhi we are sure that none who have
waded through that work would take much
interest in any new production of its author.
The Grafton was as pretentious, dogmatic and
dull as even Mr. Bancroft could have made
L. THAT Cor rules in the affairs Of men,
he said, "is as certain as any truth Of physi-
cal science" Few win dispatr this propo-
sition. Bot most intelligent people, without
challenging the Divine wisdom, see that
Providence sometimes permits the triumph
Of the wrong over the right; of evil over
god.
They do not imagine that success in every
undertaking necessarily proves the justice
aid wisdom of the act. Not so with your
thoroughbred Puritan. He has made up
his mind that Of the many called ne and his
constitute the few chosen. He not only be-
lieves that be is, more than all other men,
under the special protection of Providence,
but is constantly insisting that what ever he
wants to do is Gods work, and it is wicked
ness and foolishness in others to oppose
him. He is like the pious old woman who
thought that all the evils and sorrows that
fell upon her neighbors were judgments,
while the troubles laid upon her were only
trials. So, whether the Puritan was muir
dering Indians, burning witches or kidnap-
ping negroes in Africa, he always assumed
that Heaven crowned his efforts with sue
cess, simply because the work he was en-
gagged in was a righteous one. Therefore,
Mr.. Bancroft and all New England insist
that, as the ruin and devastation Of the
South must have been morally and politi-
cally right.
Having thus assumed that, in our frightful
and riIinous strife, the North was engaged in
a holy war, il is easy TO imagine the conclu-
sions 10 which the compliment orator came.
Acting on the advice which was given by
the poet 10
Survey mankind from China to Peru"
Mr.. Bancroft took just such an excursion
There was certainly that in Mr.. Lineoln's
character and history, and in the events
which occurred during his stormy career, out
of which speaker Of very moderate capacity
ought TO have made very readable Grafton.
But Mr.. Bancroft has wholly failed TO make
any thing more than a very commonplace
address out Of his materials, and il is there
fore not distinguishable from Congressional
speech. lie told his hearers all about the
iniquity Of the bred Scott decision, and the
wickedness Of Chief Justice fancy.
He then sketched Mr.. Lincoln's career
from his birth 70 the time when he reached
Washington as President elect. Then Mr..
Bancroft took a flight 10 Great Britain,
which he tool; 10 task for having treated the
South as belligerent although this Gov
eminent had previously done thesame thing.
Then he went to France, then TO Mexico,
then TO Rome, then TO Russia, and then to
China. What observations he made in the
course Of his travels those who are curious
in the matter must find out for themselves.
Mr.. Lincoln's assassination was then alluded
20, and his character described. His muir
der strikes Mr.. Bancroft as being somewhat
like the crucifxion. at seems" he said,
"as If the just had died for the unjust" Mr..
Bancroft has thus managed to give us all his
views-theological, legal, political, historical
and personal-in one connected article. We
are greatly refreshed, and can afford to wait
long time for the next volume Of his his
tory.