New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-06
Mr.. GREELEY'S HISTORY
OF TIE
WAR FOR THE UNION.
THE AMERICAN CONFLICT.

inBrr ESPECIALLY IT'S MORAL AND POLITICAL THAsEs
PROGRESS ANEEucAs oTIsoN
RESPECTING HUMAN FROM l776 TO TIE crosa
UNION IN yoLIETs. by
HORACE GREELEY Hartford: o. D. Case &C. lsf6.
81 have sought" says Mr.. Greeley, more espe.
cally portray the silent influence Of these collisions,
with the efforts burdens, Sacrifices bereavemeDts
they involved, in gradually molding and refining
Public Opinion to accept, and ultimately demand the
overthrow and extinction of Human Slavery, as the
one vital, implacable enemy Of our Nationality and
our Peace" This is the keynote Of Mr.. Greeieys
American Conflict which lies before as in two
large and beautifully printed volumes-rch with type
and illustration General sentiment seems 10 accept
this work as the standard history Of she Rebellion
at least until time and opportunity shall enatle tie
cold and formal historian, as Bulwer would have it,
TO enter into an analysis OF the end the deeds
of our war. The time for that analysis has not
come. Mr. Greeley does not attempt it. HIS story Is
O simple nanatve-withont passion or batred-what
our children will gladly readand told in the spint Of
loyalty and truth.
The year 1865 marked the fourth epoch in the his.
tory Of the American Republic. The year l776 de-
termined Separation from England; 1912, Maritime
Independence; le4s, American preponderance upon
the American Continent; 1865, National Integrity
and Universal Freedom. Living men heard the guns
of Joy announcing the surrender Of CORVALLIS as well
as those announcing the surrender Of Lee During
the lifetime of one man. we have passed through the
! four critical stages of national growth. Tray
elers in the East tell us that they never feel
4oct 10 eta ~ heir
base nor how really small they until they reach
the nearest mountain. The most nnfrequent thought
of an American is perhaps that which reminds him
how very brief time his country has existed among
the nations To popular sentiment, it seems as # the
times of Franklin were almost as remote as those OF
Cromwell. Our national life has been as decade
when compared with that Of Rome, Venice, France.
England and Spain.
The story Of this national life is the burden Of Mr.
Greeley's volume, more especially as it illustrates
the causes and incidents and results OF the
American conflict and the drift and progress Of Amer
can opinion respecting human slavery from H7t TO
the close of the war for the Union. We shall follow
his example, and, without dwelling upon desenp.
tons of the noise of the captains and the shouting
follow more especially that part of his work when
portrays the silent influences of the war, showing the
growth and power of Human Slavery, how it came
into being and grew strong, how il lived for century
in usty and aud vigorous PRIDE how il threstened tho
national life, only to be oyerthrown By war. We
shall follow him in discussion Of some Of the trans
actions which caused the tremendous conflict, noting
how was the natural result of an antagonism which
begun yfoeshe national existence, and in what man
ner its ress was controlled by the influences Of
mere men.
OF the mere men who have impressed their genius
upon America three are peculiarly representatives
jefferson Jackson and Lincoln. The first represented
Theory; the second, Force; and the third Principle.
The life of each a struggle and triumph Eaeh
gave us a party aud founded, it were, dynasty.
We, of course, place Washington above all compaT'
son. The serene beauty of his life, go calm so sweet
so majestic has removed him even beyond the orti-
cism of history, to be remembered with almost
mantle yeneration Jefferson was the life, the sinew,
the nervous power of Washington's Administration.
native of Virginia, the country of forms, traditions
and aristocratc privilege, where labor was bar sin
istor in the eyes of soceythe country Slavery and
established church and vast landed nterests-be was
a sincere and extreme Democrat. He recognized the
truth of the French Revolution, and saw beyond
the blood and tears of the September days diVlne
principle struggling with system of wrong strength"
ened by centuries Of crime. When the hrst states
man of England, foamng with horror and thanking
God that he could look up with awe to kings, with
reverence to priests. with respect to nobility ne.
nounced the purest men of the French Republic
men like Condorcet and Lssyette-as 81 desperate
gang of punderers murderers tyrants and atheists"
Jefferson sustained the revolution and believed nae
society could do without the classes which excited the
reverence and awe Of Burke and gave the force OF bis
tremendous intellect to break down every attemptto
introduce them into America II was this, we think,
which chilled the friendship between Jefferson and
Washington, made him underrate Adams and
quarrel with Hamilton. Washington revered apriest;
and while Adams and Hamilton saw no actual
need for kings and noblemen in America, they fel'
that they were quite respectable in their places eer-
tanly not TO have their throats cut by vulgar people
who maddened themselves with wine. The
influence of the French Revolution may be seen
in the first years of Republic, and in DO statesman
more essentially than in Mr.. Jefferson. Adams was
protest against the extravaganza of that Revolution,
Jefferson a recognition Of its truth. BE saw the
grandeur Of Americas future. He trusted with
superb frankness the integrity of the people, We be.
leye his soul was filed with an appreciation OF
the sin of slavery-its sin III morality and crime ID
polities-and whether it was from want OF courage
or as is more likely the associations which rose from
contact with slaveholding politicians il is certain
that he did not control in the legislative
system he had established, defect which grew
With its growth fattened upon its strength and was
only eradicated with blood. What we know N physics
a, a cancer or seroula Jefferson permitted in the
erosb and vounS hody of the Republic The priDci-