Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-05

Truths" Its history is this When, in the F,
summer of 1868, l landed in England, my
first trip was to Northern Wales. / arrived
late on Saturday at Bedgellert, and spent Sun
day there. An estimabe young Welsh clergy
man called to request me to preach, which, yet
drsuched with the ocean, l declined to do.
In the course OF conversation he spoke Of hav-
ing read my works, and mentioned "Royal
Truths among the number. Supposing him
to have mistaken the title of Life Thoughts"
corrected him. "Yes, | have read Life
Thoughts too but Roya! Truths meau."
d" But, my dear sir, there is no such work of
mine. | never issued such a work, nor heard
of it. Ii it exist, it must be by some other
person." No he was firm, and declared that
| should find it at Strahan's in London! Sure
enough, on reaching the capital found book
by myself. of which | had never heard. 1t
seems that some one had taken from my ser
mons, published every week, such extracts as
were fitted for standing alone, and framed them
into book, bap,izing it Royal Truths" of
which, as you will see by the copy which
send you, ;ix editions had been published in
1862, and | know not how many since. The
book is, therefore mine, and not mine. | fur
nished the contents, but neither selected them
| nor gave them name.
My surprise at this unconscious authorship
| would have been greater, If had no. already
| had similcr experience, which, perhaps it may
be amusing TO narrate.
In 1851 or 1862, gentleman in New York
happened into friends store, a publisher
who handed him little book, called " Aids to
Prayer" saying that 1t was an English work,
just sent over 10 him, and that he liked it so
much that he Immediately determined to re-
publish 1t for American reading. The gentle
IL took home the work, and the next day
returned to the store, saying, - like your lit
| tie book very much. and always have" "Why,
what do you mean P" 1.-The book is made
up wholly, except some texts and hymns, of
Mr.. Beecher's writings, and may be found in
Views and Exrerlences.'" Thereupon, the
mortified but innocent publisher, posted the
book to me, with apologies for violating copy
rights, etc.
The work hGd, with single exception, been
taken bodily from the English Summer in the
Soul which was the new name, given without
my knowledge, by London publishers, to my
book called Views and Experiences in Relig
| ion.' Nor was there a hint Of its Transatlantic
origin or authorshp-for fear, sud the publish
er, that others would "print 1t upon him. q
think that is the phrase unles. they supposed
it to be original English book.
Royal Truth" mas been useful abroad, and
may dc good at home,-in part, because the
selections are short, and can be read in mo
ments, when book demanding hours would b.
rejected. HENRY WARD BEgCHER.
Brook lyn, \. y, November, 1865.
The Book contains an excellent portrait 0
Mr. Beecher, and is printed at the Universit,
Press Of course its typographical appear anc'
is invitng.
For sale by WILDER, at the FREEMAN Book
STORE.
CAMPAIGNS Oh Tus Army OF THE PoToMAC. :
Critical History OF Operations in Virginia
Mar land and Pennsylvania, from the Com
meDcement to the Close OF the W ar, lSbl-o
b. William Swintou. New York Charlie
b Richardson, $40 BIoadway, 1866. pr
$40.
The author OF this volume was a CORES
pondent Of one Of the New York papers, an
WAS with the army of the Potomac througl
nearly all its eyentful career. This work /
not, however, q republication of his let ter
written from the field, the briet and hastil
uenned chronicles prepared for the press Il
the smoke of battle, but aspires to the dignit
Of a critical history of the campaigns of tn
army which disastrously opened its militsr
record with the battle of Bull Run, an
gloriously closed it in the surrender of tha
leader of the armies of the rebellion. Th
writer claims TO have in his possession tn
, mplest materials tor veraclOus history o
, the campai gns in Virginia and Maryland
! consisting Of manuscript official reports
corps, division and brigade commanders,
prodigious mass of memoirs, private not
books, dispatches, letter b. oks &c, and Ii
| nd Of of hR a.
officers OF the army of the Potomac In az
dltion to these .ources of information frol
the Union side, be also was IN possession {
4 information scarcely less ample from the reo
army,-which from first to last confronted OIL
4 troops on the soil of the Old Dominion, ,-en
r bracing the reports of the army OF Norther
e Virginia and many manuscript reports ar
: documents. The history is written IN deta
: and with Pen free in its criticism, ana Il
) narrative is in many places colored, we ca
= but think, with the feelings of a partsa
- writer rather than of one desiring simply
;, state facts. This is, perhaps, inevitable
=, any history of that army, written while t
: reputation of it's commanders is yet matter
q controversy among soldiers and politician
= Mcclellan, Pope, Burnside, Hooker, Mead
lr have each their warm friends and euiogist
Is and he must be something more than huma
Is in his freedom from bias, who could now WI
&c of the campaigns of these generals witho
, favor or partlali,y. This volume, therefor
< we are not surprised to see, bears al evlde
1t purpose of softening the coloring Of McCl
lan's disastrous connection with the army
;, the Potomac as much as possible, while 4
ut fully excusing him for bis fatal indecisiol
ye and it. at the same time, is liberal in its ce
De sure of what the writer claims to be the Sc
y, ous mistakes and blunders of the other col
to manders of that army This Is especa
re noticeable in that part OF the volume VIII
re treats of Pope's campaign in Virginia,
:. which the author remorselessly assalls Pc
" as an imbeeile braggadocio, and Justifes +
ed John Porter for his disobedience to orde
The general verdict of the public on that ca
paign,-a verdict which impartial hist(
will not reverse-has long since been mt
up, and places the responsibility for the nj
nitude Of the disaster upon Mcclellan a
his subordinates, who had determined &
Pope should not do in font of Washing
what Mcclellan had failed to do in his it
campaign on the Peninsula. defeat and cr'
Lee and the rebel army. This history W
therefore, lose the weight it otherwise mil
have, as the writer appears rather as
prejudiced advocate than the unbiased jud