Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-10-04
NEW BOOKS.
Josiah Quincy of Massachusetts.


the record of his life, commenced in 1772.
and closed in 1861 and which was remarka-
BE not only for its active participation in
the events Of seventy years of American his
tory but for the fair and honorable reputa-
ton won and ever borne by this eminent
man.
Mr.. Quincys public life begun during the
administration Of President Washington.
and closed during that of President Lincoln.
and life so noticeable as his, and extending
through every administration Of the Federal
Government until that of President Johnson
an but contain much ct great interest to the
politician, the historian and the general
reader Every political contest in our his
tory finds in this volume some brief record
Mr. Quincy was an active participant in
AL the public affairs Of three-quarters of a
century and many pages of the book are
taken up With extracts from the letters of
the moss eminent men, whose names have
been ipustrious in the annals of the nation
Hr. Quincy, after the organization of the
Republican party, was warm advocate of
its principles, and was ever in the front rank
of the friends of freedom. We copy below
one Of his last letters and its reply
Mr.. QCIScr TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN
QrINcr, Mass. Sept. :, 1868
- SIR Old age has it's privileges, which
7 hope this letter will not exceed. But
cannot refrain from expressing 10 you my
qualification and my gratitude for your let
TO the Illinois Onvention.-happy time
". conclusive. and effective. What YOU say
concerning emancipation, your proclamation,
and your course Of proceeding in relation 10
It. was due to truth and your own character.
-shamefully assailed as it has been The
Development Is imperishable monument
ii wisdom and virtue
Negro slavery and the possibility of eman-
-ipation have been subjects of my thought
for more than seventy years being first in
tryduced To 1t by the debates in the Conven-
tiou of Massachusetts, for adopting the Con-
-titution, in l7SS, which I attended | had
subsequently, opportunities of knowing the
views on that subject not only of such men
a. Hamilton. King. JAY. and Pickering. but
also Of distinguished shareholders of both
the Pinckneys, of William Smith of South
Carolina, and Of many others. With the
FIRST Of these | had personal intercourse and
acquaintance. | can only say that | never
knew the individual slave-holdcr or non
slave-hoIder who did not express detesta-
tion Of it, and the desire and disposition to
get rid of IT. The only difficulty, in case Of
emancipation. was, what shall we do for
the master. and what shall we do with the
slave y satisfactory answer 70 both these
questions has been, until now. bevoud the
reach and grasp Of human wisdom and
power
Through the direct influence Of good and
gracious God, the people of the United
States have been invested with the power of
answering satisfactorily both these questions
and also of providing for the difficulties incl
dent t. both, Of which if they fail 10 avail
themselves. thoroughly and conclusivlv, they
will entail shame ON themselves, and sorrow
and misery on many generations.
II Is impossible for me t. regard the power
thus granted to this people otherwise than
~ proceeding from the direct influence Of a
experimenting Providence. who ever makes
those mad whom he intends to destroy. The
only possible way in which slavery, after
it had grown u such height, could have
been abolished. Is that which Heaven has
adopted
Your instrumentality in the work is t.
vou a subject of special glory, favor. and
felicity The madness of Secession and its
inevitable consequence. civil war. will. in
their result. give the right and the power oi
universal emancipation sooner or later III
the United States do not understand and
fully appreciate the boon thus bestowed on
them and fail t. improve it ~ the utmost
extent Of the power granted, they viii prove
recreant to themselves and to posterity-
I write under che impression that the VIC
torv of the nited States in this war II inev-
itahle.
Compromise is impossible. Peace on any
other basis would be the establishment oi
two nations, each hating the other, both mil
itary, both necessarily hostile. their terrific
ries interlocked. with tendency 10 never
ceasing hostility. Can we leave to posterity
more cruel Inheritance, one more hope
less of happiness and prosperity?
Pardon the liberty | have taken in this
letter. and do not feel obliged in anv way tC
take notice of it and believe me ever your
grateful and obliged servant.
JOSIAH QUrNcY-
PRESIDENT LINCOLN TO MR.. QUINCY.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON. }
September II, 1868.
EDEAR AND HONoREp SIR Allow me t
express the personal qualification | feel at th'
receipt of your very kind letter of the 9TH %
September and 10 thank YOU most cordial,
for its wise and earnest words Of counsel.
Believe me- nv dear sir, to be very respect
fully and sincerely your friend and servant.
A LINCOLN.
book containing the sketch of a life -
important in itself. and so intimately asso
ciated with the hest life of New England 70
so many years. may well find place in ever.
library
SLooTE OF SILcoTEs BY Henry Kingsley
author of :. Geoffrv Hamlyn' . d" Raven
shoe" etc, paper covers. Boston Tick
nor and Fields.
The readers OF Mr.. Kingsleys forme
stories will need no invitation TO purchas
this hook The story has been printed i
% Every Saturday" and those who ther
read it will be glad to see it under the cover
of a single volume while those who did nC
read it there. preferring to wait for its al
pearance in one volume, will make haste I
read it now. Kingsley has been much praise
az writer of fiction. by the critics. II
Springfield Republican says of him, '' He SEE
human nature with unusual cearness Wit
much of the keenness and more than tt
geniaIity of Thackeray, he deficits the gel
erous traits in depraved nature, and tt
weakness that turks in correct one. i
is no moral leveler. His pages teach Il
same lesson that is taught by life itself: el
Iarged candor and forbearance, not laxity
principle This is discriminating and ju
praise. Mr.. Kingsley ranks among the be-
writer's of fiction He is infinitely more ar
better than mere story teller he ram
among the close observers of nature al
L.-~nt,~ This story will upf.uestiopahl