The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-06
MERE MES|TIC
The late extremes of snow and frosts arc SUI
ceeded by thaw of abominable muddiness an
historian Bancroft Taken to Task.

The little brochure entitled Swinging Around
tho Circle" which has just boon published, wiz
tily represents Secretary Seward, under the
sob,Sque1 Of "the man who - runs tho machine,
tiouary Of tho English language was q work OF su-
pererogation in view Of the yoluninous dispatches
Of tho verbose prime minister. The remarl ap-
plies equally well to the ninth volume OF Dir. ban-
crofts History OF the United States since oil the
matter that was omitted iii the oight preceding
volumes was supp :sed to have been injected into
the historians misnan,ed "Eulogy Of Abraham Lin
coin" atterly known as the Late lamented Lincoln,
martyr President &c It seems, however, that Fro
fessor George Washington Greene, Of Providence,
Rhode Island, has discovered in this ninth vol
ume sundry 1nwnrrantable reflections upon his
grandfather, General Nathaniel Greene, OF ReFo-
futionary fame, and has taken MIR. Bancroft to
task for his misstatements. This is not the mere
OF an aneestr Rde On the PER- o.
by citations from original documents to which he
has had access, and which Mr., Bancroft might
have inspected had he possessed the true sp.r!t
of historian. The Professor justly complains
that the historian, by nisstatements, nisquota,
tions and neutrality-suspicious. has striven to cast
obloquy upon the name of General Greene, whom
every reader Of American history knows to have
been Washington's chief counsellor, and the man
whom the Father Of his Country had selected for
case of his own death. The fame Of General
Greene, it is true, is not likely 10 suffer at The
hands Of MIR: George Bancroft or rny other Ban; an;
croft nor is it o matter Of interest /, the general
public what opinion Ir. George Bancroft may hold
Of him; but it is matter q interest to Know
whether these nine volumes of American history
contain accurate statements Of the occurrences
which they claim to record. It the author Is
wrong in what ho says Of General Greene, why
may he not be wrong in other particulars equally
if not more important? And the moment doubts
cast upon this pretending work, who ia to estab-
ish it's credibiIty? This is Q matter OF serious
moment. It has been claimed all along thai tho
standard history Of the United States was that
compiled by Mr. George Bancroft, and, though
thousands have laughed st it's sophomorical style,
the impression has prevailed that its historical &c,
curacy could not be impeached; yet here is point
upon which it's accuracy is not only lmpcacncd, hRt
disprovcn. FatSus In ts'ao, atsus in onaa0.ts, IS
severe rule of criticism, but may it not be applied
in this case?
The merits of the case Of Greene cs. Bancroft
we do not now propose to examine, but prefer to
present the general question of the accuracy OF
Mr. Bancroftts 5 History of the United States" for
consideration. As an orator, ne know A[r. Bali
croft to be, like Captain Cuttle's watch, "equalled
by few and excelled By none;" but ho cannot .ay
claim TO such high eacomium as historian until
he purges himself of tho contempt in which he
has been placed by Professor Greene, in o little
pamphlet Of less than ninety IN. 7. World.