, 1869-02-09
H.G, AND b. 1,

Two or three years ago q book Was
published. already weli-nigh forgotten,
called "Thc American Co1hicf," which
was chiefly remarkable, first, for what
was carefully omitted from its pages in
regard to the great contest Of which 1t
purported 10 be the history, and, second
for the crude and und'gssted condition in
which great mass OF material, good,
bad snd indifferent, was thrown together.
Made up, In the main, when it came to
treat Of recent events, from newspapers, 1t
was sort Of Newspaper report extended
10 The length Of volume; full Of the i'm
perfect information which necessarily
characteristics report for daily paper
when it deals With questions which so to
make history. And when 1t dealt with
those CAUSES in the past which led 10 lie
destruction Of the social System OF one
half Of the country by civil war Of un'
ezampled magnitude, it gave but little
he'd 10 the in nflue nee Of that great moral
aid religious movement against human
slavery which had educated q generation
to that point Of faith for which men will
give up all that they have, even life itself.
The student OF American history, fifty
years hence. may learn from this book
| that at 8 critical period Of the war Mr..
Chase laid down his portfolio Of Sec
relary Of the Treasury, but will look in
vain for any Information as to his
successor in an Office where any failure in
the fult1lment Of its onerous duties would
have been the speedy and utter ruin O.
tie Republic. And-a more remark ab]e
ard objectionable omission still-:lough
The book conlains scores Of documents te
which the name of Abraham Lincoln i
appended as President, and which, ever
as decent report, it could not afford tt
leave cut, be will read it in vain VIII:
10. Is there for that great central tgur'
In the mighty struggle. The oflcla
President could not he ignored but II
man, Abraham Lincoln, whose cour
agc never wavercd whose coolness an'
ratient waiting the hot Impotence OF
whole people could never s:aggeT; who's
cie1r common sense was SO much bette
than genius whose unerring judgmel
never failed to discern the end TO b
gained and the true means Of gaining II
the great Captain and the great States
map, who, 20 far as wc have any kaowl
edge, wss the only American who coul
hare saved the nation in fha: hour OF il
| e1t1lmes: need, the author Of ''Thc Ame
ican Conflict tibds 10 place for.
Asan acute politician, and as the hca
: Of an Influential newspaper, Mr. Greclt
e long ago achieved the widest no:oriet
n Noto1ie.y often stands for fame, and
= was not difficult, therefore, TOR an ense;
= prisir Z publisher to get large circulate
b for work On the WAT from his pen. B
e It's safe, one day, came to sndden er
e There we're no new buyers, and the
a who had already subscribed refused
a take the book, avaihng themselves Of Il
Of opportunity to give the only rebuke
al their power 10 the man who nasdc ha:
= to beeone bail for JEFF. Davis, and !
g. himself forward, with characteristic
T. tenlaton, 10 publicly take the hand
~ him who, more than any other one n
;r was responsible for the four years Y
to which, but for Abraham Lincoln, nut
tv have cost Us cur nationality, and VII
ea made slmost every home in the Mort
house Of mourning. The offence Of Il
,,s erdy johnson vas as trifling o6e, c.
~ pared 10 Greeley's, as the guilt Of Ia
m the mere foreign money~gettcr, is 81
NJ when weighed with the treason Of
tho great leader Of the Southern REBEL
~. The only pailiRtion OF the Insult to
~, feeling ct tie American people, ant
the outrage upon public propriety,
- can be urged on behalf Of either the
~ ~ ister or The editor, is, that both, In Il
w. o famous interviewe, obeyed Inc inclinl
~ .rs Of thci, sYmpRtlics, and in giving
tho hsrds to rebels, afler the war was I
The Only did what they would have &;
.me. dorc during It's .progress had thcl
pro- dared.
lher But The act Of the Subscribers Il
can book seems to have brought Mr. Gt'
the and bis publishers TO q sense OF
'pri- necessity Of manipulating the ms
os.. Something must be done to efl'4cc
'n,hs the public mind the painful impre
fe Of produced by the scene in the Rich
emcs Court House; something to atone Fl
ms q ahsence-which the readers Of the
1t be were beginning to discover-ot Abr
1ntry Lincoln from the "American Con
! md And an Ingenious u1ethcd has bet
7csrs. upon. Everybody who knows any
silent abcu. Mr.. Greeley, knows that q
b, he some minor ahlngs ioI Which he d
ar an like Mr. Lincoln, there wc1o
ram ettcia! scts Of 1lis lie TOR which he
them toreaye Linn: flrst, th2t Mr. L:ncol
peo- unutd lis sena'otia1 cAn'sss
tinnf Stale, against Douglas, a1te1 MI.
defeat had pronounced N fAVof ot ~
c na- election; second, that he conua