Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-08-10

uTnr Wan nErwEEs rur StATra
irs CAUSES. CHARACTER, CoNpucr AND
Rrsunrs BY Hos. A. II STEPHENS,
-Thrce years ago the announcement
by the National Publishing Company
OF Philadelphia, Of the speedy publ.
cation Of this great work, created
profound sensation throughout the
country. The press Of both sections
hailed the appearance Of the book
with delight, for il was admittedly all
that the task of transmitting TO pos.
terity the Southern version OF the his.
tory of our great civil war could not
have been confded TO an ADLER pen
than that of Mr.. Stephens, the great
est living statesman of the South
The colleague and friend Of Clay, Cal.
houn and Webster, he is connecting
link between the present aud the glo.
rious past, and ms Vice President of
the late Southern Conlederacy he is
peculiarly fitted for the task by his op.
portunities ofknowing the most secret
details Of the history of the War
Above all, his high character as
man, which has always won him the
respect of his political enemies, ena.
ables us to rely upon his statements
with an absolute certainty. In the
first volume of his work, Mr.. Stephens
confined himself exclusively to the
causes of the War, reserving the mar.
rative of the actual struggle for the
second and concluding volume. The
success of the former volume was OK
traordinary, reaching sale Of over
10000 copies.
If then that portion Of the work
which of necessity was the dryest-
if any part of this magnificent pro.
duciion can be called dry has met
with such wonderful and rapid sale,
what are wo not warranted in pre-.
dieting for the second, in which the
thrilling story Of the most terrible and
destructive war of modern times, is
told with all the fascination of no.
nance and all the sublimity of truth.
Mr. Stephens Sights no feature ofthe
War, and his work reveals q partcu.
larly interesting and fascinating por.
tion of its history, which has never
been made public until now. lie goes
to the bottom Of the secession move.
ment, and gives the confidential his.
tory of the Convention which formed
the Confederacy. The vexed ques-
tion of the non-exchange of prisoners
Of war has much new light shed upon
it, and this alone ought TO commend
the book to every one who saw the
inside of Northern or Southern pris.
on.
What will strike the practiced read.
er most favorably, however, is the fact
that Mr.. Stephens narrative is free
from bitterness and sectional feeling.
lie writes with that calm dignity
which is always the historians most
effective weapon, weighing facts ac-
cording to their merits, and arriving
at conclusions with a clcarness of
judgment which is, TO say the least,
iNhlAi hhbiN ~ ollN NuD WAS himself
so important an actor in the events
narrated. 1t is this fact that will
make bis book so welcome TO those
who arc seeking substantial iniorma.
tion upon the subjects treated Of and
who prefer clear aud straight. forward
statements Of what was done. to fine
theories as % what might have been
accomplished. Having been compelled
by i'll health, since the war, TO remain
almost entirely in the privacy of his
home, and TO take no part in the
questions Of the day. Mr. Stephens
has been enabled TO look back over
his long and honorable career with |
the calinness of ono whose record is
completed, and to produce, as his most
valuable service TO the country the
magnificent history which lies before
US. The book is sold by subscription
only, aud agents are wanted in every
cOunfy