The Van Buren press., 1870-09-06

THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. IT'S
CAUSES, CHARACTER, CONDUCT AND RESULTS"
BY Hon. A. ii. .SrEPHENs.-Thrce years ago
the announcement by the National Publish
ing Company, of ST. Louis, Mo-, ofthc speedy
publication of this great work, created u plo-
found sensation throughout the country. The
press of both sections hailed the appearance
of the book with delight, for 1t was admitted
by all that the task OF transmitting to poster
ity the Southern version Of the history of our
great civil var could not have been confided
to an ADLER pen than that of Mr.. STEPHENs,th the
greatest living statesman OF the South. Ihe
Colleague and friend of Clay, Calhoun and
Webster, he is connecting link between the
present and the glorious past and as Vice.
| President of the late Southern Confederacy,
he Is peculiarly fitted for the task, by his op-
portunites of knowing 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 excl,-
siyely to the causes of the War; reserving the
| narrative of the actual struggle for the second
and concluding volume. The success OF the
| former volume was extraordinary, reaching a
sale of over 10000 copies.
If then that portion of the work which of
necessity was the dryest-if any part of this
magnificent production can be called dry
has met with such wonderful ana RAPID
sale what are we not warranted In predicting
for the second. in which the thrilling story OF
the most terrible and destructive war Of mod
ern times, is told with all the fascination or
romance and all the sublimity Of truth. Mr..
Stephens Sights no feature of the War, and
his work reveals particularly interesting
and fascinating portion of its history, which
has never been made public until now. lie
goes to the bottom of the secession movement,
and gives the confidential history Of the Con-
yention when formed the Confederacy. The
vexcd question of the non-cXchange OF pris-
oners 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 NORTH
ern or Southern prison.
What will strike the practlced reader most
favorably, however, is the fact that Mr.. ste,
phens' narrative is free from bitterness ana
sectional feeling. He writes with that calm
dignity which Is always the historians most
effective capon, weighing facts according TO
their merits, and arriving at conclusions with
clearness of Judgment which Is, 10 say the
least, remarkable In one who was himself so
important au actor In the event narrated IL
Is this fact which will make his book so WEI
come to those who are seeking substantial IN.
formation upon the subjects treated OF, anu
| who prefer clear and straight-forwaru state-
mcuts of ,rhat ,rds done, to fine theories as 10
what might hare been accomplished. Having
been compelled by Ill health. since the war.
| to remain almost entirely IN the privacy oi
his home, and TO take no part In the questions
of of the day, Mr. Stephens has been enabled to
look back over his long and honorable career
with the calmness OF one whose record Is com
plcted, and TO produce, as his most valuable
service to the country,t the magnificent history
which lies before us. The book Is sold py
subscription only, and agents are wanted IN
| every county.