Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1870-08-26
Mr.. stephens, Second Volume.

1.-THE War betoeen the States, its Causes,
Character, Oodnuct and Results" By Hon.
A. H. STEPHENS.
The National Publishing Company, of Phi
ladelphia, have just issued the second and
concluding volume of this great work. For
some time past there has been a general feel
ing Of apprehension throughout the country
that the precarious condition of Mr.. Stephens
health would prevent his completing the
work, but this apprehension is now removed
by the fact that the book is finished and in
the hands of the Agents of the Company for
delivery.
This is a matter of congratulations to the
entire country. This book must from its very
nature, take precedence of all Southern histo-
ries of the war. TIE high position held by
Mr.. Stephens in the government Of the Con-
fe.leracy, his great abilities as the first states
man of the South, and his acknowledged in
tegrity Of character, make him perhaps the
person best qualified to tell the story Of his
cause and its failure. His position as second
officer of the Confederacy enabled him to gain
much information which was inaccessible to
the ordinary historian; the secret history of
his government is as familiar to him as an
open book; and his constant and intimate
association with the leaders of the South, pre-
pares him to speak with accuracy of their
motives, and to judge their acts from more
intelligent standpoint than any other writer.
In the first volume of bis work Mr.. Ste
phens confined himself entirely to discussion
of the causes which led to the secession of the
South. In the volume now before US, he
narrates the story of the War, giving especial
emphasis to the action of the government of
the Confederacy, or to what may be called its
confidential history. His account of the i'm
portant conference at Hampton Roads be-
tween President Lincoln aud the Confederate
Commissioners, is one of the most valuable
additions to the literature of the War, and is
in itself worth the price of the entire work.
The vexed question of the non-exchange of
Prisoners of War has much new light shed
upon it, and the peace movements in the
South are thoroughly explained. The fact
that the first volume, which was but the in
PRODUCTION to the history of War, commanded
a sale of over $4,000 copies, fully warrants
the assertion that this volume, which is not a
mere discussion of principles, but living,
breathing narrative of the events of the great
est struggle Of modern times, by one Of the
most important actors in it, will reach sale
unprecedented in this country. No fair
minded, unprejudiced person can afford to be
without this book. 1t is the official history
on the Southern side, and must hold in the
literature of the War even higher place than
is accorded to Mr.. Greeley's american Con-
aict. 1t will occupy in our history the place
that is given to ~Nanoleon,s Memoirs in the
literature of the French Empire. 1t is like
that work the last production Of its gifted
author, and is entitled to all the weight which
attaches to the high character of a great leader
presenting to the world the story of his cause
in vindication of it. The book is sold by
subscription only, and agents are wanted in
every county.