Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-08-11
LITERARY NOTICES.


The War 6esree. the States. IT. Casses,
rharucter, Conduct and Ressas" By
HoS. A. H. STEPHENS
Three years ago the announcement By the Ma
nonal Publishing Company, Of Philadelphia Of
the speedy publication Of this great work, e-ea-
ted a profound sensation throughout, the coan-
try. The pres Of both sections hailed the ap-
Pearance OF the book with delight, for IL was adj
mitsed by all that the task of transmitting to
rposterity the Southern version of the history Of
our great civil var could not have been con6ded
to an ADLER pen than tina, OF Mr.. STEPHENS, the
greatest living statesman Of the South. The col
league and friend of Clay, Calhoun, and Webster
ne Is connecting link between the present. and
the giorioas pseAapd as vice-President Of the
late Southern Confederacy, he is peculiarly fitted
for the task, by his opportunities 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, enables Us to rely upon his statements
with an absolute certainty. In the first volume
of his work, Mr. STEPHENS confined himself ex-
clusively to the easses of the War, reserving the
and concluding volume The success of the
former volume was extraordinary, reaching sale
| Of over so, 600 copies
If then that portion of the work which of nc
cessity was the dryest-if any part of this mag
niicent production can be called dry-has met
with such a wonderful and rapid sale, what arc
We not warranted in predicting 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 romance and all the subimity
Of truth Mr. SrxrHrNs sights no feature Of the
War, and his work reveals particularly inter
esting and fascinating portion of its history,
which has never been made public until now
He goes TO the bottom Of the secession move
ment, and gives the confidential history of the
Convention which formed the Confederacy.-
The yexed question Of the nome xchange of pris-
oners Of war has much new light shed upon it,
and this alone ought To commend the book 10
every one who saw the inside oil u Northern or
Southern prison.
hat wl! strike the r-act,cci reader mos. "a
vorably how ever is The fact tina, Mr. Stephens uar-
ra;ve is free from bitterness and sectional fee'-
ing. lie writes Win mat calm dignity which IS
always the historians most effective weapon
weighing facts according TO their merits and ar
irving at conclusions with clcarness Of Judy
ucnt which is, TO say the least, remarkable in
one who was himself SO important an actor in
the events narrated. II IS this fact which will
make his book so welcome TO those who are
seeking substantial information upon the sub
jec,s treated Of aud who prefer clear and stras hit
forward statements, of 'rhd! done TO fine thco
ries as 10 what Wight hare hen accomplished -
Having been compelled nv i'll health, since the
war, 10 remain almost entirely in the privacy OF
his home and 10 take no part in the questions
of the day. Mr.. STEPHENS his been enabled TO
look back over his long and honorable career
with The calmness Of one whose record is COM
pie,ed, and to produce, as his most valuable ser
vice to the country, the magnificent history
which lies before us. The book is sold by sub
scriPtion only, and agents are wanted in every
county.