New-York tribune., 1872-04-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SENATOR WILSON'S HISTORY OF AMERICAN
SLAVERY.

svo pp. GO James Il. osgood s. co.
The important monograph Of which the first
volume is now given to the public, is devoted TO
complete history of the establishment and growth OF
Slavery in the United States, aud OF the develop
nent and extirpation of the Slave Power In the
frst two volumes of the work. the progress ana III
gucnce Of Slavery will be described, from It's ln'io-
duction into Virginia in the year 1920 to inc eoU,
uencemont Of the civil war, while the thru anu
fnal volume will relate the series OF measures oy
which Slavery was extinguished, the Slave rover
brc,cn mn and the Union reconstructed on the basis
of universal freedom and equal political rights.
Tho preseut volume, which brings the history
down "a the admission of Texas as Slave State IN
lSi5. forms an admirable opening OF the work. ana
furnishes an ample pledge of the excellence Oh lts
future character. One of the most striking features
IN the execution of the volume is its conscientious
oroprhnoss of detail. The author has carried hs
yell-known habits of sedulous industry into the
accomplishment of his task. He has evidently
sArunk from labor in quest Of materials Tor his
narrative OF in their orderly and lucid arrangement
and exhibition. No minuteness of detail in tho
account of legislative proceedings or the action OF
pubhc bodies has proved wearisome to his hands, OF
paired the freshness Of his spirit. Every sgniii-
can't tonic comes in for its due share OF notice. ana is
presented with an exactness of statement ana
elearncss of illustration which leave nothing 10
be desired for the perfect comprehension OF the
Subiect. Nor does this fullness and precision OF
detail interfere with the agreeable flow OF the
narrative. The author is never verbose, never
languid, and consequently never tedious Without
aiming at special vvacity of stylea quality scarcely
consistent with the nature Of the subect,-he is
always sufficiently animated, and the profound
earnestness of his tone moro than compensates
for the lack Of rhetorical briliancy
But with all his habitual ard0r and strength OF
conviction. Mr.. Senator Wilson has preserved
singular freedom from partisan temper; his arg'l-
rornts are never colored with an lllusve sophstIy
for the sake Of eiect be coDceals nothing eNaggeT-
atcs nothing disguises nothing never places TACT
In an artificial light with view to peryerting It's
true characters and is no less just and accurate IN
describing the measures of his opponents, than IN
Yoportrg the opinions of his friends. This rare i'm
partialltv. especially in a writer who has taken
conspicuous personal part in the grand drama which
he represents inspires profound confidence IN the
yeracy of his pages and viii give them the rank OF
uuquestiOnable authorities among sincere lnqulreIs
on each side Of The question.
In the outset Of the volume, Nr. Wilson makes a
strong point of the influence OF the British Govern
neut in the establishment of Slavery upon Amer
ican soil The first cargo of onty African slaves,
which was brought into Japres River in the month
Of August 1920 by Dutcl. vessel, was purchased
BY the Virginia colopists. The system of Slavery
was thus introduced four months before the landing
Of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts,, and under the
fostering care of England, soon overspread the col
ouies From this date to the commencement of The
Revolution. British policy was controlled by the
friends Of Slavery and Of the -slave-trade. The
kings and queens of England, her lords and
commons. her Judges and attorney-geneTals, gave
their undertaking support to the nhuman traffic
IN African slaves. Her merchants and manu-
facturers olamored for> its extension. Her
Golfers were filed with the price Of tears and
blood. In little more than one century, three
hundred thousand bondmcn were imported
into the thirteen British colonies, under the
announcement of British legiElation. Every effort
on the part of the oOlonists-whethcr dictated by
humanity, interest, fear-to check this traffic
were defeated by the inexorable policy of the British
Government. No restriction was allowed to be in
troduced By the colonial authorities under heavy
penalties As early as 1925, the planters of Virginia
Imposed tax on the importation Of slaves, but the
influence of the African comI any procured repeal
of the law In 17GO, South Carolina attempted to
place retlictions on the traffic. for which she re-
coived the rebuke OF the British Government In
Ire the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an act
10 prevent the Increase Of slaves but the law was
auuuilld by the Crown. In III. and again in 1774
.lc C.u.-al Court of Massachusetts, adopted meas
ures for tie abolition of the savetrade, but they
Ia 4 10 receive the support of the colonial governor
Queen Anne who had reserved to herself one-quar-
Ter Of tie stock of the Royal African Company, that
gigantic moDopolist of the slave-trade, commanded
% q furnish full supplies TO the colonies of New
York and New-Jersey and Mr. Madison states that
tho British Government constantly checked the at
.emyts Of his native State to put stop to this in
iernal traffic" Up to the hour of American Inde-
pendence the Government of England persisted in
forcing this traffic gainful to her commercial and
manufacturing interests upon her colonies British
,varice planted Slavery in America British legsla-
hon sanctioned and maintained it, British states
men sustained and guarded it."
Passing over the period from the Revolution to the
adoption of The Missouri Compromise, to which our
limits do not permit the briefest reference,
come 10 the subsequent anti-slavery movements
which preceded the war of the Rebellion. and shook
the Union TO it's center. Mr. Wilson's narrative of
the events Of this epoch is mastery piece of com
position. Written N style of severe simplicity,
with pretension % ornate establishment, its
masculine vgor is far nOre effective than all the
r1aoes of art The frequent portraitures of the
leaders of the movement, with which the recital is
nterspersed, are models otfairness and dscrimna-
lion, and to many readers will prove more
attractive than the Legislative, proceedings Of which
the bulk of the work mus necessarily consist.
A few graphic paragraphs exhibit the per-
sonality Of Mr. Garrison in a Characteristic light
This action of the agents Of Slavery" his impris
enment in Batimore) completed tie work already
far advanced. and made Mr. Carbon ever after
ward an uncompromisng, if not btt~r foe not
only to Slavery, but to everything tha,interposed
itself between him and the object Of his p1eonquer-
able aversion and determined hostility. Nothing
was too high OF too low, nothing was too stong OF
too sacred, TO escape his fierce denunciatioDt M