New-York tribune., 1874-06-30

p,os Of popular .overssnty" he cons'nasa sSst
Witch completely Ignored such sov.
dsssS FORMATION ~ Of MSen tSey had no
they were nnalterably opposed And tnsn ,ne Ws
this and advanced position because he fet that on
II he could not carry HIS State, and that wouid il
II Mr. Douglas with his influence, conld
not carry Illinois, with its admitted Southern prochv
reSe .aS ne@ Sr e result other
where the conditions were less favorable
The leading traits of Douglas and Lincoln are pre-
sented in strong contrast in the following para
graphs.
Both were strong and able men, Each. conscious OF
his strength perhaps no less aware OF tnat "
the other and they entered upon the cohnict viii
purpose that allowed room for pareyng or ratroat
Roth too were representatve men-the QUE OF tDe ou
regime that was soon to pass away tne otoer. nov
H6S Was Destined to sweep the country defeat the
Democratic party aud dry up the sources & T is h
while their respective hosts confronting each other
on the opposite sides OF the valley OF Ea went Ioi.n
cbampons Of the forces Of freedom and slav-
cry, gathering for the mighty struggle ina. Was
IN long and bloody war White Mr. Douglas SO far de-
fed the armies OF the living God as 70 ignore enrey
every conceivable form expressing his ,adiHerenGe
made every where prominent his condemnation Of the
system, because 1t was wrong slh agains, po.n oT ~
n
the naon proclaimed as only criterion of his chosen
policy what the popular voice indOrsed; Tue otnei e
cause proclaimed the great doctrines OF human rights
and appealed to the moral convictions OF tue people.
Roth were expert and adroit, ana MADE the most OF
any advantage their position afforded them. Mr..
hSlanc interest 1 and retain his hold npon the saveho
ing vote. knew that he was putting at hazard his
vctions and traditional principles Of the Free States
He sought, therefore, TO justify his course by openly
Illinois and by constantly referring doctrine
OF popular sovereignty, and by ringing al possi9e
Llncon, other hand in his advocacy Of the anti.
Slavery principles Of the niS as ~
been the accepted pInelpes Ii the natoma, ar &
%ct that his were but the sentiments Of the fathers and
that he only claimed what they fully and freely admitted
Mr. Wilson's discussion of the invasion of Virginia
by John Brown is model Of judicial impartiality
and fairness. He gives that grim heroic man ample
credit for the purity of his intentions and the
earnestness of his convictions though he depores
the shortsightedness and reckessness of his actions
Anti-slavery men generally, he afirms, condemned
the invasion, while they mourned over its tragic re-
suits. Many, however, believed that his movement
compromised legitimate reforms and imperiled
just opposition to Slavery. In this opinion Mr. Will
son concurs. and deprecates the act which brought
Odum upon anti-slavery organizations and
especially upon the Republican party. He regards
John Brown as strictly conscientious and sternly
religious. nice sense of justice was noble ele-
ment in his character. But secret vein of fanati-
csm fostered the illusion that he the chosen in
strument of the Lord to accomplish the deliverance
of the slave This fact no doubt furnishes the key
to his life, and explains many things in his strange
career. The ultimate efforts of his rash expedition
began to be developed soon after his death, and
acted with potent energy the subsequent war.
The execution became at once the sgual Of discus
sons at home and abroad Abroad the uterances were
generally Of cOmmendation aud eulogy. John Brown,
il not the canOnized saint, the proclaimed hero OF
'slaushtered." wrote Victor Hugo by the American
Republic the crime assumes the proportions OF the ma
pit, and PLATFORM resounded with conflicting diseds-
sT"nt to show ther continued
featy to the South, affirming, as was done in some
and benehceut,' and stigmatzlng ant-savery men as
drunken mutneer aud others, to express their con-
fdence the man, aud integrity Of his purpose.
admiration his herosm, sympathy for the object he
had al heart, but reputation OF his Methods saying
Perish with him the folly
That seeks through evil good;
un.iaineI with human Siood
Bot the thou thou sht that andefies:
not s the the sSss%s sSa,.ssIs Psas ,ne q, e:1nE'
But whatever diyerses in judgment errors of est
mate there may have been, Mr. Phillips did not err
when, standing by the open grave of John Brown. he
said that his words were stronger than his arms; ana
the hills OF Virginia. his words were guarded by mil
lion hearts When, few months later, the uprising
mane and ulterances were kept in fresh re-;
| membrance. The " John Brown Song" extempOrlzed
in Boston Harbor. and sung by the " Massachusetts
Twelfth" marching up State Street down broadway,
and its encampment i'll Pleasant Valley on the banks
vibrated through the land Regiment after regiment.
army after army, caught up the air. ana III the camp
the march, and on the battle field, brave men assO
aed the body modering in the ground and the soul
still marching on" OF the heroic old man with the sa
cred idea Tor which he died aud for which they were
| fighting.
The history, of which the author has now COM
peted important portion, gives promise of still
greater interest in the narrative of President Lin
coins administration and the events of the civil
war. Few writers could have handled the subject
| with more judgment and ability than are displayed
| in the composition of the present volume. The
Doric simplicity of its style is in admirable keeping
| with the scenes which it describes No attempt is
made to enhance the interest of the work by splen
| dor Of colOring or pomp of words The writer
| has evidently pursued his task with a
single eye to the expression of TRUTH with
| absolute freedom from personal aims, and with
| no bias from party prejudces. Although his work
is intended as rigid outline of facts, without aim
| ing at the finish and harmony of fully rounded
picture, it shows nothing of the skeletOnlike mea
gerness of historical compilation, but has the fresh
ness if not the vivacity, of eyewitness relating
events in which he took conspicuous personal part
No one can study it's pages without increasing both
the order and the compass Of his knowledge, with
ont craving the intelligent guidance of the author in
the remainder of the story.
Mem nnhlirnf,ons