The Republican journal., 1875-03-25
Mr.. Bancroft's Injustice to General
Sullivan.

At the recent meeting OF the Historical
Society OF Maine. paper indicating
Gen. Sullivan from the unjust aspersions
of the historian Bancroft was presented
1t was from the pen of Thomas G. Amory,
Esq, of Boston, whose descent from the
family entities him to speak in vindica-
ton of those who have made the name
lllustrlous, and who SO far from having
their fair fame smooched in the annals Of
the country by the ignorance or caprice
OF their compiler, are entitled to the graf
ltude OF all who enjoy the fruit of the tolls
anu sacrlllce OF the revolutionary fathers.
A similar paper, we notice, has been be-
tore the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,
| where it impressed all present with its
fairness and Justice.
| The error of which Bancroft is guilty
consists in intimating, in his tenth vol
ume of the History Of the United States,
that while the terms of peace We're under
discussion in Congress in 1881, Sullivan,
being influenced by Luzerne, the French
minister, voted against making right to
the fisheries one of the conditions of peace.
| His words are, That New Hampshire
abandoned the claim to the fisheries was
due to Sullivan, who at the time was a
pensioner of Luzerne" Upon being APP
piled to for the document which justified
this assertion. Mr., Bancroft produced one
which in no way sustained the charge.
But it still stands uncorrected in his
printed volume, and will probably con
tinue TO. The Philadelphia North Amer
lean makes the following extract from the
paper submitted by Mr.. Amory, and APP
ponds report Of the society's action
THE character of our statesmen and general
| officers prominently engaged in our Revolu-
| tlonary struggle concerns us all. The success
OF that struggle against formidable odds and
| various dscouragements is to be attributed in
part to the virtue and patriotism of the whole
people, but also, in a great measure, to the
high honor and unimpeachable integrity of
| their leaders in council and field. The conf
| dence which they inspired gave strength at
home and conclliatcd support from abroad.
When, as in this instance, charges are brought
which tarnish their good name, it behooves the
| puDlc generally, ana eSpeclallY historical S0cl-
cites, composed of historical students, familiar
with the subject, TO investigate their truth.
These charges fall especially within the PROV
ince of such tribunals, which alone, indeed.
can fairly pass judgment upon them 1t is inn
portant that the vindication should be pre-
served in the published transactions of corpo-
rate bodies They are of Il permanent nature,
and will be accessible in all future time to his
torical writer's
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
was so far impressed with the truth OF
these observations as to request their pres
ident publicly to read the paper sent here
by the descendants Of Gen. Sullivan, and
it was read accordingly by Mr.. Wallace
last evening to a large and apprecative
audience. The society has directed that
Mr. Bancroft have leave to take copy Of
the paper (Which was short and the tone
OF which was unexceptionably decorous)
and have leave to send anything of sim
liar character to be read in reply with
the assurance that if he should prefer to
vindicate himself by a personal address
the society would be most happy to re-
ceIve and to hear HIM.