Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-09-05
PROUD AMERICA.

History of the United States from the Aboriginal
Ii4e' to the Present Day: By John Clark
Tldpath, a: M Professor OF History and Bellies
Royal Octave. Illustrated with Maps, Charts,
Portraits and Diagrams. Sold only by suhscrip-
tion. Price, $500. Jones Brothers 81 Co.,
Cincinnati. Philadelphia and Chicago.
To condense American History into one
volume which shall be at once comprehensive
and convenient, emitting no material fact and
yet avoiding tediousness, is the task the au-
thor appears to have set for himself; and il
. must be admitted that he has done it we'll
Perhaps our readers will get a better idea
Z of the rare ability displayed in tho work, by
perusing few extracts, than from any com.
ments of ours.
Here is story of the race whose place we
have taken, as Prof. Ridpath's eloquent book
tells it:
SIN the matter of the arts the Indian was n
barbarian. His house was a wiEwam or hovrl.
Some poles set no in circle, cnnverging at tie
top. covered with skins and the branches of Lrees
lined, and sometimes floor ed with matS, fire in
the center, low opening a. lTfosite the point from
which the wind bIcw-such was the aboriginal
abode OF North America. ." His weapon of
no means an iasgnificant feeble instrument.
The arrow pointed with stone or iron was fire.
quently driven entirGly through the ponderous buff
hundred yards or more. and the aim was one of
fatal accnrEcv when the White Man was the tar
" when the passion of war was on him. with all
manner of glarlnC and fantastic colors. So the
Prophet of his nation taught him SO he would
he terrible to his encmles; so he would exempIi-
" the peculIaritIcs of his nation and be unlike
the Pale face. All the higher arts were wanting
1t has not been very great while since the
above would have described, faithfully, most
of the civilization Of our beautiful country.
The following admirable extract on the
Condition of the Colonies, is an eloquent
tribute to the patriots who rebelled against
the tyranny of the mother country, and who
laid the foundations Of our present prosperity
as Nation.
at unusual thing to find at the foot of
the virginia mount aims. in the quiet precincts of
Philadelphia, by the banks of the Hudson, or in
the valleys of New England, n man of great and
solid learning. Such 4 man was Thomas .JcfeT-
and the Adamses-Inen of profound scholarship,
bold in thonght, ready with the pen. skIIlful In
Such the American cOloDies-such tho
people whose budding nat tionality was now to be
exposed to the blast of war These people. whose
ancestors were driven into exile by the exactions
of European governments and the bigotry of
elesiastical power, had become the rGhtfnl pro-
prietors of the New World. They had fairly won
IL from savaGe and savage nature. They
had subdued If and built States within it. They
owned it bv all the CLAIMS of actual possession
by toll and trial by the ordeal of suffering: BY
peril, privation and hardship, by the baptism Of
sorrow and the shedding of blood. No wouder
discipline No wonder that the men who from
mountain and sky and river. from orchard and
the aspirations of the present and the homes Of
the future, had drank in the spirit of Liberty
until their souls were psrvaded with her sublime
essence:-Were now ready when the iron heels of
oppression vas set upon their cherished rights,
20 draw the vinGicitIve sword even against the
venerable monarchy of England"
In concluding the Centennial chapter, for
this history comes down, absolutely, to the
present, the Professor says:
The history of the United States has now
De oeeh traced to time so recent that the events
to be mentioned have not yet become bistori-
cal. The Republic has passed through stormy
times, but has como at last TO the threshold Of
clouds that we're recently 50 black overhead
havs broken, and are rapidly sinking behind the
horizon. The fabric reared by the wisdom of
Ine taJbeFs still stands IN undiminished glory.
IHE PAST HAS TAUGHT ITS LESSON THR PRESENT
HAS ITS Duty, AND THE FUTUREITs Horn"
These short extracts can give you only a
faint idea Of what there really is in American
History, when written by man of genius.
This work is written to be read 1t contains
go pages, and yet there is not sleepy SEN
tence in it. It cultivAtes language, style,
thought, and patriotism.
1t would be gratifying here, to insert the
whole of the concluding chapter, but the last
period must suffice.
''The scroll of the century is rolled together.
The work is done. Peace to the memory OF the
warriors. patriots, and saEes! Calm be the rest
ing-placA of all the brave and tTus! Gentle be
the su:rmeT rains on famous fields where armies
met in battle! Forgotten be the animosities and
heart-bnrnin of the strife Sacred be the trusts
committed to our care, and bright the visions of
the coming ages
Tlden, Hendricks and Reform.