The New York herald., 1877-02-06
Appearance Of the Book by the Late
Vice President Wilson.
RELIGION AND BONDAGE.
The Memorable Convention Of '6l-
Lincoln'S Election.
EMANCIPATION AND RECONSTRUCTION.
Bosrox, Feb. 5. 1877.

come into tho world; thon ponderous histories, and
decorous accounts OF travel. and law books scientific
reatses and volumes OF theology hasten to take ad-
vantage tho interval between the holidays and tho
spring trade and fall from the press by dozens ready
for those who ike solid literature. The lrst book Of
this Kind appear in Boston this month Is tho third
volume the late Vice President Wilson's .Rse and
Fall of the Slave Power in America" which
been promised for some time, aud viii be published
week by James H. Osgood Co. When Mr. VIII
son died his book was not quito finished, and those
who had read It's carly volumes with interest
concerned lest they should see Its
closing chapters; but their fears were ended
by tho announcement that tho work would
be completed by the authors TREND the Rev. Samuel
Hunt, clergyman who knew Mr. Wilson's opinions
perfectly and quite cognizant OF the sentiments
which were to have been embodied in the summary
with which the book closes. II need hardly be said
that these sentiments compromisingy repub.
can. Few persons have ever thought that Henry
Wilson very great man, although there was
something nearly akin to greatness in the energy
which he fought his way up from poverty to the
second olcc In tho gift OF the people; but ever
thought that he not irm aboltionist and strict
republican. and no one will bo much surprised at tho
of the words with which his book closes. After
mentioning his Atlantic article, published In 1871 and
quoting the passages In which recommended tho
members Of the republican party to strive prepare
the slaves ntclligcntly wisely tho power
their cnranchsemcnt gave them, tho goes en- TO
say
But If there was In 1871 foundation for such solicit
tude alarm, how much greater tho occasion now!
Then tho governments IN tho reconstructed States
were mainly, II not entirely, In The hands Of men loyal
not only TO their country but to the principles and
policy OF the republican party. Not wholly without
mistakes or unworthy members In their admlnistra-
tlons the tendency upward and tho DRIFT was in
the right direction The freedmen were cared Tor,
policy inauguracd embracing, as already noted,
with their active participation Ia the affairs OF govern
ment, preparaton aided largely by Northern philan-
tnropy and Christian benencencc, educniona and IN
dustral, for their new and untricd position Inade-
quate, almost ludicrously SO, TO tho great
and manifold exigencies OF tho situation, cx.
ccpt as tho beginning and earnest OF greater
and more systematic Efforts, they cx
cited hopes and encouraged expectations for tho
formed Common weaths IN the South But all this is
now changed A reaction has taken place. Tho Old
regime IL renstatcd and everything save legal chat
egsatons, tho dogmas that this Is white mans roy
ernment. that the negro belongs TO inferior raco
that capital should CONTROL II II does not own labor
IN the ascendant, and caste, II slavery may
not be, Is bc the corner stone' Of Southern civ
zation, At least this Is the avowcd purpose. ''La.
Dor says, recently Governor OF one oithesc recon-
siruced States, ''must be controlled by law. We may
hold nvioate every law Of the United stalcs and still
30 legislate upon our labor system TO retain
our Old plantation system, or, in lieu OF that,
paronial system" Clotho these sentiments,
he assumes to represent with power, as they have
becn by restored democratic asccndancy in tho
| Southern Statcss in scvcra OF tho Northern,
the popular branch OF Congress- and the wonder
that education that the number scholars
dimnishcs, that school laws repealed rendered
useless, and that Northern philanthropy Is discouraged.
| But without some such agencies whence como the
unncaton and education required?
Tho Christian who traces Gods hand In American
history, recalls the ny Divine erpostons therein
recorded, gathers courage from the review, and,
though tho onions seem finds Il hard 10
despair OF the Republic. And yet even he whose trust
the strongest forgcts not that God psbes his
purposes by human instrumcntaitcs, and that
nil nj I'M nTr
avail that Is not accompanied by corresponding works
On preceding page the author enumeraies the dan
gers which he thinks loom up In the future into
which he says 'tbc thoughtful, peerinp wistfuly,
look with little for CLEANS OF light or har
bingers OF better days"
The volume begins with tho election OF President
Lincoln and closes with the passage OF tho Civil Rights
and Force bills These events arc enumerated IN
fortye,ght chapters; the forty ninth describes the
mutual influence which slavery aud Christian
and associations had upon each other and the Gicth
sums up the whole Tho original plan OF tho book
included several chapters subsidiary topics, but
these have been omitted for lack OF space ono Of
these chapters would have given detailed OF
the attempts made In Congress to prevent the nssump
ton OF ''rebel debts" TO define ctizcnship ana to
nx the "bass Of rcprescn )" another would havo
related tn manner In which tho 10y slave
induced ~ Ifccpt emancipation. The impeachment of
President johnson ana the election OF 1868 would
have been the subjects OF two other chapters
Tho chapter tho ''lnnucnce OF Christian Churches
and Associations" Is so interesting that one cannot
help wishing that the others had been left out Mr.
Wilson thought that at the humiliang fact that
while the churches of America furnished many able
and earnest advocates and valiant defenders of tho
great doctrines OF liberty, equality, fraternity, their
leading men ana influences tat the South entirely, at
the North largely, the great organizations ccclcsas
cal and missionary, the colleges and scmnsrics OF
learning, though almost exclusively under religious
and clerical CONTROL not thus true. In that
great Of their faith and OF their principles
they faltcrcd and failed But" he says In another
place, "whe truth demands tins general ccpsurc his
toric justice demands the counter statement that in
the long anti-slavery struggle under review min.
listers and members Of these very churches took a
prominent and leading part"
Tho account OF the struggle between the two parties
in the Prcsby Church and IN the American Board
Of Comm Tor Foreign Missions Interesting
ana valuable and is written with very apparent
tcntiou Of being perfectly fair. This attempt at
inpartlaliy rs visible In all tho narrative chap
ters. Still these chapters written IN
such an unpretcntous fashion that II is
not easy nnd passages 10 ne extracts
Events follow each other rapidly that there Is no
room tor brilliant descriptions splendid paragraphs.
The following is all that is said about the memorable
convention for counting the vote In 1861 -
on the 18th OF February tho houses met IN con-
vcntion TO count and declare the votes for Presidential
electors Much anxiety had been fct as II was known
that there were members Of Congress who wished TO
the occasion to break up tho convention by vo-
lencc, that the vote should not be announced. The
words OF Mr. Hndman, oil Arkansas, afterwards gen.
cral In the Confederate Army, 10 Charles Francis
Adams, OF Massachusetts, day or two before con-
vcntion, admit OF no other construction, though ne
assured that ut that moment the republicans need
have no further anxiety about tho result Thcr men,
he said, shrapk from tho attempt and Breckenridge
would have nothing TO do with H. A few days before
his death Mr.. Brccknridge stated to Mr. Wilson, who
lent men only wcre In favor OF disturbances; that he
was not consulted IN regard 10 IT, and had hc Dccn he
should have given no countenancc TO H. The vote
was announced by Mr. breckenridge, who presided
over the convention. Mr. Lincoln, receiving plural