Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-29
Avorv,s IIistorv az Georgia.


events as directed by the force OF indi-.
vidual effort, and preserving their Sc
quence, this history of Georgia is faith
full to its title and at times rises to that
higher domain, whose scope and value
were first revealed by the matchless ge-
MUS of Voltaire, who laid the founda-
ton of that great treasure house-the
philosophy of history-stored with the
Jewels of human achievement selected
by the master minds that have caught
the spirit of its great architect.
That the author could have added to
this store he abundantly shows. But
many reasons can be seen why he should
have preferred to adopt the course he
has pursued.
In the task which he set himself-to
produce a concise and sustained nara
tive of the progress of events IN Georgia
within the period embraced in his work
he has met with rare success.
Part 1.-The Decade Before the War"
"Opens with glowing picture of the
imperial march of Georgia from the
landing of Oglethorpe to the time when,
having outgrown her Southern sisters,
she became the keystone of the new
born Confederacy. The crowding events
of the fateful ten years are sketched rap
idly and graphically. Preliminary to the
recital of the memorable contest of Joe"
Brown and ben" Hill, which placed
the former in the executive chair, which
he filed so long, the author gives the
story of the struggles and early triumphs
of the wonderful man who for the past
quarter of a century has been the cen
trail figure on the stage of Georgia's poll
tics. The book may be said to begin
with Governor Browns entrance into the
battle for the Governorship, and to end
United States. Following Governor
Brown on the hastings and in the Execu-
tive Office, the author recalls to the older
and informs the younger generation upon
the acts that won him such applause and
sketches the jealous friends that stood
to him and the stout foes that fought his
purposes. The decade closes with the
thrilling drama of secession, in which
Georgia played from first to close so sig
nal and potential part.
Part 1.-THE Bloody Harvest of
War"-portrays wildly the process by
which the varied shades of opinion in
the State were welded into the common
purpose to resist at every hazard the CO.
ercion of the Federal Government. Here
are to be found the most thrilling pas
sages of the work, and the author is gen.
erOus in eulogy of the heroic hosts that
turned their back on home with all its
ties to battle and die for prin-
ciple. In this portion of the
work Governor Brown figures largely.
Coupled with his record there runs an
absorbing recital of the acts and utter
ances of the gallant hearts that, in the
words of the chivalrous Barlow, illus
tratcd Georgia" Her prodigal offerings
of blood and treasure, the endurance of
her people and the succession of woes
that befell her after the fall of Atlanta,
with Just resume of the tremendous
campaign that sealed the fac of tn
UCnfederacy, combine to lend fascina-
ton TO this division of the authors story,
in which the reader is lost in admiration
of the men that wrought such prodigies
of courage and such marvels of sacrifice.
Part uI-"The Reconstruction Ira.
vesty and a Superb Rehabilitation" =
treats of events so recent that it seems
but yesterday that they were enacted.
The author loses sight OF nothing that
can add to the interest of this portion of
his work, and the result of his labors is
an arraignment of the enormities perpe-
trated by the remorseless junta, led by
Stevens, Sumner and Butler, that will
pulse the heart of the Southerner with
indignation and bring the blush of shame
to every honest man who donned the
blue. Georgia's struggle for liberty
when the storm of battle had died away
was as glorious in the forum and the
Senate House as in the perils of the fight.
Heretofore it was an easy task for the
author to record the achievements of
Governor Brown, but here he is forced
to lay aside the role of the panegyrist
and assume that of the advocate, and,
1t may appear to many, the apologist.
This generation can never be at one
upon the conduct of Georgia's great son
in the hour of her supreme trial. The
author labors to show that, however he
might appear, he was really sincere in
his choice and discerned what others
had to learn-that the old things had
passed away forever. This portion of
the work is admirably handled and
covers the ground throughout.
The dissolute saturnalia that marked
the sway of Bullock, his remorseless
prostitution of the hallowed forms of
law and justice, the plant support that
the mailed hand of the soldier and the
heartless Congress gave him, the her
culean fight of the people and their
grand triumph, are powerfully portrayed.
Taking leave of Bullock and the in
famies of his regime, the author sketches
rapidly, but clearly, the steady march
upward to the proud height where Geor-
gia stands to-day. The weighty legisla-
ton that followed the restoration of con.
stitutional government, with the polid-
cal contests that succeeded, ending with
the memorable battle but recently closed,
are summed up and weighed with acu
men and skill.
The authors style is luminous, vigorous
and often eloquent. His conclusions in
many instances may fairly be disputed
and at times combatted. Few, if any,
men who have exerted influence in
shaping the events of the two momentous
decades fail to receive credit for the
share they contributed. and the young
reader will find the volume treasury of
| ofbaro