Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-19


States Governments Dealings with Some OF the
Indian Tribes. By Fl. Ii. New York: Harper
Brothers. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft d
Co. vol, Svo; PIP. 457.
This work is prefaced by chapter from
the pen of Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota,
an introduction by President Seelye. of Am
herst College, and is supplemented by an ex-
tended appendix of statistics, official reports.
etc. The very title of the book indicates the
vein of the text. 1t is put forth as sketch,
not as a history. The author starts out with
the establishment of the right of oceu-
pancy by the Indians of this country, and
of the ultimate sovereignty being in the
civilized discoverer. as against the savage
barbarian found in occupany. From these
initial points the writer proceeds to an ex-
animation of facts. The book comes in good
time, and will find the people of the United
States just now ready to accept and
judge of it. The author recites the many
abuses and crimes against the Indians
of America by our Government, in its direct
acts and by It's neglect and permission. The
blunders OF administrations ara pointed out,
the unwise dealings had with the tribes, and
the conclusion is drawn that as result the
century has for the United States Govern
ment been one of dishenor, SO far as its deal
ings with the Indian tribes are concerned.
This is a terrible stigma to attach to our
country; but the readers of I'll. HIS book
will close it with the firm conviction that it
is not wholly undeserved Bishop Whipple,
in the preface, enumerates the fearful ex-
penditures of our Government in Indian
management, and adds:
All this while Canada had no Indian wars. Our
Government had expended for the Indians sl00 TO
their one. They recognize rs do, that the Indi-
ans have possessory right to the soil. They pur-
chase this right by treaty do, but their treaties
made with the Indian subjects OF her Majesty.
They set apart permanent reservations for them !;
they seldom Indians they select agents of
high character who receive their appointments for
life; they make fewer promises. but they fulfill
them; they give the Indians Christian missions
which have the hearty support of Christian people,
aud all their efforts towards self-hep and civil
iZation. Our Indian wars are needless
and wicked. The North American Indian is the
noblest type OF heather now upon the Garth. He
recognizes the Great Spirit; he believes in immor
tality; he has quick intellect he is a clear
thinker he is brave, loves his children, and counts
it a JOY to die for his people
Prof. Seelye, in the 6 Introduction" says ::
The great difficulty with the Indian problem is
not with the Indian, but with the Government and
people of the United States Instead OF a liberal
and far sighted policy, looking to the education and
civilization and possible citizenship Of the Indian
tribes, have suffered these people to remain as
savages for whose future have had no adequate
care aud to the consideration Of whose present state
the Government has only been moved when pressed
by some present danger. We have encroached upon
their means of subsistence without furnishing them
any proper return; have smut them up on resery-
ations often notOriously unfit for them, or il fit
have not hesitated to drive them off Tor our
profit, without regard to theirs; We have. treated
them sometimes as foreign nations with whom we
have had treaties; sometimes as wards who are en-
titled to voice in the management OF their affairs
and sometimes as subjects from whom we have re-
quired obedience but TO whom We have recognized
no obi cations. Our Government has
reaped the whirlwind often, only because it sowed
the wind
1t is not probable that H. FL. has exagger-
ated the facts in the volume under notice !;
there was no need to do that the bare recital
Of the truth is humiliating enough and ought
to work reform without further effort being
made. But such viii not be the result the
Encouragement and wrong, we fear, will
continue, certainly they viii so long as sell
fish interests rule, and though FL. HIS deeply
interesting book will be read all through the
land, the errors of the past viii be condoned
and new ones continue to disgrace the history
of the republic.
From the Leonard-Scott Publishing Com
pany, New York. we hare the American re-
print of the $ Westminster Review" for Jan.
usry with these leading papers: The Prog
ress of Shipbuilding in England" "Plato as
a Reformer. ''The Early History of Charles
James Fox" ''The Irish Land Question:"
1.-THE Science of History" .Afghanistan, :"
"Bimetallism aud the Finances of India, I"
linda and Our Colonial Empire" Con-
temporary Literature"
History or GREECE From THE EARLIEST TINES
TO THE PRESENT. By T. t. Timayenis. With
maps and illustrations. vols large 8vo New
York: D. Appleton Il Go.
This is history of Greece by Greek. It
differs materially from all other histories Of
the Hellenic nation it has been our fortune to
see OF hear of, though strange marks of re-
semblance to others are many. Mr.. Tina
yenis says in his preface:
My purpose in this work has been to write his
tory OF Greece based far possible on the test
mony OF authors contemporary with the events
rated. While cheerfully acknowledge my obliga.
tions to Gibbon and Grote-the most eminent OF
modern historians careful study OF the Greek
writers has led me to differ from them on many i'm
portant matters. The peculiar feature of the pres
ent work, therefore, is founded Hellenic sources
have not hesitated to follow the Father OF History
ia portraying the heroism and the sacrifices of the
Hellenes in their first war for Independence nor in
delneatng the character of that epoch, to form my
judgment largely from the records he has left US.
Ner have | scrupled, in narrating the great civil
strife Of the nation, to base my assumptions and
conclusions on the testimony Of the nlmitable his
torian OF the Peloponnesian war. Ii have misin-
terpreted the facts or failed TO draw legitimate
illusions, it is because | must have miseonstrued
the meaning sought to be conveyed by my illustri
GUS ancestors.
1t is evident, that with all Mr.. Timayenis'
originality, he has borrowed very literally
from other writer's, and some Of his passages
placed side by side with those of Grote and
Gibbon would lead the impartial reader to
conclude that the Greek had poached beyond
all reason. In short, Mr.. Timsyenis' history
savors strongly of a 50 makeup" without the
acocrJaI Nv Eofs
preface in the light of these facts is more
significant than prefaces usually are The
selections from Gibbon, Grote, Jebb, Cook,
without, credit are altogether too numerous
to be excused But though the work is thus
marred by plagiarism it will be found to be
very fair history of Greece, and comes down
to the very latest date, and the facts of the
history of the nation are condensed into
two moderate volumes. However, this COM
pilatidn, though it has some original argu-
ments and passages, and some new views, can
not be recommended as worthy TO supplant
the humble efforts that have preceded it.
and hence the student is advised TO adhere to
the established standards even after he has
satisfied his curiosity by reading this new his
tory by Mr. Timayenis.
THE LoSaHELLow BIRTHDAY Book. Arranged by
Charlotte Fiske Bates. Boston Houghton, Milf
lin 4 Co. Sacramento w. A. & G. s. Houghton.
/ VOL; duodecimo; PIP. 400.
This is happy compilation, handsomely
illustrated and presented in a very attractive
and convenient form. It consists of selec-
tions from Longfellow's writings set under
dates for each day in the year, and on oppo-
site pages the dates are repeated over half
page blanks, with line to each, naming,
with few exceptions, authors whose birth
day occurs on that date.
Don John, anotherof the No Name Series,
is from the press of Roberts Bros, Bostor,
and is for sale by w. A. l. Q. S. Houghton,
Sacramento. 1t is hardly rival to any
of the admirable fictions which have
preceded it in this excellent series, which
is all the more charming because Of
the mystery which shrouds the authorship of
the volumes. The story relates how q little
Buttercup, in the person of the nurse to
wealthy lawyers infant, mixed these chill
dren up, asd not creature knew which was
which, Unable to distinguish his son the