The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-17
LITERATURE.
Books

Books.
PIONEERS OF ILLINOIS. Containing Series OF
Sketches relating to events that occurred pre-
vious to 1918; also Narratives OF MANY thSa,'
Element OF the West. By n: Matson. au,
thor of "BeyOnd the Atlantic" memoirs OF
Shaubena,n &c. N. Matson, publisher, Prince
ton. Ill; for sale by Jansen, McClurg a. Co..
Chicago; Osman Il Hapemsn, Ottawa. rrice'
$1.50.
There is no region OF equal extent in America
whose history from the 10th to the 18th century
teens with more thrilling events than the valley
of the illinois, extending from Chicago on the
north to st. Louis on the south and from the
Wabash to the Mississippi east and west. It's
occupation by the whites post-dates that OF Vir'
pinia comparatively but few years, while It's
aboriginal population in numbers, intelligence
heroism, and all those qualities that give their
history SO deep a romantic Interest, were im-
mensely in advance Of the tribes encountered py
the whites east Of the Alleghenies
Scraps of the history of this wonderful people,
contemporary with the early French explorers,
have been laboriously gathered by Bancroft
Parkman and others from the meagre records
that survived them, but between the French &C.
cupation in the 10TH and 18th and the English
and American In the 10Th century, there is a
wide hiatus that could only be filled by carefully
collecting the traditions Of the Indians them.
selves and comparing them with and testing
them by the few stray authentic records that are
still extant. To this work of collection and com
parison Mr.. Matson devoted himself with singu
lar earnestless and persistence for over forty
years, not only visiting the surviving Indians
themselves in their now widely scattered homes,
Is well as the descendants of the early French
pioneers, but also employing an intelligent half
breed TO visit the descendants OF the Illinois
tribes in Western Kansas and the Indian 1 erri
tory and collect and note down their traditions
and personal recollections. The facts, therefore,
In the volume before us, are as reliable rs hu
man care and severe critical scrutiny can make
them, while they are presented with sufficient
judgment and literary skill and taste to embody
them in 4 narrative of engaging interest 1t
Is not only such locally, but is a valuable con.
trbutlon to the early history OF the country. 1t
is printed on the best paper, on large and clear
type and attractively bound.
ABBoTTs YOUNG CHRISTIAN. A Memorial Edi
ton, with Sketch OF the Author. BY one OF
New York; Jansen, McClurg Il Co, Chicago;
Osman ~ llapeman, Ottawa. 500.
There are few books in the English language
that have been more widely rs well as more prof
itably read, than Abbott's Young Christian 1t
justly claims place by the side of Bunyan's Pill
grim In the library OF every Christian family. Its
teaching is the very essence OF the New Tesla
ment, yet SO broad and Catholic in spirit. and
sweet and tender In tone, that even the scOfer Is
unable wholly to resist the charm of Its pages.
But aside from the authorship Of the Young
Christian Mr.. Abbott was Il voluminOns writer
as well as faithful teacher and Christian minis
ter and though before his death he expressed Il
desire that no formal biography be published,
his sons, while respecting his wishes, could not
resist the general demand that, as al accompani-
ment Of a memorial edition OF his most widely
read work, some account should be given Of its
writer. This has been done in way no less in.
teresting than appreciative Of the true humility
and good sense Of the subject
THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY or ENGLAND.
From 1850 to 1860. BY Charles Duke YOunYe,
NJ. A., Regius Professor OF Modern History,
Queens College, Belfast, author OF 1.-THE His
tory OF the British Navy" &c. Harper d.
Brothers, New York; Jansen, McClurg Il Co.,
Chicago; Osman Hapeman, Ottawa. $l.75.
The author mentions that this history is in
tended As a supplement TO the Constitutional
History OF Halam, which closes with the death
Of George H. or course to the political student
no history can be more interesting than that
which traces the origia and gradual growth Of
the great charter Of English liberty through the
Elk or seven centuries from the conquest cover.
ing the era Of the Reformation, the great Rebel
lion, and the Revolution of 1858; yet there have
been events since then, such as the passage OF
the Reform Bill. the Irish Union, the abolition
OF slavery the establishment of the principle Of
universal religious liberation, the loss OF the
American colonies, the growth OF the wondrous
dominion In India, &c, that have all contributed
30 To modify and change the British Constitution
as to leave the sapling Of Hallam n mere rudi-
ment of the present stately tree. The author
has evidently complied his history with great la
Dor and the utmost care, and while telling his
story with ccmmcndable m0desty, displays an
amazing adroitness as well IA forbearance in sail.
ing clear of the bitter party anlmosities by which
all the great movements Of which he treats were
attended, so that the reader can lay down the
book on its perusal with the conviction that 1t is
both well written and an honest history
PLAIN TALK-About Politics and Politicians of
Illinois, with Facts and Figures Concerning
the State Expenditures by James X Magic,
late Printer Expert Of the State. Chicago:
Published by the author. - cite.
Afew years ago, while Mr.. Magic was still
state printer expert, the FREE TRADER took oc-
casion to refer to him as attending grcenback
meetings and national conventions while draw.
ing his 81 day state officer, aud on the SUP.
position that every man in the service of the
state who was paid a certain sum per day "for
every day he was actually employed In such ser.
vice" could not honestly receive pay for days
spent attending meetings and conventions out
OF the state, we ventured TO suggest that as Mr..
Magic had drawn pay for every day in the year,
for those he was abseat as well as for SUNDAYS
in handing in his sworp lisf NJ IA, 40 ~ o.,,.,