New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS
v,,sropy OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE S IN UNITED Ed
STATES, from the Revolution to the civil war; ny
John BACH McMAsTER In five volumes VOL l.
svo, DID, W., 622. ID. Appleton q Co.
The scheme of this important work resembles that
of Mr.. Green's admirable History OF the Engnsh
Peopler although the treatment. owing 10 the
peculiarties of the subject, is necessarily very
different. Both authors undertake to describe the
development of people, the progress OF popular euu
cation, culture, morals prosperity happiness. and
newer rather than the ntrigues of statesmen and
the ambitions of rulers. But the English people"
"a a force In civilization. was evolved SLOWLY
through wars and revolutions, political conflicts
and dypastic changes from state OF society whlch
bore little resemblance to the society Oh modern
times; and it is impossible to study the history Vi
the people except in close association WIN Tue his
tory of the monarchy. In the United States, how
ever people suddenly found themselves IN hlgh
condition Of political development, mherltlhg tho
capacities which their ancestors had acquired oy
centuries of struggle and the fundamental institu-
tions of government upon which popular hper'ies
have rested Under kings and parllaments
as well as under republics. They were hampered
by no relics of the past, by exaggerated respect
for precedent AID privilege. by no fear OF nelghoors
or rivals NThey were the most vigorous ohsaoot OF
the most vigorous aud advanced OF races, eaiied
upon to make brand new nation after what they
considered the best ideal. Almost alone IN new
Iandr saws our author, "they were free to work
out their own form of government in accordance
with their own will" An account of what they
did in political affairs is, in an especial
manner an account of tile course
of public sentiment. and that is to
be learned far less from the proceedings of Congress
than from the ampler expressions of popular feeling
in PAMPHLETS in newspapers, In clubs In correspoh-
dence and In meetings. The growth of the country
in wealth and refinement is to be traced slmntane-
ously with its political advancement, and the COLI
ncction between the t1o lines of progress where
ever they are connected. is TO be pointed out Inc
task is simpfed by the fact that the whole course
of development. political and social moral anu ua-
teria has proceeded from the same popular sources
Whatever we have become, whatever we nave done
of good or evil, clew to the cause may be sought
in the manifestations of popular sentiment. 1t is
one Of the merits of the present work that IL keeps
this truth clearly in view.
preliminary chapter is devoted to n description
of the condition of the people at the close Oh INC
Revolution Here Mr.. McMaster gives the same
sort of interesting and valuable sketch which Mr.
Lodge executed recently, with much fuller detail
and broader scope for earlier period OF our MS
tory The settlements consisted of narrow line OF
towns aud hamlets extending with many breaks
along the coast from Maine 10 UeoNeiS- fii'y 'iN'
back from the Atlantic the country was an unbroken
wilderness Between Portland and the ST. Lawrence
was almost q solitude The nch valleys OF the
hIobawk and the Genesee in NewYork were still the
limiting grounds Of the Indian. The total poDu.
lation was probably three millions and
quarter, aud the preponderance, both numerical
and industrial, was with the South. Virginia was by
far the first of the States in number OF inhabitants
and next followed in order Pennsylvania. North
Carolina Massachusetts, mot inc uding the province
of Maine). New-York Maryland and SOnth Caro-
lima. Philadelphia was the first city III sze New
York the second. Boston the third. but New-York
had been nearly ruined by the British occupation,
and ranked much lower in wealth than in the num-
her of its houses. The means OF communication be-
tween the towns were astOnishiugly rude. The
highways III a shocking condition, the ferries
were dangerous the coaches were ill-bullt and Ill
horsed. In Washngson's first term as Presi-
dent two coaches and twelve horses
,suffced to carry all the passengers and goods
passing between New York and Boston, the great
commercial towns of the nation. The journey occu-
pied six days The postal was In It's infancy.
The mail carrier logged eisurely on horseback
sometimes beguiling the hours by knitting stock
ipgs as he rode and sometimes reading the lett'r
The mails were so unsafe that the use of cipher
was common One post Office did not forward news
papers, but the mail riders carried few in Their
bags as a private enterprise. The press, however,
had not vet become of value organ of intel.i-
gence and the people lost little by the smalness of
its circulation The adventurous traveller who
endured the hardships and perils OF a tour II ON
State TO State found nothing worthy of mott
in his journal than the marked difference c.
manners customs. tastes and refinement
which prevailed in the country Mr.
McMaster describes with a great deal of vivacity
the characteristics of the Puritan ewing landers,
with the state of education and culture among
them, the standing OF the learned professions the
habits of the farmers and traders and the general
aspect of society," lie performs similar task for
New-YoIk, though with less completeness His
picture of life in Virginia is rather hasty; and OF
the condition of the other States 1t must "o con-
fessed that he tells us by means all that we need
To know The analysis of mixed population is
imperfeet the review of The state of religion hard
r. Nv goes beyond an unsympahetic account of New
ENGLAND Puritanisn and we have practically moth
ing about the condition of morality. TO say that
ain New York the Dutch element prevailed That
"Marvland was the home of the English Catholics
Pennsylvania of the Germans and Quakers," is mis-
leading or insufficient. New-York was already &C
curing that cosmOpolite character for which 1t Is
now so remarkable. The English Catholics In
Maryland were very small and prescribed MINOR
itv long before the Revolution. The outcome OF
the German anu quaker lhi4'uIo-"i JuA'"P0''''''
ratber-in Pennsylvania was a matter OF good
deal of consequence considering that Pennsylvania
was one of the most powerful States OF the con-
federacv This deserved careful treatment; and
we ought to have been told something definite too,
about the population OF Rhode Island State which
Mr. McMaster is never tired OF denouncDg in
nnmsasured terms "Of the thirteen
States Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations had always been the most
lukeyarm and discontented, and was
30 an, ,bat Infamous courss which makes