Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-12
JAMES G RLAINE,S
POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE TWENTY YEERs
BETWEEN 1861 AND 1881.

POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE TWENTY YENRs
BETWEEN 1861 AND 1881.
WAsHISGToS, April 1I.-The following
extracts from the preface of Mr.. Blsine's
political history will indicate its scope and
design:
fhe twenty years of Congress between the
Inauguration of Lincoln in 1861, and the
inauguration OF Garfield in 1881, were the
most important in our history IS q nation.
he entire period was filed with momentous
events. Legis alton during the progress of
the war in aid OF the great armies which up
held the government, through the period in
which the Union was reconstructed, on new
and enduring fouuds tions; on the finances
during the era OF psper money, aud The sub
sequent return TO The standard Of coin; on
slavery and the emanci patton, which came
generations before philantbropists had dared
TO hope; on taxation exei crsed ard enforced
TO a degree beyond all precedent, yet
always sustained by popular majori-
ties; on industrial development go wisely
fostered, that despite the waste of thousands
Of millions by the rayages OF war, the ag-
gregate wealth of the people was doubled in
a single decade. Legislation on these great
subjects forms the vital history of the coun-
try, and is worthy OF commemoration. During
the years when these legislative delibera-
lions were in progress, much was done in
Congress Of inferior influence and temporary
interest. To separate the valuable and the
permanent from the -vsiueless and transient
OF this historic epoch, and to give a clear
and connected account of the really great
events in the Senate and House of Repre-
| seniatiges, is the aim of this work. 1t is not
intended 10 be an abridgmsnt OF the proceed
ings OF Congress, or q mere compendium of
deUHIes. ct 10 Important tr9 nsaciion in
either branch is omitted, and no disc Ission
worthy OF honorable mention is overlooked.
The design necessarily includes, within the
limits of careful discretion, the nara
tive OF many facts wAich could not
appear in an official report, as we'll
fair and just estimate of the men who
have been most prominent and Influential
in the two houses of Congress. 1t would be
obviously Impossible to present a perspicu-
| Gus history of the two decades nom 1851 10
1881, without reviewing at some length the
| important and often tangled course of events
which brought about the polit cal revolution
OF 1850, resulting in the defeat Of all the old
political organizations, and giving the con-
troll OF the country 10 new, radical, en-
tbusiastic and progressive party. The cause
OF this revolution, properly analysed, will
be found to be remote, stretching back at
least forty years, and yeL steadily and con-
tinnous y tending toward the culmiua,ion
WHICH WS5 Te&Cueu III Jne ELECTION oil MT.
Lincoln TO the presidency. The incidents of
the intervening struggles in Congress, the
connection of one phase of the contest with
another, not seen at the time, but in retro
spect distinctly visible, present field OF in
terestiDg inquiry, necessarily Introductory to
the work NOW in hand. The encourage
ment 10 publish any historical work
is found in The belief that it supplies what
was before Inaccessible. The history OF
The events now presented is scattered through
$50 volumes Of the ronderous rec
Ords of Congress, and 10 the scarce
y less voluminous reports of committees of
both Senate aud House. In this vast mass
OF documents, complete series OF which is
probably not coutsined in a single library
outside the national capitol, it is ne light la
Dor 10 trace even one measure through the
various evolulions of legislation. To present
the entire period within the Limits adapted
to the general reader, and upon the plan
briefly outlined in the foregoing para graphs
will, it is believed, contribute to 4 more gen.
eral and intelligent understanding of an i'm :
portant political era, and 10 truer sense of
the patriotism, the coursge and the states
manship which sustained the nation under
unprecedented trials and guided it safely
through dangerous crisis.