The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-02-11

wcrc the Tories mainly OF English stock. and
were they for the most part descendants
OF tho earlier emigrants? How largo num-
Dor OF soldiers and how considerable pccuniary
contributions did they furnish to the royal
cause All these are interesting questions. and
an exhaustive answer 10 thom would enable us
TO understand much better than we now do
how the contest for independence was regard
ed from tho point Of view Of both faotions IN
the colonies. and from that Of English states
men. II. for instance. 1t could be shown that
the Wings wore. In point OF numbers. n minority.
and recruited In largo measure from those
classes Of society which have least 10 lose by
revolution. tho persistent attempt Of tho Brit
ish Government TO enforce Its authority would.
from its point OF view DO both justinable and
expedlent. But. NJ We have said. we are still
too much in the dark as regards desirable and
trustworthy information to discuss tho subject
probably.
or late. however. there have boon some COM
mondahle endeavors to supply the requisite
material for moro accurate and equitable es-
Innate OF tho motives and actions OF tho loyal
colonists during the Revolutionary war.
Among these contributions to the truth OF his
tory is an addition to Munsclrs Histori-
cal Series. entitled Johnsons ORDERLY Book. an
notated by Mr.. W. l.. STONE and prefaced by =
sketch Of the famous New York loyalist by MIR.
J. WATTS DE PEYsrzn. Sir John johnson 10.
indeed. n very striking figure In the history OF
the American Revolution. Ho was Tory by
sentiment and conviction. and thcre wero
strong reasons why no. at all events. should
strenuously support tho royal authority. His
father. Sir William johnson. hal unauss-
tionably rendered great services to the Brit
ish crown. but he had been munincentiy
rewarded. Coming to this country In his youth
~ tho agent Of his uncle. Admiral Sir Peter
Warren he rose speedily from tho position Of n
pionoor planter and country storekeeper TO
greater wealth and higher rank than were Dos
scssed by any OF the New York hereditary lords
Of manors. Ho died bnronot. a Major General
Of his Majesty's forces in America. the virtual
Viceroy OF the Six Nations. and tho owaor OF d
larger landed estate than was ut that time con-
trolled by any cOlonist. with tho possible eNcep-
tion OF Lord Fairfax. and larger than had over
belonged to subject in this country. with the
exception OF William Penn. When We bear in
mind the point from which he started and the
point towhich he attained. We must nc nowledge
that Sir William johnson WAS tho IN s,t distin-
guished parsonage in colonial annals. His son
john who was knightcd during his fathers
lifetime. and Mt the age ef wcnty-thrce. in
heritcd tho patarnal sagacity and energy. and
the British commanders. would havo como
near saving the royal cause in Now York. As
it was. he must be credited with the measure Of
success obtained by the British arms at the
battle OF Oriskuny. aud had he been trusted
with an adequate force. tho result OF Bur-
goync's campaign might have been worry dif-
fsrent. Even after the collapse of that expo
dition Sir John Johnson managed to hold his
own in western and cantral New York until tho
closing period Of tho struggle.
1t Ia tho aim Of tho authors OF this volume to
demonstrate that for tho unusually ferocious
character OF the hostilites with which he WAS
associated Sir John Johnson WAS not primarily
or principally responsible; that from the out
set he was more slnned against than SHINING.
Reasons arc given for bc!isv,n. that tho
patriotic luminosity Of tho Albany Wing, TO the
Johnson family was largely tainted by the
hope OF profting by the conflscation OF its pos
sessions. and special attention Is directed to
the brutal treatment which Sir Johns wife.
Lady Johnson. experienced at the hands OF the
colonial authorities. 1t was inevitable that
such provocations should create great bitter
ness. but there really seems To be no evidence
that Sir John Johnson allowed the ncerbity Of
his feelings to unduiy warp his conduct. 1t Is
true that he was not always able to control
the Indians and Tory militia under his COM
mnnd. but there Is proof that he earnestly
tried to control them. and perhaps his failure
to do 50 was no more discredItnbls than the
professed inability Of some OF the Wing Gen
erals to restrain their soldiers from the perpe-
tratiOn OF gross outrares. The havoc. for in
stance which attended JohnsOn's forays in the
Mohawk Valley might not unreasonably be re-
gardcd. ~ 1t was by loyal coonists. in tho light
OF reprisals for the frightful desolntion spread
by Sullivan in his preceding raid upon the
farms Of the Six Nations. And II we are to
measure the mischief OF events by their ulti-
mate consequences. We might Surmise that
Sullivans invasion. by irrcmediably alternating
the Indian race. inflicted intellectually greater
damage on the white settlers themselves than
Johnson's expeditions.
This Is a courageous book and useful book
which Messrs. Stone and De Peyster have
given US. 1t will bc carefully examined by pro-
fessional students Of American history, and
may awaken many readers unaccustomed to
pursue historical inquiries on their own &C.
count to the necessity OF weighing ssarchingy
some current judgments respecting the actors
and incidents OF the Revolutionary epoch.
NJ. w. H.
Mere Doubt Cast Upon the Auth orshsp sf The
Shakespeare Plays.