Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-23
BOOK REVIEW.


This is the latest of Judge Tourgee's series
of American historical novels. It differs
from all his previous productions in this, that
its chapters are interpreted with politico-his-
torical essays, showing the growth of the
snii-slavery sentiment and the issues between
the various national parties from the adop-
ton of the Federal Constitution up to the
outbreak of the great rebellion. But, like all
his previous works. it deals alone with the
slavery question andits incidental surround
ings. Unlike his other novels, however. it
has no direct relation to the events and scenes
of the late civil war. On the contrary, all
its action ante-dates that outbreak. As a
romance, we consider it superior to any of
his previous plots. It deals almost exclu-
sively with whites and those of grade of in
telligence of the better order. The scenes,
with but two exceptions, sre all laid at the
North. and mostly in the Empire State. The
plot involves the growth from infancy TO ma
turity of two lives, the one the daughter of a
Shareholder, who locates at the North and
becomes Southern Abolitionist the other
the son of stern, just Knickerbocker, the
account of whose gradual transformation
from Wing to Northern Abclitioaist is one Of
the most arttul Efforts in the entire writing
The Southerner, sn q ficsr in the United
| States navy, is charged with trust of the
most delicate and sacred character. bsing
nothing less than the settling up OF the estate
of his devoted half brothtr. q Carolina plant
er, the manuu.iseion and removal Of his slaves,
and the care and education Of his children
without the knowledge reaching them that
their mother-as was believed-wss an octO-
room. In the attempt to discharge this trust
faithfully he incurs the distrust Of his North
ern neighbors who are unaware of his true
sentiments, and the enmity Of the Csrolinans,
who lcok upon him as q traitor to the South.
The mystery and seoresy which enshroud all
his proceedings in his efforts to discharge his
duty finally involved the question of his own
orphaned daughters legitimacy, and she was
claimed as the child of the supposed slave
wife of his half brother. after her father has
laid down his life in the attempt to remove
the slaves secretly from the plantation. He
left, however, proofs of his daughters parent
age, and to the sturdy Northeruer farmer
trust securing his child ample means. and in
the discharge Of which the farmer is go sue
cessful as to develop, not only large profits,
but the resources of fertile section, in the
midst of which a city rises, and about which
the most stirring events Of the novel take
place. The bitter anti-slavery spirit devel
oping from the date of the Missouri compro-
mise leads the res der up to an intimate &C.
quaintapce with the process OF capitalization
of the sentiment that ripened into the birth
of the Republican party, and eliminated in
the civil war. Perhaps no narrative has
given so clear and distinct picture, nor SO
truthful a one, Of that growth and develop
ment as remembered by the middle.aged of
the present day, but of which the rising gen.
Grafton has SO inadequate conception. We
are taken into the farmhouse of the North
and hear the slavery question discussed about
the hearthstone: into The town meeting. where
it is the ons issue of heated debate into the
political canvas, where it is inextricably in
volved with constructions of the Constitu-
ton and learned essays upon the laws; into
the religious circle, where the institution,
az a blessing or curse, is considered from
biblical standpoint. Sc, too, the reader is
introduced to the Southern view of the ques-
ton to some of the strange but justiiable
laws for the protection Of property rights in
negro slaves-iust, when viewed from the
standpoint of there being property right in
human chsttels by the recognition of exist
ing laws inhuman when considered in moral
and humane lights. The one thing which
conspicuously marks all the writings Of
Judge Tourgee is intensity. His aim is that
no one sentence shall he weaker than another !;
no one scene less intense than another.
Expression, with hin, is synonymous with
vigor the aim of the use Of Ian
leads him into an extravaganza, which,
did he not possess the power to main
tain an ever-increesing interest in the plot
and to enlist the chivalrous feelings and sym
pathies of his readers, would very soon bring
his chapters to most pitiful and stale endings.
For Tourgee begins on high kay, and is for
ever approaching q climax. His plots move
constantly upon az ascending scale of fever
ism interest. They never lag, nor 90 they
ever descend TO a lower plane for fresh ad-
vance into the hot atmosphere of an imagin-
ative style that fairly burns with the intensity
of the authors convictions, and never cools,
even in the slightest degree. In short, Judge
Tourgee'5 lines are at constant white heat,
and the only variation in the effect is that
made by the rehabilitation OF singing sparks
when the blows upon the glowing iron ara the
mora vigorous at one time than another.
Throughout all the pages there runs a vein of
bitterness hardly to be understood by the
youth of this day, but entirely comprehensi-
bic to the men and women still living who
| remember the rancor and hate, the division Of
families and communities, the enmities and
feuds, the heroic sacrifices, the social ostra-
cism, the cruel prosecutions and the martyr
dons Of thirty years ago which paid tribute
on one side or the other to the institution of
slavery, and separated tie nation into warning
factions, turned the hand of brother against
brother, broke ssunder the most sacred Of ties,
ayraye1 the people of God " against each
other, and drenched the fairest land at last
in the best blood Of lis own.
But there are some passages in the work,
few and brief, tn might be taken entirely
out Of it and stand alone-delicste ard grace
ful sketches Of the growth of love between
two young and psrfectIy-developed lives.
These are green spots. refreshing hating
places, where the reader may rest himself in
the hot excitement Of passionate march
through scenes of burning yigor glowing with
the h.at of intensified prejudices and angered
natural sentiments, outraged by the crueltiez
and sorrows and sgonies, 30 graphically de-
picted by the author. But these chapters,
frequent and extended, have no relation to
ths plot of the story, which rise superior to