The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-06

buchanan administration; two chapters de-
scribe the work and dramatic incidents Of the
congressional session OF 186061; the next two
the inauguration and conduct OF the new
President before the meeting OF the thuty-
seventh congress- and The first aud second ses-
sion Of that Congress furnish the theme OF tive
more chapters, in which is interviewer mar
ratlve OF current events in the field. Chapter
seventeen is wholly concerned with the Balls
Bluff disaster and the uniustifahle peISecD-
ton of General Charles P Stone. Then
comes chapters on the national finances and
the legal tender bill with kindred measures for
enabling the government to carry on the war.
The episode OF the discouraging elections OF
1862 is the subject of the next chapter Con-
sidersticn Of the Presidents Border-State poll
cy, and OF the substitution of national onrTen-
cy for State bank currency brings The narrative
down 60 the dark days of 1868, when dislogalty
was rampant in the North, before the Union
victories of NicksbuFg and GsttYsbuTg. Two
more chapters cover the election of 1864 the
adoption of the thirteenth amendment, the as
sassination of Lincoln and the close of the war.
The concluding chapter, the twenty-sixth, con-
siders cur foreign relations during the war
Exclusive OF the $50 pages given to the re-
view Of proceeding events this first volume
covers less than FIVE OF the twenty years de-
signed to be covered by the work but they are
full years, a0ouDding in great events and
great questions which could not be dismissed
with merely curSory remarks. 1t is fair to
consider that one-half the material Of the
work has been disposed of and all that remans
may be as satisfactorily dealt with in another
volume OF equal size.
In what we have to say of the manner in
which Mr.. Blaine has performed his task we
can in this article enter upon no elaborate
criticism, nor is it necessary. Although the
field OF historical writing is new to him it was
recognized at once, upon the announcement
OF the undertaking TINT he had certain peculiar
qualifications for this particular task which no
other DQRgGEEed in 6IniuAut a Gaurno a
had an intimate and minute acquaintance
with the events he would describe and the
men who had shaped them. He was master
of direct lucid animated, forcIble STYLE,
trained III journalism aud in debate to present
subjects in q way to nave their strong
features quickly apprehended by all
classes Of the people. The doubt, il there
was any doubt was whether he could divest
himself OF partisan attitude and looks
upon the events in which his oRn feelings had
been SO strongly engaged as a participant in
the hot and serious strife, with judicial calm
ness. But the book resolves all such doubts in
the authors favor. While it is apparent of
course, on which side his convictions and SYM
pathies are regarding the grave questions in
dispute, the instances are rare, if indeed there
are any, where he has been led to do injustice
to the character, the motives or the action of
those who were upon the other side. The
passion and the prejudice of the party leader
do not obscure or mar the accuracy of his esti-
that generosity, not ran cor, guided the pen
which has portrayed their public service with
iuster appreciation than they ever ventared
to hope for.
This book has two great qualities which will
net only make it popular now, but will make
it popular long, since it is unlikely that in
these particulars it will soon be rivaied
They are its lucid and picturesque narrative
of affairs and its distinct vitalized portrature
of the men who had share ia the great work
Of N historical fyo
its pages fascinating and instructive. There is
no existing narrative of the events of the
period covered By this first volume that APP
proaches it in the combination of largeness of
view and distinctness of detail which satisfies
both the desire for information and the desire
to be interested Is will win the praises of
men who read again of the deeds with which
they are familiar and of the youth who read
for the first time a comprehensive and con-
neoted political history of the epoch of the re-
hal1On