The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-05-22
Bla,ne's Book.

take this occasion to eXalt himself and to pun
ISL his enemies, and it was thought to be i'm
impossible for him to perform the duty as
signed him without giving offence to some.
But those who heard the GRAFTON and those who
read it when it appeared in print were unable
TO find Il flaw or fault in this memorial adj
dress, which ranks among the very first pro-
duction> of the kind. So when, having retired
TO private life, it was announced that Mr..
Blaine was writing political history he was
accused of taking this method to sound his own
trumpet and to advance his political fortunes.
1t is another bid for the Presidency" eX-
claimed these two previous critics. The first
volume of the work is now before the public
and ii shows how groundless were these appre-
tensions. how unfountled these charges. There
is only commendation for the work, its matter
and style. from critics everywhere, and with
marked unaminity they have accorded to Mr..
Blaine IN honored place among historians.
And it is history he has written: not personal
rccollections, in which he would have had few
er restrictions and might have INDUCED in his
likes and di>likes. and have given u very
racy book. But the work before us is as strict
ly ilnpersonal as Macaulay's History. The au-
thor does not even indulge in a preface but
proceeds Al once to his task, and in the first and
succeeding chapters gives "A review of the
events which led to the political revolution of
1860. The eighth chapter closes with the cleo
tion Of Lincoln, and the ninth deals with the
tariff question i'll its relation to the political
revolution of 1860. Chapter ten discusses the
Presidential election of 1860 the attitude of the
south and the characters and acts of its repre-
sentalNe> i'll Washington. Then the narrative
flows on through the exciting war period con-
Guiding with the return of peace in 1860. The
closing chapter Of the present volume is devot-
ed 10 review of our relations with Great Brit
ain. That this book would be searched with a
magnifying glass for errors of fact and of
Judgment was to be expected. but the result
has been to firmly establish the impartialtv
and accuracy OF the author. One attempt only
has been made TO question his statements. and
that came from the friend, of the late Judge
Jere. ;. Black. Chapter ten. in which
reference i made to an opinion submit
ted TO President Buchanan by Judge Black.
was published in the newspapers from advance
sheets. and The criticisms then provoked Mr..
Blaine il able to meet by an addendum to his
book in which 20 much of Judge Blacks opin-
llshed. II hardly need be said that ii fully slls-
tain> the authors position.
The appendices to this volume include a va
rlety of subjects, all selected with the view of
showing the progress and development of the
Nation in the different fields of enterprise and
human labor. These comprise tabular state
ments As to the population and wealth of the
country, Statistic, relating to education and the
public schools, to agriculture. to RAILWAYS. 10
immigration to the army, to shipping, TO the
coal and iron product, to National and State
banks. to the circulation of paper money, to
the price Of cold and TO the public debt of 4
map annexed TO appedX \, showing the terri
torial growth Of The United States, Mr.. Blaine
says: The map is intended to illustrate many
parts OF the text, and, in connection with the
various appendices. will exhibit within small
compass the expansion Of free institutions, the
growth Of population and the increase of ma
teriaI wealth with which the Republic has been
blessed" The volume contains thirty steel
portraits Of prominent men. including a full
page portrait Of the author and one Of Abra-
l,,m Tin.,In Uo b,,.,,
-''' 7''H d" ou'i'ne
W '"' ''iI'"hs 81 lAt HIST part OF Mr. Blame 5
work which is soon. we believe, to be follow
ed by the concluding volume. That our read
"s p'H'l 'n.G 10 FORM an luea OF The
o'711 "tu Ch"rlh Vi Mr. Blame literary style,
L" VI ti!F interest OF ih'> valuable contribution
~ -fiiIi Y u history we quote what he says of
t,ii't VI pIolilnrnt persons beginning with
a 'i'""'V ~ ven "Taiit;
General Grants active service in the field
closed with the surrender of Lee. All the
commanders of Confederate forces followed
t'e example Of their General-in- Chief, and be-
lore the end Of the month the armed enemies
0L inc mon mad practically ceased to exist
ne lame OF General Grant was full. He had
entered TIE service with no Fictitious advan-
! are ana ms promotion. from the first to the
laNt had been based on merit alone.-without
ne a!d OF political influence, without the inter-
Po>lll"h q personal friends. Criticism Of
hlili'aIE >hlIi Is but IDLE chatter in the face of
an unhroken career of victory. General Grants
ra'nl,aigns We're varied in their requirements.
ma put Tor The fertility of his resources and
n uhoendlng VIII, might often have ended in
disaster. Courage is rs cOntaoioIl. AS fear and
neral Grant possessed in the highest degree
mat faculty which is essential to all grea; COM
lGdhdtrs-tLe faculty Of impartng throughout
the rank and lie Of his army the same dntermi-
nation TO WIN with which he kept himself
0nG n '1,st Il H. - ,.,,,,,., r..
career was hi, constant readiness to f,,ht Ia
wished for no long periods of nrenarafinn AZ
no opportunity which promntness ronId turn
TO advantage. He ALWAYS accented witnont
cayif or question. thp nosition IA ,.binh ~
might he assigned lie never tronboJ tha nv
department with re0ucsts ar romnlaints 'ni
when iniuStice wa. INITIAL ,,,1i "i'
mirtcd silently. and al a soltiinrs ~ ~,
men in any service wnuId hava ,no,,io1.,, u'I
30 quietly as did General Grant ,,hoId ~ ~
close of Tie remark,hie ramn.,i',n n'rini =, Wv.
Fort Henry and nndng ot SLiioh H. 80, 81
himself sluer,eded nv General U.liaal ai
assigned TO n subordin,te comment IN ~
army whose glory was insenarahly asooniotn1
with his own name Snlf-controI i. ~ G.'t no
Guisitc for him who aims to controI othors n
that jndisucns,hr form ~ n,nntnl ~
General Grant exhibited perfcction nv
When he Was .n,n;nt.il 7 ;n ,ton ,,....,
and naced in rnmmand ~ III ~ "ehtlai
be exercised military controI oya, -,
number of mnn tban o,,u' u,en +" srealtr
invention of firearms In Ibe nanonai,' 'l,t
1864 and 1865 the armies of thn Irp,;n., a ~
tanned in thr aoureo.ta not a. i,oii
men. ''' '''" Il ''i'''''h
The movement of The >ast foroos ,,o,o ,.,,,,.
IN harmony by his comnrehensivo ,,inJ anI ~ ~ ~
the grand consummation ,rhnt i'I ''.,' ~
and lihrrtK. biS na,nn La.rna ; W in'oi
sociated with the trnn olor~ Of liz opn. Us
az ,,,,,