The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-01-31
New Publications.

Political Recollections. 1910 TO 1872. BY
George W. Julian. (Chicago: Jansen, Nc
Clury & Coz These Recollections relate
mainly to facts and incidents connected
with the development of anti-slavery poll
tics from 1912 TO the close of the work of
Reconstruction which followed the late civil
war. Other topics are occasionally noticed.
The author speaks freely of conspicuous per-
sons, but his aim seems to have been to deal
fairly with them while weaving into his sto-
~ "reminiscences of the men and events of
by-gone times. In the Ell deavor to eluci-
date The orderly progress of anti-slavery
opinions and their transition into organized
action, the writer has summarized and re-
stated many OF the familiar facts of current
American politics during the period en-
braced.
There are other problems which appeal to
the present generation, especially to the hon
orable ambition of young men entering upon
public life. Their solution is certain be-
cause they are directly in the path Of prog
ress, and progress is law; but whether this
solution shall be heralded by the kindly
agencies of peace, OF the hard power of war,
must depend upon the wise and timely use
of opportunities. The result is certain.
since justice cannot be defeated; but the
circumstances of the struggle and the cost
OF It's triumph are committed to the people,
who may tind both instruction and warning
in the story of the anti-slayery conflict
Elements of Moral Science, Theoretical
and Practical. By Noah Porter, D. D., LII.
D., President of Yale College. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons; Portland: Hoyt.
Fogg & Donham). Moral Science treats Of
moral obligation, or the sense of duty. II
has thousand applications, but it seems
most pertinent to the press to call attention
to those which relate to social and public
life. ClergymeD, priests, publicists, political
leaders, teachers, writers aud journalists
are by the nature of their office expounders
of Moral Science. They may seem to them
selves and to others to have no faith in duty.
They may think themselves successful in
their doubts and denials in respect to its re-
atty. But such denials and questionpgs
only respect certain of its forms and rela-
tons. They may reduce duty to very mar
row limits, and derive it from very ignoble
origin, and enforce it by very unworthy mo-
tives. But no man in public life, no teacher
or leader of men, would ev er think Of deny
ing every form of duty or cease to use the
language of ethics. A scientific knowledge,
therefore, of the foundations and precepts of
duty seems essential to the discharge of the
special functions of most leaders of society
and masters Of the opinions of lheir fellow
men. Every social organization, from the
family Of the household to the great family
of mankind, asserts rights which can only be
responded to by some duty acknowledged or
disowned. Every community and assoca-
ton has its code of duty. Every form Of
civil government supposes duties to be owed
and confessed by It's citizens. Even move
ments which seem to be anti-social, and de-
structiye of social order ara aroused by ap-
peals to some sense Of duty, or some claim
of right. The importance of q cientiic
knowledge of duty, therefore, grows ont of
the liability of men to careless thinking in
the treatment of themes with which they
imagine themselves familiar