National Republican., 1885-02-14

REPRESENTATIVE AMERICAN ORATIoNs.
TO ILLUSTRATE AMERICAN POLITICAL
HISTORY. Edited with lntroductions by
ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, Professor of Juris
prudence and Political Economy In the
College of New Jersey. New York and
London: @. p Putnam's Sons
These three volumes, of about 800 pages
each, are designed by the editor to present
'auch selections from the great orations
of American history as shall show most
clearly the spirit and motives which havo
actuated it's leaders, aud to connect them
by thread of commentary which shall
convey the practical results of the conflicts
of opinion revealed in the selections" 1t
is hardly necessary to say that tho work
thus mapped out has been done we'll, the
selections being exceptionally suitable,
and the remarks of the editor just such as
are necessary to connect the various parts
of the work without unnecessary pro-
lixity.
The first volume treats of colonialism,
constitutional government, the rise of
democracy, and the rise Of nationality.
Tho orations cited are those of Patrick
Henry, Alexander Hamilton, George
Washing gton, Fisher Ames, John Nicholas,
Thomas Jefferson, Eliphalet Mott, John
Randolph, Josiah Quincy, Henry Clay,
John G. Calhoun, Robert Il. Haync, and
Daniel Webster.
The second volume describes the anti
slavery struggle, and quotes Wendell
Phillips, John G. Calhoun, Daniel Web
ster, Henry Clay, s. p. Chase, Charles
Sumner. Stephen A. Douglas, Preston s.
Brooks, Anson Burlingame, and I. L.
Clingman.
The third volume concludes '"The Anti
Slavery Struggle" and describes secession,
civil war, and reconstruction, free trade
and protection. The orations cited are
those of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A.
Douglas, j. c. Breckenridge, W. II. Sew
ard, r. L. Clingman, John j. Crittenden,
Alfred Iverson, Robert Toombs, ]. p.
Hale, Thaddeus Stevens, s. S. Cox, Jeffer-
son Davis, A. II. Stephens, Q. l.. Vallan.
bingham, Carl Schurz, Henry Ward
Beecher, Henry Winter Davis, G. IL.
Pendleton, John Sherman, j. A. Garfield,
]. @. s. Blackburn, A. q. Haygood, Henry
Clay. and Frank Hurd.
A POPULAR EXPOSITION OF ELECTRIC.
lTY, with sketches of some OF its discoy-
erers by REV. MARTIN $. BRENNAN, A. NJ,
New York d. Appleton IL Co. Washing
ton w, II. Morrison.
Electricity and its various uses occu-
pies SO extended field and one so rap
idly broadening that an exhaustive troat-
ment of tho subject would require an
immense space. Numberless volumes
have already been written, the price Of
many of them being beyond the reach Of
the ordinary purse, and presented fire.
quently in so technical style as to rem
der them unavailable for ordinary use.
Mr.. Brennan's little book will prove
quite serviceable, written as IL is in Il
simple and popular style and containing
much valuable information with regard
to the history of electricity, its various
uses, and sketches of some of its dis
coverers. Enyironed as the science is
with mystery, there are certain general
principles which every person of the
smallest pretension to education should
know, and TO those seeking such intorma-
tion this book will be quito helpful.
Adde'S HUSBAND. New York D. Ample.
ton & Co, Washington; w, IL, Morrison.
A novel like hundreds of others-read-
able, moderately entertaining, but never
for paragraph rising above the common
place. A quite impossible man of untold
wealth marries an almost impOssibly
foolish Rirl, and the complications of
thclr unlteu lives are sketched IN style
family suggestive of Rhoda Broughton,
much diluted, There is one natural
touch about 1t, and that is the cheerful
alacrity with which the heroine's sister
makes hay while the sun shines, ana gets
all the fine frocks and good times she
possibly can out of her rich brother.in-
law. The book all the way through gives
ms every reason to expect the death of
tie fepentaht heroine as a dramatic de-
nouomept, but at the last moment tho