New-York tribune., 1886-02-26
RECONSTRUCTION DAYS.
BLAINE's HISTORY OF A MOMENTOUS
PERIOD.

Garfield with review OF the events winch ied 10 Tue
nolitical reyol Ition OF 1860. BY JAMES g. BLAINE
Vol RI. svo. With appendix and index OF Names
Pp 724
Mr.. Blane's second volume begins with the
assassination of President Lincoln. and ends WIN
the assassination of President Garfield. During
the sixteen years which separated those tragic
events questions of incaculable importance
crowded upon the attention OF congress- anu
tasked the best brains and thrilled the most pa
triotic hearts of the Nation How to deal with
traitors: how to restore political relations with
1otelv revoltcd States: how to restore order ana
ashland great armies without prostratng industry;
how TO protect the loyal men of the South; how to
defend the emancipaed slave in his labor, I'D MS
personal aud civil rights. and in his exercise OF
suffrage how to adjust taxation to new coudltlons
how to curtail the volume of paper circulation lett
by the war without disturbing trade how to refund
the National debt and restore the public credit;
how to regulate coinage after long disuse OF com
how to restore specie payments; how to settle the
relations of the Nation with foreign Powers ALI
these and other questions of far-reaching import
ance filed with anxiety the lives OF the men
charged during that period with the 60 overnment OF
the country 1t is the highest tribute that can be
paid to those who controlled the Government
during that momentous period to note that so many
questions of the utmost difficulty were met on the
whole so we'll that the country prospered mar
yellously while undergoing changes which would
have threatened the existence of almost any otner
Government 1t Is not a disraragement OF MT
Baine's second volume to say that the attempt 10
treat within the harrow limits OF go pages the
action of the Government and the course of pnblc
on,nion on all these questions has involved
measure of condensation which every reader Will
r.pret If Mr. Blaine had devoted such volume
TO the history of every of the sixteen years, he
must still have regretted upon reviewing his great
store of information, that he had been Obliged 10
treat some subjects and some periods nadequateiy.
Every reader must have his own sense of mental
perspective so to speak. and will consequently
Iudge such work of condensation as Mr. BIaincs
second volume with more less of favor according
TO his point of view The industrial history OF
The Nation during the sixteen years of its most
wonderful industrial progress has received but
little attention at the hands of Mr.. Blaine in this
revi.w The many changes of tariff and of revenue
laws which affected that progress greatly, are but
scantily considered. great part OF the time OF
Congress was taken mp with discussions on the
tariff question: and acts of Importance were passed
I'm 1864 1868, 1866, 1867, 1869, 1870 and 1877,
which have affected the whole history OF the
country, while repeated and determined struggles
60 sweep away the protective system have marked
almost every session of the House under Democratic
control, and yet. of all this body of legislation and
this mass of discussion Mr. Blaine gives scarcely any
account whatever Had he not frankly and strongly
stated his opinions the subject In his hrst
volume it might he thought that he had pcrposely
avoided reference to the question which mas per
baps occupied more of the time OF Congress than
any other within the past twenty years except the
question of reconstruction. The account given OF
Congressional struggles in regard to the publc
credit the refunding of the debt and the resump-
tiop of specie payments, though it embraces the
80 Iotiv aly mpo
with the fitness with which some other subjects of
less importance are treated scarcely any attention
is given to repeated Democratic eff Jrts to repeal the
Resumption Act OF practically neutralize it: the
currency question as ii was presented by Secretary
McCuIloch's policy of contraction and the act 10
stop that contraction fully discussed but egiSla-
ton or attempted legislation in regard to the
banking system is but little noticed; and hnaliy,
less than nine pages regarding the Silver ACT OF
1873 embrace substantially all that is SAID OF
legislation or debate on the vexed question OF legal
demonstration and attempted reconciliation OF
silver while the consequences are not considered at
all.
In another respect MIR. Blaine's vork fails to
meet the expectations which its title is calcu to
arouse A history of Twenty Years of Congress
by the ablest living debater and parliamentarian
might be expected to give an interesting and most
instructive explanation of those changes IN modes
OF legislation which have so nearly deprived Con-
eress of usefulness as a law-making body, and
caused its every session to be regarded as
nuisance great change there has been as every
one knows. in the modes of doing business and IN
the volume of public business to be considered,
since Mr. Blaine entered the House of Representa-
tiyes Probably no man living can give more
correct explanation of the growing incompetence
of Congress for it's work than Mr. Blaine could give
nor is there any man better qualified to point out
remedies Iu parliamentary methods or in the
selection of members But he does not touch upon
the subject.
Mr. Blaine's work is mainly devoted to the prob
lens which sprang from slavery and ITS abolition
In the first volume the of. the Rebellion
were traced with the hand of master The
changes of public sentiment which preceded and
attended the war, and the struggles in Congress
regarding the restriction of slavery, the pretended
right of secession the prosecution OF the war ana
the attitude of the Nation toward the slaves ana
the loyal men of the SOnth, are described with
singular force and fidelity. In the second volume,
with not less thOroughness and breadth of vision,
the course of the Government toward the people OF
the revolted States is traced from the collapse OF
the Rebellion to the adoption of the Fifteenth
Amendment Reconstruction. in all its phases and
meanings is the real subject; other topics are
considered but in the great condensation which
was inevitable are allowed only subordinate
place Every step in the recreation of the Union is
made clear, with the gradual changes in public
opinion and in the temper Of Congress which made
that step possible Those who read the book with
this understanding of its scope will not feel the
disappointment to which the title might lead
Mr. Blaine opens his second volume with an
account of the orderly transfer of power to Mr.
Lincoln's successor, under circumstances which
ould have sorely tested the strength of many
kxbn
which the problem of reconstruction presented are
made clearer by reference to the peculiar distrbu
ton of powers under our system of government.
Tnr4stors The Union it was necessary TO create