The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-10
GEN. LoGAS.s BOOK.


History" by John A. Logan, is an invaluable
contribution TO the political history Of the
United States. It is not a history of the
war, but it is work the perusal of which
is essential to a philosophical comprehen-
sion of the war as a factor in the develop
ment of the Nation as we find it to-day.
Its keynote is the protective tariff, and the
intimate relationship of State sovereignty,
slavery and free trade is traced out from the
beginning of the Union under the Constitu-
ton until the elimination of the Great
Conspiracy" in armed rebellion.
The author shows how free trade and
and slavery were necessary to each other,
and how the institution of slavery was
inimical to the doctrine of protection and
the improvement of the condition of free
labor under it. A mastery analysis of the
political progress of the country is presented,
and it is such presentation as is possible
only as the result of that ripe scholarship
incident to lifetime devoted to the study
of the history of our institutions from their
incipient stages.
1t is clearly demonstrated how slavery and
free trade stood shoulder to shoulder, rely
ing at all times upon the assertion of the
dogma of State sovereignty as an avenue of
escape from the Union at any time when
they should suffer defeat within the Union;
how the leaders of the Southern oligarehy,
when their anticipated defeat came in the
election of Lincoln, attempted to split the
Nation in two and set up new Constitu-
tion, which distinctly provided tariff for
revenue only and prohibited the fostering Of
any domestic industry.
Such was the Constitution Of the JEFF
Davis oligarchy. the so-called Confederate
States of America. England was the friend
and sponsor of this Confederation because its
organic law provided for free trade.
The work is very succinctly planned, en-
bracing SO chapters with an appendix, all
carefully indexed. The chapters are entitled
respectively: "A Preliminary Retrospect"
Protection and Free Trade" "Growth
of the Slavery Question" popular Sow
ereignty," Presidential Contest of 1860"
The Great Conspiracy Maturing" I" Seces-
sion Aiming" y" The Rejected Olive Branch"
"slavery's Setting Sum-" The War Drum
On to Washington "Causes of Seces-
sion," Comprehension rs. Union-Democ-
racy," The Storm of Battle" The Colored
Contraband," Freedoms Early Dawn,
Compensated Emancipation" @Border-
State Opposition, ~" Freedom Proclaimed to
AL" Historical Review" Lincoln's Trou-
bles and Temptations" The Armed Negro"
Freedoms Sun Still Rising" Thirteenth
Amendment Passes the Senate" Treason
in the Northern Camp" 1.-THE Fire in the
Rear, Thirteenth Amendment Defeated in
the House." Slavery Doomed at the Polls,
Freedom at Last Assured" "Lincoln's
Second Inauguration" Collapse of Armed
Conspiracy" Assassination" Turning
Back the Hands, " What Next?"
The appendix treats of The Battle of the
Giants-the Douglas and Lincoln Debate,
Masked Treason Exposed-Holt's Report
on the Knights of the Golden Circle" etc.
The first chapter embraces an inyestiga-
ton of the slavery question from the earliest
times of our history, going back to 1920
Coming down to the Revolution it is shown
that slavery was a troublesome source Of
weakness in the Colonies. The bearing OF
this question upon the affairs of the country
is carefully traced down to the famous Mis-
souri, Compromise"
The next chapter is very interesting, show,
ing that the Revolution was a struggle fol
industrial independence as well as political
autonomy, and that the old Confederation
failed because of the lack of industrial pro
lection.
Intensely interesting will be found thoss
chapters embodying the history of Mr. Lin.
coins career and the political struggles in
which he was potent factor. The author
himselfwa elected to Congress in 1853, and al
this epoch in National affairs entered the po
litical areua Gs an actor in the stirring event,
of the times. The tremendous impetus giyer
to the struggle for human liberty by tn.
great contest between Lincoln and Dougla,
for the United States Senate that year ant
the subsequent events in the grand drama
are depicted with the clearness of writel
who is now travelling the highways of hi
own experience. In view of this fact, al
that follows is priceless heritage to tn,
8 students of coming generations who viii
grope among the intricate mazes of the sin
I uous history of ante-bellum politics
Gen. Logan carries the history of tn
: Conspiracy of Shareholders to its cul
s mination on the field of battle, where tn
:, contest was fairly opened on the plains @
n Manassas AT this battle he carried mus
II ket, fighting in the ranks of regiment Q
q 4