New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
YOUNG OHIO.

YOUNG OHIO.
AMERICAN coMMoNwEAITHs Ohio First First Fruits Kns
iemo, PIP. 49, Hoaghton Miflin & Co.
1t happens that within year several works
have been published dealing with the Ordinance
of 1857 from various points Of view and that
during the same period more than one volume has
appeared covering the early history OF the western
States To this is partly due the fact that mr.
Kings summarized annals OF Ohio seem to echo
current publications 70 an extent calculated to
Interfere with its interest; but it must also be
said that the plan of the book is not altogether
felicjtous The greater part of it is occupied
with the narrative of those remote events, con-
corning which much is obscure and doubt
full and into all the traditions Of which the strong
presumption is that legend enters too freely to
Justify their citation in grave historical work,
unless the uncertain character of the reports be
carefully advertised The history proper of Ohio,
that which regards the achievement of tangible
progress, that which relates to the activities
ensuing upon the establishment Of the Common
wealth, would certainly appear to be the period
inviting and requiring the most serious attention
OF the historian The introduction, treating Of
the feeble beginnings of the inchoate settlements,
OF the Indian wars and rivalries with France and
Spain and England, having been repeatedly and
In many forms narrated, analysed, enlIvened by
both scholarly research and poetic imagination,
might safely be dismissed in a few compact
chapters apparently, Mr.. King made the not
infreQuent mistake Of making his foundations
too massive and thus when he came TO erect the
superstructure, his material-or in this case, his
space-was exhausted
There are nevertheless some parts OF this in
troductory portion which we should have been
sorry to have missed, and prominent among these
A. %l,o Win Tho
that caamitous experiment is full Of deep interest
and broad significance Since the carly Christians
attested The sincerity and scope of their belief by
refusing to fight in the Roman Legions, perhaps
no other equally uncompromsing frank and
thorough endeayor has been made to apply
Christian doctrine to secular life as it is. mere
statement of the Moravian position would natu-
rally provoke sentence Of condemnation in advance
from the worldly-wise 1t would inevitably be
asserted that their non-combatant principles
doomed them to failure from the first, and that
between Indians and lawless border rufiians, they
were sure to be ground to powder. But the event,
though disastrous, did not occur according TO the
probable forecast. The Moravians were indeed
destroyed but not by the Indians. The latter con-
trary to all natural anticipation, proved slnguary
amenable to the influence of Christian doctrine.
These fierce, ruthless, scalp hunters shovel them
nobility and beauty OF the Moravian gospel
Even when inheritance and customs were too
strong for them, and they could not bring them
selves to abandon their warrior life. they respected
not only the Moravian missionaries, but those OF
their own race who had been converted, and when
ON the war-path they held the Mcravian villages
invioable
The behavior of most of the Indians, in short
was admirable 1t was to the cruelty, perfidy and
ruffianism of white men that the destruction OF
the Moravian Missions was attributable. The
border scoundrels who perpctrated the massacres |
were-n theory at least-Christans; and they |
really had nothing against the Moravians but
the cndcavor of the latter to make Christianity |
living law OF conduct instead OF mere ecclesi- |
astjcal code. No doubt, absurd suspicious got |
abroad, and slanderous rumors prefaced the at |
tack upon the Missions But the wolf always !
formulates an indictment of the lamb before he |
proceeds to seize his intended prey, and the most
base and brutal border ruffan entertains dim |
notion that conventional forms must be respected.
The Indians savages as they were. perceived the |
fneness and philanthropy of the Moravian scheme |
The white borderers could only see in these pro- |
fessed non-combatants n band OF Indians fnvltlng
massacre by their defencelessness. 1t is probable
that il the Moravians had been protected and |
cherished as they should have been, the West, and
Ohio especially. would have been spared much |
waste Of blood and treasure, for they were IN fair
way 10 solve the Indian problem. But the brutal |
element spoiled one of the most interesting and |
promising experiments ever made, and the old |
agencies Of fro and sword consequently took the |
place of spiritual persuasion, and, as usual made
the dominant creed to stink in the nostris OF the
red men Mr. King gives an interesting and suf- |
fciently full account of this strange historic cpl
sode We are glad to observe that he does not |
attempt to palliate the conduct Of David William
son. who commanded the cowardiy miscreants that !
massacred the unarmed and unressting Moravians- |
This mans name must so down in history in
delibly branded with infamy, and attempts, such
as have been made, to exculpate him must, in the
nature of the case, be futile.
Only five chapters out OF fourteen are occupied
with the history Of Ohio after her admission to
the Union. and 10 is therefore apparent that a
hare outline sketch only can be given. The gen.
eral affect OF the arrangement is UNFORTUNATE
The DEVELOPMENT and increase OF the otate are |
NOT fairly exhibited by 1T. The book Is clearly !
and succinctly written and may serve 10 convey
n general idea of the growth OF the state, put "
cannot take the place, for hasty reference, OF