Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-05
BOOK NOTICE.

HISTORY OF tiTAH-'y Hubert Howe Ban-
croft. The History Company publishers,
10 Market street, san Francisco.
This is volume OF $40 pages, we'll
bound and printed on heavy paper. 30
much for the exterior. When tho reader
comes to examine the contents OF the work.
the point that strikes him most ls the authors
exhaustiveness OF research. Oredulity is
almost staggered by the mere annota-
lions OF the mass OF material that has been
sIIted in the effort TO have every statement
made incontrovertibiy correct. the OK
PLANTATION Is found In the scope OF the work
that Mr.. Blneroit's labors embrace and
contemplate. Turning to Appletous Cyclic
rn ila of Biography we ind that tho his
toriuu of the Pacific coOst-a title that the
author OF this book has richly earned-has
been engaged for u score or more OF years
In collecting and asserting material from
all quarters-books, periodicals, news
papers, personal interviews with old set
tiers and prominent mon, and every other
source from which 1t has been possible to
CLEAN Acknowledgement Tor his "History
Of Utah" alone, but for the 10 his
torical works he has written and the
10 or 90 more he expects to write.
In this work Of research Mr.. Bancroft has
bsen assisted by force OF able collaborators
whose motto has been to let nothing OF
historical value bearing on the Pacific coast
states and territories escape them. His
hlographer In "Appieton'sn asserts that the
information thus gathered and arranged
for reference already makes library OF
$4,000 volumes. In short. Mr.. Bancroft is
not only historian; he is the head Of m
extensive historical bureau. This ex.
PLANTATION by way OF answering the pro-
liminary question how 1t has been possible
to wade through all the matter to which
reference ie made In the numerous foot
notes to this work. The labor was not
undertaken for tho History Of Utah"
alone, but for his histories OF California,
Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, wyoming,
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, h1ontans,
Mexico, Central America, British Columbia,
alaska, md dozen allied undertakings as
veil.
with this premise It "a supererogatory to
state that Mr. Bluctoft puts forth this
volume as IN authoritative work, or that
he brings TO Its writing the pGinstaking
accuracy and the bipartisan Judgment OF
tho trained historian. To such work As
thistle de.nRation of the founding,
growth and phenomena OF common
wealth orsauEa1 upon principles OF
theocraey-tha historian who assumes to
speak with authority has the greatest i'm
nsiuabe need OF not only the interchangeable
Industry tnnt une4rths everything within
reich, hat ever In more important de-
gres Of that clear heldad and dispassion-
| ate lmpartiaity OF Judgment that warrants
MIN In DESIGNATING tho exaggeretlons and
iabr.eStlnas OF prejudice on the ono hand
aRd the vaporiu.s pGl hallucinRtions OF
lhhlticism on the other aud, having done
| this 20 Gull out what stands supported by
! circumstaltia evidence or inherent proof
/ as the III varuslpl truth. We Gra speaking
! now OF the history OF Ujah as the history
OF Nom lnism; OF q section OF the United
j State@ taat, though penetrated by Spanish
( explorers as far Jack as 1870, remained NJ
almost unknown and, 10 lar as the white
race was concerned, uninhabitet Wilder.
ness up to that summer OF 1877 When the
I fn%!IyH4 from Ntuvoo, Ia pursuance Of
:heir determination to Ego far enough
q ~ helping them, forever th9reRf or to bt
free from their euemia5," halted theiI
wagons on the shore OF the Great Sllt
Lake. When they set out on the!r lonL
journey, months before, Utah was III xlcai
territory; bs'ore thsY reacned the site o.
their new Zion 1t hal passed into contro
o: the nation whose citizens hai houndei
these people suGeessivsly out Of OHIO, GU
Of Missouri and out Of Illinois.
"In regard to the quality OF evidence
hero encounter" says the author In hi
preface, 81 will say that never before ha
It boon my lot 10 menr with such u mass o
meudAcity. Tho attempts OF almost nj
who have written upon tho sui lact ssemi
to have been to make out u case rather thar
stRta the facts" And, again: "Ii tn,
writer is fortunate enough to escape TIL
maaY pitfalls OF Ialla1y aud illusion whiss
besot his way; u hs Il wise an1 suicassiu
enough to Ind out aud follow tho eSao
line Of equity which should be drawn be
tween the hotly conteuilng factions: IN
word, II he IL honest and capable, an,
speaks hon 4stly aud openly IN the treat
ment of suGl n subject, he Ia pretty sure {
offend, and brtug upon himself condemna
ton from all parties. Bat where tlere ar
pglpabe faults IN both sides Of case, TIL
judge who uutte1 equity with due discrlml
nation may bs sure he is not In the mai
far from right II he succeeds In of aniini
both stles. Therefore. amtist the mutt
iornity d conflicting Ideas aud evideaol
having abandoned all hops OF Satisfying
, others, fall bacx upon the next mos
reasonable proposition left--that OF satisfy
! ing myself"
} With many readers tho amount
: calumny aud misreoresen'atlo the authC
sweeps aside IN doing this will almost lea
to the conviction that Mr.. Bancroft Is wrl
Ing from u pco.Mormon standpoint. Blu
this he distinctly iisclalms. He hi
WEIGHED 10th sides; the average reader hl
: never heArd but one, aud that the agres
, slyciy anti Mormon side. lie, the reHde
i mas probably newer heard 81 MoFmons el
cept Us polysam SITS, and never thought I
: Mormani,m rs divorced from plural ma
riage. ue has probably long ago col
0 d6mned them az public enenes on tn