The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-23

native. less settled and cultivated. the Msxi.
can frontier being always presented toward
tho north and not toward the west 40 In the
United States Then. again. they wore nearer
the United g. atss. consequently more proRrss-
siye than the Southern parts OF Mexico. and
in this way they would constitute stsrping
stone, both to tho Spanish speaking peoples
OF the South and to the English-spsakns
States OF the North.
Tho importance Of another work later forced
itself upon the authors attention. and took Its
place in his history. This was the writing OF
the lives OF th"ee who had made the his'ory.
and laid the foundations OF empire on tbs
Pacific Coast Thus far the narrative had
dealt mainly with events, and had left the
actors In the background. Mr. Bancroft felt
that the latter deserved fuller presentation.
and the.s was finally evolved In his mind
separate section Of his work to DO entitled
Chronicles Of the Builders Of the Common
weahhs." which in . framework Of history and
industrial record should give to biography the
same prominence which In tn main curront Of
the narrative was given to events. It remains
to mention the supplemental works. Cali
Jornia Pastoral. CdlJorn,a Iaier Po1.la,
Popular tribunals. Essays and Miscel'dnv.
and Literary Indush-ies all OF which grew
out OF tho work on the hist r. AMI were
carried along with It. Tho first two volumes
are made up OF materials lett over In writing
the history. in the one case. OF California Under
the Missionary Refine. and. In tho other. OF
California During the Plush Times The mate
rial was too light and sketchy for exact htstor-
ical narration, and yet was in some respects
more. readable than the rlncipsl narrative.
~ thA Ia f,f orr a IN q q
Mr.. Bancroft do g not go into detail regarding
the conception and production OF these sup
Elemental volumes. but simply mentions that
the SUI t. came to him spontaneously. and
that DO wrought out these particular books
without aid from any one. there being no notes
to Be taken or infor nation to bs gathered and
si,ted beyond what the author waa himself
able tn accomplish while engaged In the task
Of composition.
In bis search Of original material. Mr.. Ban.
croft was naturally led to mako several visits
to tho Mexican republic. His observations on
the condition OF the Mexican population were
vol wo. til reproducing. The following extract
Is an example: "As We penetrate the
country We are moro and more struck with
the rhcnom enon OF a republic without people.
There IL hero no middle class. The ari -tocracy
are the nation. The low arc very low: they
are pnor. ignorant. servile. and debased. With
neither the heart nor the hope ever to attempt
to better heir condition. I have never before
Witnessed such slualid misery aud 30 much
Of It. 1t surpasses Europe and with this Diff
ference: In Europe tho miserable know they
are miserable. bers they do not. Sit at the
door OF your hotel aud you will SEQ pass
BY. as In a procession OF the accursed. the
withered. tho deform d. the lame. and the
blind. deep In debasement. their humanity
we'll nigh hidden in their dinEy. dirty raimcnt.
form bent and eyes east down. rs II tho light OF
heaven ard the eyes OF man wore equally pain
full. hun hbacks and dwarfs. little filthy moth
ers with little filthy babes. the former but
II years old, and grizzly men and women. With
tanned and wrinkled skins. bent double. aud
hobbiing on canes and erurches. Into such
pits OF deep abasement docs man thrust his
fellow man In the name OF civilization. Inf
nitely happier and better Oh were the people OF
this plateau before ever . European saw It"