The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-11
Sketch Of His Career.

George Bancroft, whose years number those
of the century, was the son Of New Eng.
land Clergyman. He was born in Worcester,
Mass, on October 8. 1900. He received the
best education which the times afforded. AT.
ter preliminary training in the famous old
College and graduated at the early
Europe, and for some years was a close
student under the best minds Of the day. he
studied German literature under Benecke,
Italian and French literature under Bunsen
and Artand; Arabic Hebrew. and Scripture
Interpretation under Eichhorn; history under
Planck and Hereen, and the antiquities and lit
erature Of Greece and Rome under Dissen,
with whom he took course in Greek phlloso-
ply. Hisparents expected him to enter the
ministry, but the charms OF literary life over.
bore the attractions of New England par.
sonage, and he chose history as his special
branch. In 1920 the University Of GQt-
tingen gave him the degreee OF Ph.D.
He made the acquaintance Of the historians
he studied at Heidelberg with schlosser.
In 1922 he returned to the United States, and
for a year he acted as Professor Of Greek at
Harvard. He also preached several sermons,
which were well received. That, however,
was his only experience with the duties of a
clergyman. His early literary work
comprised q volume Of poems pub.
lished in 1923, a translation in 1924
of Hereen's "Politics Of Ancient Greece"
and in 1926 an grafton in which he advo-
Gated universal suffrage and the foundation
of the State on the power OF the whole peo-
pie. He had early determined upon his life
work, the preparation Of his great history,
the first volume Of which appeared in 1884.
During all his labor Mr.. Bancroft took an
active interest in contemporary public
affairs. In 1886 he was, without his knowl-
edge, elected to the Legislature Of Massa-
chusetts. but he refused to take his
seat. The following year he declined
election TO the State Senate. In 1858 be
was appointed BY President Won Bursn Col
lector Of the Port of Boston. In 1874 he was
nominated by the Democracy for Governor,
but failed Of election By a small margin. On
the accession Of President Polk he be-
came Secretary of the Navy. While he
held that Office be established on his own
responsibility the Naval Academy at An
napolis. Congress had never been willing
to establish the academy. Mr.. Bancroft found
that he could order the place where midship-
men should wait for orders; that he could di-
rect instructors to give them lessons at sea;
that he possessed tie same authority over
the Secretary Of War could assign for his use
an abandoned military post. Heused oil this
authority, and when Congress next met 1t
found the midshipmea at regular course
Of study at Annapolis. The thing was done,
and Congress accepted the situat,.. which
has ever since been continued and developed.
While at the head of the Navy Depart
ment Mr.. Bancroft gave the order for the
seizure Of California in the event Of war
with Mexico, and the order was executed be-
fore he retired from Office. While acting as
Secretary Of War pro TEN. he gave the order
for the occupation Of Texas by the United
etates.
From 1S46 until 1s49 Mr.. Bancroft was
Minister to Great Britain, and he success
fully urged upon that Government the a6op-
ton Of more liberal laws Of navigation and
and allegiance. In 1857 he was appointed
Minister to Prussia; in 1871 he was accredited
to the North German Federation, and in 1871
to the German Empire, whence he YES re-
called in 1874 at his own request.
But it was as q historian that Nh. Ban
croft's name will live as long e. the language
in which he wrote. The first volume of his
"History of the United States" was issued,
as has been said, in 1884. The others ap-
peared at irregular intervals, his public SER
vices interfering more or less with the
ume appeared in 1910. After the
completion of his English mission, in
1S49, Mr.. Bancroft cameto New York, where
he continued work on his history, and
volumes four to ten appeared between 1852
and 1874. In 1915 the work was revised and
reissued as centenary edition. Two more
volumes We're published under the title,
History OF the Formation Of tlsa Consti-
tuition Of the United States"