The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12

| This Is represented rs the Keynote oil the pres
! cnt situation in Kentucky.
Joshua II. aiddinEs.
Almost all Of the eminent anti-slavery men
| have been COMMUNICATED in more or less nde-
| quato biographies, hut tho series would have
| been incomplete without the Life Of Joshua X.
Giddngs. which is now published by A. c. Nc
Cmrg 4 Co.. Chicago The author, Mr. GEORGE
| W, JULIAN, who has himself been n conspicu
Gus member OF the Republican party. married
| a daughter Of Mr. Giddngs and thus obtained
access to private correspondence and to other
| papers OF biogra phcai value. That an esti-
mate OF Mr.. Giddings. proceeding from such
source would be sympathetic was to be en-
pcctcd. but it is also duly discriminative. and
therefore constitutes substantial addition to
| tho materials Of history. In the compass OF
| 400 pages Mr. Julian has given us a clear and
| trustworthy account OF the anti-savery move
| mcnt. from the entrance Of Mr.. GiddinGs into
| Congress in 1888 20 his retirement from Il
| parliamentary career in 1852. only a6out n
| year before Mr.. lncolns nomination for the
| Presidency The subject OF this biography
lived through the first three years OF the civil
| war. hut it was not his lot TO witness its con-
cluson for in May. 1884, he died ut Montreal.
| where he was discharging the functions OF
!
we may add. tho popular recognition OF his
services. were not commensurate with tho i'm
portance Of the part he played among the
makers Of the Republican party. 1t is the
merit Of this book to have rescued from the
partial oblivion which has obscured it the
name OF one who. by the side Of John Quincy
Adams. OF Chase. Of Sumner. and of Wilson.
titled the field Of hope when the laborers were
few. and when tho harvest seemed far distant
Tho genealo.y OF Joshua Reed Giddings is
distinguished by some famous names includ-
ing those OF Rufus Choate and Nathaniel Haw-
thorne. and 10y the record Of service In the
French Indian war. the American Revolution.
the war OF 1872. and tho late war for the Union.
The first OF the name who came TO this coun-
try was George GiddinGs. who cmigrated from
st. Adams Herfordshire. and settled in 1rs-
wich. Mass. in 1850. His grandson. Thomas.
moved TO Lyme. Conn.,. about the year l725.
aud the atters son Joshua. some thirty years
later. settled in Hartland of the same State.
where he became a man of influence.
or his five sons. the fourth. called
Joshua after his father. was with Arnold on
Lake Champlain. and two of the others served
in the Revolution. The last named Joshua
removed in l7I3 to Tioga Point. now called
his second wife he married Elizabeth Pease Of
Enfield. Conn. OF this marriage there were
four children. the youngest Of whom was
Joshua Reed Giddlngs. the subject Of this
biography. who was born Oct. g. 1893 Six
weeks after his birth his parents took up their
abode in Canandaigua. N. T.. then near the
western limit OF civilization. but In 1906 the
family was transplanted to Wayne town
ship. in Ashtabula county. Ohio. Ohio had
been admitted into the Union only three years
before The country was a wilderness in
habteI by Indians and wild beasts: indeed.
the story OF Giddngs's early years strongly re-
semblos that Of Lncolns. barring the differ
ence between life in Kentucky and on the
Western Reserve. The area OF this famous
Reserve is about 5000 square miles. and it's
population may now be estimated at 100000.
No other 5000 square miles Of territory in
the United States" says Hinsdale. Lying in a
body outside OF New England. ever had. to be-
gin with. so pure n New England population.
and no similar territory west OF the Allegheny
| Mountains has so impressed the brain and
| conscience OF tho country"
| Brought up in II pioneer community. the
| training OF young Giddn-s was physical and
altogether practical. and his naturally vigor-
| Gus constitution became thoroughly devel-
| oped In the use OF the axe he became an ex-
| pert. and before he was growL he could chop
| and nut up six cor Is OF wood in day. No
man better understood the use OF the shotgun
and ride: in thu wrestling match and foot race
| he was second TO none. He was. in fact. a
recognized athlete. GROWN. to the height
| of Six feet two inches. broad shoulderod. COM
pact, and well proportional. We scarcely need
! to add that his moral training would not be
| neglected. seeing that his father was devout
Presbyterian who imbued his children with
! his prinriplnS IJiS adj
| In tho conventional sense 81 tho word. was
| scanty. In that time and place systematic in
| structlon was unattGinable. and from first to
| last young GiddinSs was only u few weeks at
| school, He hal to learn what he could for
| himself in his rare intervals Of leisure. and
| his opportunities Were few. Tor there were no
| libraries and books were extremely scarce, IIo
| read such books OF travel. biography poetry
| fiction. and theology as he could pick up. and
devourcd every now paper and pamphlet he
| could lay his hands on. From n memorandum
! found among his papers We learn that from
his childhood he had accustomed himself to
earnest thinking, and had been led to inves-
ti.ate the idoms OF our language and the phi
| lOsOphy Of arithmetical rules. His diligence in
study WAS noticed by the people Of his neigh
| borhood. and 1t soon became understood that.
| compared with those around him. no was
scholar. 1t WAS not surprising. therefore.
| that at the age Of ID he was called upon
| by his nciShbocs to teach school. He frankly
| pleaded lack OF qualification. but luckily for
| him tho plea WAS not accepted. for he was
greatly stimulated in the work Of self oducetion
by the desire to keep in advance OF his scholars.
while he constantly refresh ed his memory Of
what no had previously learned. While keen
ing school he irollted by tho liberal instruc-
ton of clergyman. settled In Trumbull
county. to acquire some knowledge OF Latin
| and mathematics, and at the aye OF % aston
! ished his friends and neighbors byRnnouncn.
his intention OF becoming Il lawyer. In Do
cember. lsls. le loft his fathers home on foot
| to study In the vtlice Of IA wol!-kuown lawyer
in the town Of Canlleld. some forty miles away.
Young Gliding, carried his own luggage con-
sistins OF three shirts. two pairs OF stockings,