New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14

MFR rim cnvsTIrI 'TION I,y James Solpouer.
Vol. W 1s47'Gl. ovo. PIP. DBL Docu' Ne"' " W.
The df,b and last volume of Mr. Schouers
excellent History of the United States under the
Constitution deals with a period fraught with the
most important and exciting events during the
whole of this time-from the Mexican war ~
the Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln-the conh-
try was engaged in a struggle between the 'iaNe
Power and the Free States. which was all 'he
more protractcd because the North could hou ~
brought 10 see that concessions were useless 'h"o
the determination of the Southern leaders WAS W
rule or ruin. and that nothing short OF the Tree
admission OF slavery throughout the Union "oulu
satisfy that section. There is. indeed. no perloo
Of our history the contemplation OF wmch h
more bumiliating 10 a Northern student. and Mr..
Schouler's straightforward. candid ana uhcon'-
promising narrative gives an emphasis to the
trucking short-sighted and immoral pohcy pur-
sued by Northern POLITICIANS such as is anorded
by no other historical work. How great WAS
the responsibility of Northern Congressman. Sen
ators Cabinet officers and heads of the Admin
is,ration for the success of the Shareholders IN
bridljne. saddlinr and riding the North. has never
before been so clearly shown. in fact. ana In uc
light of Mr. Schouler's careful researches the ei"o
crate apologies and excuses that have at lh'er'"is
been framed by the friends and adneren's OIL
the men who most basely betrayed their consult
ucnts and their country together 1all 10 'he
ground finally.
The iniouitous Mexican War, the chief ourueh
If the guilt of which must rest upon the shouioeis
II James X Polk, was not misinterpreteo aV '"0
time by clear-sightcd men; but the MILITARY r"0-
,esses which attended it blinded the majority 10
the infamy of it's origin and purpose, and II was
not until the palpable inferiority OIL the ehenS
caused a reaction against battles winch were oo-
coming little more than butcherles that 'he con-
demnation which should have visited the "oN-
eminent at the outset of the war fell upon 1t with
anv enerrv The war was of course slaNeh"io-
ers, war and it illustrated slaveholdins ethics
nroo,s.Iv "a did the attempts upon Cuba, the
various flibustcring expeditions, and the o"rder
,,fianism of which Kansas becam" The scene ana
The victim. President Polk, in attempting TO
;ustifv il before Congress and the country, was
drivan IN such audacious Justification OF me iac's
an afforded the Wings ample opportunity LOT
soaring the Administration But all such pro'cs's
and denunciations availed nothing ior the ten
denotes Of the time were too firmly liked Ill Tue
line of concession and surrender TO Hou'herh ae-
rreseion What the Mexican War did, beyond IN
turing and humiliating a harmless nelghoof' was
IN create n military President Mr.. Schouier
account of the rivalry between Wlnheld oco'' anu
Zachary TAYLOR perhaps bears too hardly upon ,he
former though the historian freely recognizes dis
military capacity. The preference accorded lay
lor grew naturally out of those homeIy' SIMPLE
and 90 10 say popular habits and manners "hlch
distinguished him.
R.,ueep two men, one of whom had earned the
sobriouet Fuss and Feathers. while the Other
was known as Rough and Ready the superior
ronrlority would be seen in a democracy 10 lie
G.
was concerned Scott might have been thought TO
have the advantage; but Taylor as President dc
,-eloned abilities of no mean order, and during his
hrief administration gave evidence of determine
tion IN hold The Slave Power in check and to keep
we'll within the Constitution, which promised well
for the character of his term. 1t was at TINS
time that the "irrepressible contest" was taking
. on the aspects which, in looking back upon them.
seem to have presaged the future 80 clearly tha'
the least president might have foretold IT, Cal
holm made his last speech, in which disunior
WAS more than suggested webster aposua.~'u
in his March speech, going over to the slave
Power bag and baggage, with all the proverblal
enthusiasm of the convert. Seward struck the one
high note in the situation with his appeal to the
higher law" Mr. Schouer does not spare Web
ster. but neither did the Marshiield statesman
snare himself His condemnation lies in his own
words: in the March speech, in the hardy defence
and approval of the Fugitive Slave Law; in his
updeniable betrayal of New-England sent-
ment Like all the Northern men who served the
South like Franklin Pierce. for instance he was
cast off when lie had done his work. Yet there
were plenty TO repeat the bunder which was also
crime
It was an era of political pusillanimity ard com
mercial cowardice. The most Illuminating scenes
did not always occur in the Halls OF Congress.
har boa IN no
Cotton. and forgot her nobcst traditions for the
,ake Of money-making There is one topic which
Mr.. Schouler has, think treated with Insufh
cient fulness, and, indeed some exception NIGHT
be taken to his attitude towards II. We refer
to the Abolitionists and their bearing upon thc
great struggle The historian appears TO hold
and the view is not a new one-that they were
merely mischievous, disturbing, and on the who e
q retarding element and that they count for little
or nothing in the general issue of the civil conflict
We doubt whether this position can be justified
by the facts No doubt Garrison and his followers,
Wendell Phillips and his supporters did irritate
ard enrage the Brahmin element OF Boston, which
retaliated by ostracising the rude who would
not cease from appealing to conscience and ethical
Justice. But there seems TO ample evidence
that the Abolition press and platform shook New
England nightly: that but for its incessant pro-
tests and dcnunciatiOns the torpid conscience Of
society might not have been aroused even in time
TO save the Union; that the AbOlitiGnist way of
regarding slavery was starlingy different from
what had come TO be the general way OF regarding
II as to force reconsideration of the whole stu
alton. and that thus the Abolition movement was
Of serious Importance, and deserving equally
serious recognition in the history Of the period
When Zachary Taylor-the man who never sur
rerdered-died at his post suddenly, the last
l..~ l. l.
be said to have been removed; for thenccforward,
until the rise of the Republican Party and the
election OF Lincoln the Presidential chair was
filled by men who seemed 10 consider that their