New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-17
THE GREAT MARQUIS.
NoNTRosE. By Mowbrsy Morris 16mo' PIP 22o'
Macmillan d Co.


that picturesque and impressive career cle'r9 "n"
we'll The life OF James Graham is one that must
always be Interesting, and not the less 50 '"'' o
nearly two centuries II was the theme oil ho' 'o
,roversy During the greater part OF tiat Per1ou '0
visvr q, ,he great Narauss character which most pre-
vailed WAS as is now fully recognized, gross anu
he,lous caricature His relations with the covenant
N the first place and with Charles the Isl ana IIo'
afforded An apparent foundation for many OF u'
Recommendations which obtained currency anu u -
not surprieing that the fierce passions WHICH o''N
he Covenantcrs and the Parliament shouu n'Nc
waved mems minds in such way az 10 result III
Ienlal of justice 10 whose strenuousheSs anu Po
encv both terrified and enrased his enemies. NO"
hat the hurry burly IS done, and Covenah'ers' o'H
md Parliament men have long passed away IL Is
,asy enough 10 perceive that the man VINO ior oei
moment held Scotland in the hollow OF Ills "dnu WIN
overthrow the armies OF the Covenant IN series o'
battles whose military genius might have saved almost
any other King than Charles; was not ule Iot"0oi'
monster he WAS represented bv those VINO faied 10
cope with him on the field and who showed 'helr own
covardly and inhuman mslgnty when at last no leiI
INTO their power ~ A.,
Al regards his connection with the covenant the
theory set forth By Mr. Morris following the Memoirs
O, Montrose." Is perfectly plausible ana reasonable
Montrose was probably piQued by the coid Tcep''o"
socorded him bv Charles on his first visit 10 court
reception for which he was indebted 10 the safue' vi
Hamilton who had the Kings ear. Then again Oha'le'
ss Internationally w the wrong in his efforts 10 con
troll RELIGIOUS worship in scotland; and, Iii fact ne was
comulled 10 to Iecede from untenable position aer
n long struggle. Montrose VEN with the covenant W
long ss It's demands were just but he was man OF
great Intelligence aud he presently that MS col
lea CUES were pressing beyond all legitimate oe"auus,
The proof OF this Law in the fact that AFTER 'e seeou
pishops' War when the King had conceded every
pont of the original Covenant. they refused 10 be sa's
fed refused 70 dissolve their oreanza lon but on 'e
far new
mon no, blinded w partiSanShip we're plainly hriuhs
into overt treason. Now. Montrose was at no time III
sympathy with the Covcnanting fanaciSm represented
IN that Scotch Church which, not comeM "lVh resfS'-
ing Rtlscopacy II this time seeking 10 eSVaohN
tie supremacy of Church over state In common WIN
the Scotch mobiles generally he had no MIND 10 SUB
t,un, the tyranny OF ministers committees FOR the
tyrrany OF bishops. lie believed In the secuarity OF
the State, In short.
When. therefore. he perceived that the Covenant
WAS being abused and directed 10 ends which were dis
loval Montose. who was stanch monarrhlst ana
loyal subject refused to go further with the FAC
ZION he had been actirg with. He had, moreover
ground for suspecng that Argyll was in conspiracy
70 break the power and dScrcJ the sovereignty oi 'e
King. with a view 10 advance his own selu>h am
billions and Montro,e Wis not the man to prefer
Mace alum More 10 Charles stuart as liege lord In
the circum stances ard with the view he held he wa
fully justified In Withdrawing from the support "i
the Covenant ard fading service under Inc hlhs'
Certainly there wa IN hl4 change OF base nothing ,
honorable Iii, charge AGAINST the Covenantccs that
they had passed from lawful protest TO Nat treason
was true and Of cOurse. It, truth envcnoncd II In inc
eyes o. all whom 1t mpeached. The change Of service
was fatal one for Montrose himself, but the fatality
sprang from the character Of the two fathless and
feeble princes whom he served Both OF them be-
traycd him. but Charles The second most UNANIMOUSLY
Loyalty to those men indeed, nearly always meant
ruin 10 TIER sianchcsr followers.
..tn ha
eralship Of Mon rose when once he commanded an
army OF his own. and hi, campaign in the Highlands
Il studded with series of acknowledgements
Aberdeen mverlochy. Auldcaln. Afford, KiSyth-m
which he not only defeated bu; crushed the forces OF
the Covenant aud carried CONSERVATION through tho
land. Whatever captain had employ hghlnnders ae
troops, however, was heavily handicapped. for they
would not Fight without prospect Of plumber; when
they secured plumber they instantly withdrew TO their
mountains to place 1t IN security. regardless OF inc
military situation; and they thought much more OF
avengiug themselves upon the clans with which they
were mt feud than OF opposing a common enemy.
They also ruthless in their mode OF warfare and
Mon trosc, when compelled to yield TO their desire 10
rad Argyrs territory, unable 10 hinder the ptcSs
massacre Of men, women aud children belonging the
hated Clan Campbell When body If Irish was
brought over to fsht for the King. the Covcnaners
denounced the cNpcdicnt Infamous, because the
Irish were supposed to be fierce Savagcs But theNe
same ers later di ,graccd themselves BY
\ OF several nulund OF hclpIeSs "OHlcl anu
children the wives and little ones Of the Irish. to
whom these men affected superiority in civilization.
The tuIth - that there dreadful inhumanity on
10 d sides. and that, though the prevailing laws of
war at the lax. and suffering was thought
little Of tie deeds done IN the Highlands exceeded
IN fcrocty the worst excuses Of German and Con
lncntal campaigning.
MOntrcse was really in advance Of his time as re
CARDS humanity Whenever possible. he refused T.
permit the sack Of places taken by him. At lnver-
lochy be impO'ent to restrain the pas sloS Of the
IIighlanders. Yet he held up u eAecratiOn by
the Coyenmtcrs the most cruel and pi,ileSS wet'h
living: aud this hy who justhel the massacre
at Th.phauch where their own friends the
deS; royers The eNcron, and successes Of MontTo-c
we,. Of course. barren and futile. 1t WAS not POS
Sibc to help Charles and soon the end came for him.
and the Marquis went into cAne In Trance. 'hhlea
the first had parayzed Ill his efforts. but 1t wa,
reserved for Charles the second " deliver nm INTO
the hands of MS enemies ami 70 au gnomnio;s Death
II indeed the charactcr Of MOntose to dare every
thing for whatever policy or cause lie attached himself
TO- and his own verses-ced 80 ofi0l aud known 50
well even W day illustrate This dominant iat in him
with singular felicity
A. Alexander l will reign.
And will reign alone;
Ny thoughts did evermOre dlsdan
~ rival throne.
lie either fears his fate much.
or his deserts small.
That dsreS not put IL TO the touch,
To gain or lose II all
Thee he lived to. lie did "put it b. the
toueh,' and he did lose II ALL Whatever may
think Of his character it Is impossible 10 read his
noble address 10 the Scottish Parliament Just before
his condemnation. or hi, speech upon the scafold
without feeling that he was great man. His death
deliberately surrounded with every symbol and
ee,sory Of shame and degradation, was dgnlfed and
elevated BY his majestic bearin! that tbs very Gle
mcn,s OF their reacted upon his enemies. and
made them shrink and cover before their victim
Mr. Morris has tOA the story with force and feeling,
and his OF strange and sad episode in history
will be found full OF interest.