Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-27
New hooks.

New Books.
History Of The United States. by the Rev.
ROBERT RID HowIsoN.
Wha. the Christian ministry have done
and are doing in behalf of literature and
education is really wonderful and vastly
to their honor and the good OF the world.
They have been and are the heads CT nu-
merous of our best educational institu-
tions and prominent members of their ia
culties. OF many of chose institutions
they have been the chief founders, pro-
motors. and supporters. They have been
the authors and editors of number OK
our standard works, and have entered with
their thoughtful pens the departments OF
poetry, romance, and hIstory-indeed,
have adorned the whole domain OF lltera-
ture. Wherever GIDEON now goes he Is ac-
companied by Millman, and our Libraries
contain Hypatias as we'll as Ben Hurs and
Zenobias' Yesterday, To-day. and Forever.
as well as 1.-The Princess" and " Lucille"
Mr. HowIsoS IS a minister Of the Pres
byterian Church and is a man OF ex-
tensive research. We think that IN
his early years he had some expe-
rience in mercantile life, but his talents,
tastes, and ambition led HIM 10 Hauson's
Classical Academy and TO the barawhither
a gifted brother had preceded him.
In Richmond he acquired good and
profitable practice, but still found time to
write his history of Virginia. He was
early noted for st1diousness, quickness,
and readiness of parts, and for fiuency IN
conversation and in speaking. He was
also genial and sociable. Conceiving
a a 4, Sc 1,,tt ha
and entered the pulpit, whose Offices he
discharged for several years. Then he re-
turned TO the bar. but was not satisfied.
and finally re-entered the pulpit, and not
very long ago served q congregation on
Church Hill. in this city. In the mean
while he added " other works to his his
tory of Virginia above referred TO.
Now from his studious retreat near
Fredericksburg he has sent forth the
work before us. His varied experiences
and his practice as lawyer were an excel
lent preparation for his self-imposed task.
The result Is "A History of the United
States OF America, intended for the use of
students in schools. academies, colleges,
and universities. and at home, and tor gen
eral readers Tin other words. for every
body.
Ii is very neat volume, we'll printed.
handsomely bound, and ornamented on
the cover, in silver, with picture OF the
old cracked Independence bell OF Phila-
delphia. This ornamentation may have
been adopted as appropriate TO the times,
for the author declares himself in favor OF
the free coinage of the white metal. The
publishers. the Everett Waddey Company,
have done their part in a highly credltable
manner.
Its 9l2 compact pages contain more mat
ter than the two large volumes of PERCY
GREG. Moreover. he not only rejects maps
and illustrations, but argues against the
employment of them. IRVING and GREG
both thought maps to be desirable. He
has, nevertheless, allowed three lllustra-
tions-a picture of the Capitol at Washing
ton and portraits OF WASHINGTON. LIN
coin, and JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Mr.. HowIsos's treatment OF COLUMBUS
seems TO us too severe. He says: From
the false glory that has so long been as
cribed to him modern historical researches
have taken away nearly all the brightest
beams" He charges him with fraud in
concealing knowledge which he alleges
that COLUMBUS must have derived from
the Icelanders, and with undue coyetous-
ness and cruelty. If these things be Just,
our country IS hardly justified IN the pre-
parations which she IS making for our Co
lumbar Exposition. IL Is true that Co.
IUMBUs did not discover this continent. but
he inevitably led TO 1t. There 10, then, an
appropriateness that was not Intended IN
commencing the grand quadro- centennial
international celebration IN the year 1892
and running it over into 1898, as better ex-
pressiye of the continuance of the discoy-
cries made by the immortal Genoese.
Mir. HowIsoN discards the idea of any
material interference by Spain with the
colonization of Virginia. He also spares
nd ha A
rescue by PocAHoSTAs. He seems both TO
favor and TO discourage the view. so often
taken that PoCAHoNTAs was IN love with
Smith.
lie writes well and strongly in favor OF
BAcoy's rebellion and of the Revolution;
of 1.-THE war between the States" as he
prefers to term 1t, instead of civil war. or
War of the Rebellion; of State sovereign
ty, and of secession, with some hml-
tations. and against JOHN Browns raid.
He shows that the most eminent founders
of our Republic were opposed TO slavery
and the slave trade. and he has the right 10
concur with them aud TO rejoice II the
civil and religious freedom which they
established. Yet there are some things
growing out of these great subjects for
which he is liable to criticism. lie tries
the PARSONS case in Hanover and another
by principles only afterwards recognized,
and says: Religious liberty prevailed
over statute law and the Kings negative"
Who had made that statute law but those
who had made all the other statutes. &C
cording to the polity and policy which
were prevalent at that time! Courts can
neither make nor unmake statute law.
But he is still more emphatic when he
comes to review the Died Scorr case. lie
SAYS Had the Supreme Court OF the
United States in this cause shown Itself
capable of rising above the preJudices and
errors of the past and of admitting that
common law of England, which was the
cherished heritage of our country. ex-
pands with the increasing light or learn
ing, science, ana morals SO as To sweep
away hoary cruelties and atrocities. how
ever deeply seated in the minds OF former
ages, they might have given an opinion
and made q decision favorable to the pro-
gress of human freedom, aud TO the fair
Compromises long established and ac-
of the country; but they did the reverse
of all this"
"They did the reverse of all this" be-
cause they were unwilling TO rescind the
fair compromises embodied in the
Constitution, which was to them the
"hlgher law" instead of the supposed
increasing light of learning. science, and
morals" Their past did not and could
not, as judges, go farther back than
I7s7-'69, and they kne,o that even il public
sentiment were to make an admitted pro-
gress in O right direction. the judiciary
were not to take cognizance thereof and
virtually alter that Constitution which
they had sworn TO support and expound--
not TO amend according TO any supposed
new lights" Our author seems TO exalt
one contested, paragraph of the Declare
ton of Independence above the guaran-
tees of the Constitution. because the lat
ter was ten years subsequent to the former,
though the one was framed with q full
knowledge Of the other and by many OF
the same grand patriots who had made or
sustained the Declaration"
0Again, Mr.. Howrsos says: Tho stern
arbitrament of war was finally in favor OF
the northern uieso of the compact. God,
IN his everything providence. destroyed
slavery, and o. II was the only efficient
cause Of secession, the Union was re-
stored"