The morning call., 1893-05-07
RECENT PUBLICATIONS

GENERAL TAYLOR.-It was really for
tunate thing when the editor of the Great
Commanders series selected General O. o.
Howard to write the history of Zachary
Taylor. Although when the former left
West Point General Taylor had been dead
for several years the young officer found
among his army comrades many men who
had won distinction while hghting under
the command of Rough and Ready" From
their lips he must have gathered 60 Odly
batch of remini licences of the bravery and
magUanimity of their old general. Al
though SOutheIner born and slave
owner, Howard found that the sturdy OLD
man who had plucked victory from
defeat on the heights of Buena
Vista was as firm foe to the
Vaccinations of the disunionists as
he who first saw the light among the
pineries OF Maine. Americans have made
history so fast since the days of '61 that
they are apt to forget some Of the thrilling
episodes through which the country passed
in the quarter of century that preceded
that time. There is little doubt that the
political movements which followed close
upon the inauguration of President Taylor
really endangered the union of the States.
Passion ran high both North and South ana
several times there seemed imminent danger
Of an open outbreak upon the floor OF Con-
gress. Men now not past middle age
can recall the storm that burst over
the country when the stars and
stripes were fred upon in the harbur
OF Charleston. But few, however are
aware that during the early months of
1aylnr's term 1t was deemed necessary by
the administration to strengthen the Fed
eral garrisons in the forts there. This
caused the Governor of South Carolina to
send q formal inquiry to the President to
ascertain why it was done. The prompt
reply from the head of the National Gov
ernmeut was: "The President is COM
mander-in-chief of the army and navy of
the United States, ana for his disposal OF
its forts he is not required to give his Iea-
sons 10 any man." Soon aftor this incident
q number of representative Southern men
went TO the President, claiming him as
slave-owner and a citizen Of the South. and
laid before him plan, almost the exact
counterpart of that which was attemp pied
little more than ten years later, 20 seize upon
the Capitol and other public buildings and
inaugurate Southern republic. The con-
spiratOrs had mistaken their man. Presi-
dent Taylor iold them that if there was any
outbreak or disturbance of the public peace
he himself would put it down at the head of
v0lunteers-yes. of volunteers from the
South.
'rhe first SUMNER" says General How
ard, in speaking of the opening of Taylor's
with some murmurings like those of ap-
preaching thundercaps and the rumblings
of earthquakes, but there was no actual
breach of the peace in any direction during
that period"
On the assembling of Congress early in
December the message which came TO it
from the White House showed that the man
who held the reins was on the right side.
The message concluded as follows: Nv hat
ever dangers may threaten the Union,
hoil ilsto hxyit and ri tai If in itc in
tegrity TO the full extent of the obligations
imposed and conferred upon me by the con-
stitutiOn."
1t is easy to imagine what might have
happened in the existing state of things had
man with less nerve and patriotism been
in the Presidential chair at that time. And
had the conspiracy of disunonists been
allowed to gather force and come to a head
the result, it is feared, would have been dis
astrous to the Union itself.
The story of the career OF Taylor from
his entering the army in the war of 1872 to
his obtaining command of the Army of
OCCUPATION" and his brilliant operations.
which began at Resaca de la Palma and ended
at Buena Vista, is told in a graphic and
interesting style. Altogether the book is
a marked addition to the years biographical
literature. New York: ID Appleton 81 Co.
For sale by The Bancroft Company.
A NARRATIVE PoEM-The publishers
are uUb WIUuS WHcu bHSy dSoeII lUdI
Kinahan CORVALLIS has produced a novelty
in American literature. He has told in
verse, which fills 450 closely printed pages,
all about 1.-The Conquest OF Mexico and
Peru" prefaced by "The Discovery of the
Pacific" This is not the first long-sustained
flight Of Mr.. Cornwalls into the realms
OF rhyme, for it is learned from
the preface, which. by the way, is
written in prose, that this colossal poem"
is merely continuation of the authors
''Song OF America and Columbus. or the
Story of the New World" This volume.
however. contains much more of the divine
| afflatus. for Mr.. CORVALLIS, Who evidently
is a mathematician as well as poet points
with pride to the fact it embraces 165 more
| pages and 59i0 more lines than appeared in
! his previous book. He frankly admits his
muse has been hampered by conscientious
adherence TO historical data. But" he
continues, lit is something to be able 10 saw
that not single event of Importance in the
history of the New World within the perind
manned has been omitted" Surely this Is
worth Dragging about. for even Shakes.
peare occasionally overlooked details in hi
historical poems. Mr.. Cornwallis is ALWAYS
1 sincere, and. after solemnly declaring tha,
he has nothing 10 recall, says in pIay.
full mood: ''lt is always easy to shnt
| up book. SO 1t is-Sometmes. 1t i!