The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-17

4 deals with the colonial epoch. the second witt
<the Revolutionary period. the third and fourth
ssxsvisw the history Of the Federal Government
sto the outbreak OF the civil war. and the fifth
n depicts the era Of rupture and reconstruc-
exion. We have marked certain passages for
extract. but the truth is that almost every page
as enriched with striking comments that cause
s.the reader to carefully reconsider. II not to
epbsnge. his views Of many historical persons
3and events.
IS We shall indicate the interesting character OF
Z. fhis book by series OF excerpts. beginning
y with reference to the fact that tho Northmon
sfound their way to the coast OF North America
ms early us the beginning OF tho eleventh CEN
Fury. The author says OF this event: What is
iyeertain Is that nothing moro came. or. in that
Gage. could come, OF their visit than Of the visit
zuf flock of sea gulls" When we consider that
She Mortimer colonized Iceland at an earlier
, date. and made settlements In Greenland
(which lasted for several centuries. 1t seems at
R,1east conceivable that the discovery Of Vine
Z land might have led to the establishment OF
( colonies equally permanent and more flourish
TanR amid more genial surroundings. Stern
ijustice and hut little sympathy are awarded to
4 Columbus in Mr.. Smiths pages. He is de-
sBcribed rs morally type Of tho age which
\ eame between the fall OF the Catholic and the
3xise OF the Protestant faith. and which had for
ksts head Alexander W. the moral monster of
bthe Papacy. whose hand signed the hull
(which divided the New World between two
Catholic powers. In his youth. 1t seems. lie
served on board n pirate feet. Ho began his
k5ntercourso with tho natives Of America by
kidnapping. and he gave the word for the
4 opening Of the slave trade. His dealings with
his own computations We're euulvoce. lie was
Railways in greedy quest OF gold. though he pro-
2sessed. and perhaps believed. that he meant
20 use the gold in a crusade" We are re-
sminded that gold seeking was also the pre-
dominant motive OF the first settlers OF Vir-
ginia. "Of hundred and forty three settlers
! sent out large proportion were broken down
gentlemen seeking to repair their fortunes: q
few only were laborors or mechanics: tho rest
were servants. To show how faint was their
/, purpose OF settlement they brought no women.
The subsequent reenforcements were Of the
Same kind. with some goldsmiths and refners
Z 90 help in seeking for gold where no gold was.
~ To the crew Of vagabonds were after
ward added jailbirds Convicts were offered
their choice between tho Gallows and Vir-
ginia. and some. we are told. chose the gal
lows" After pointing out that some sustain.
ing motive higher than gain was necessary to
give man the victory over nature and enable
him to found a nation In the wilderness. Mr..
Smith goes on to say that such o motive was
present in tho little train Of emgrantR who dis
embarked from the Mayfower in December,
1920. or this memorable landing Mr.. Smith
says that setting rhetorical exaggeration
aside. We need not doubt that in watching that
sad yet hopeful procession OF men. women and
children. We are witnessing one of tho great
events and one of the heroic scenes OF his
tory. Their language is instinct with
I. 81. al I,A-z "a ~,
It not be grievous to you said their friends in
England. that you have been instruments to
break the ice for others: the honor shall be
yours to the worlds end To the worlds end
the honor is theirs" No reader OF New Eng
land birth will fail to appreciate such words:
yet. after ALL the fact must he recognized that
ut the time OF tho outbreak OF the Revolution
airy war settlement made by vagabonds in
Virginia had proved quite as prosperous as
that begun by the Pilgrims at Plymouth.
Mr.. Smith brings out with peculiar cearness
and energy the fundamentally faee conditions |
under which nll the American colonies were |
founded. The settlers in Massachusetts, and |
Virginia, in common with other colonists of |
tho period. retained not only their love OF the |
old land but their political tic to it. This |
created a relation false from the beginning. |
Horein lay the fatal seeds Of msunderstand-
Ing. OF encroachment on the side OF the homo
Government, Of revolt on that OF the growing |
colony and ultimately OF revolution" Then
comes distinction which tho author was one
Of tho first. II not the very first. to draw. Tho
Hellenic colonist had gone forth to make his
homo in n new land. taking with him the
sacred fire from the altar hearth Of his native
city. but free from any political tic. His
only bond to his native city was that of
dlial affection. gracefully expressed in honors
paid to her representatives. The Hellenic
colony was q colony in the true sense OF the
word. not dependencv the English colony.
unhapply. was dependency, and whom it
grew strong enough to spurn dependence
there was bond to be broken. which was not
likely to be broken without violence ard
breach Of affection" There is no doubt about
the general truth Of tho statement at tho re-
atiOn OF n Greek colony to its mother city was
Apt to be friendly. for the reason that the only
ess. there was notable execution in the pro.
onged and vonomous enmity between Cornth
md Corcyra.
or the Puritan theocraGy established in
the author writes not without
hut with discrimination. He re-
minds us that although the clergy were tho
masters OF the Commonwealth. they were not
mere priests. They wero well educated:
Iomo OF them were very learned and could
Tot fail to have their share of the liberaiity Of
earning. Their asccndancy was moral and