New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
FREMONT AND CALIFORNIA.

fishing Company, Chcago) edited by Henry D. Bar.
rows and Luther A. IngersOn, the former takes
sion on coming 10 Monterey County to explain the
acts of John c. Fremont the time when the Terri.
tory was passing from the possession OF Mexico TO
that Of the United States Mr. Barrows Is convinced
that the adverse criticisms OF Professor Royce and
Others are unjust He insists that whether Fremont
acted wisely not. his intentions were thoroughly
patriotic II is pointed out that Fremont obtained
from Senator Benton his views the importance OF
opening communication with Oregon and the other
portions Of the Western country which were then
held by the United States. The opinions OF Benton,
though perhaps in advance OF his time. juSti-
fed by the events.
In 1s45 when Fremont, then captain. entered
California with party Of engineers his way
to Oregon, he went at to Monterey. Through
the good Offices Of Thomas o. Larlin United
States Consul, he obtained permission 10 recruit his
exhausted men and animals In the valley OF the San
Joaquin. At first there apparently not the
slightest objection on the part OF the Mexican au
thorities to the presence of the Americans. Never
theless It well known both sides that
was TO be expected in the near future, and 1t was
suspected that Great Britain might attempt TO secure
the debt due her bankers from Mexico by selling
California Fremont In converslng with Larhn. nat
uraly made himself acquainted with the state Of feel
ing the coast among both the Americans and the
Mexicans. The country had been for some time
dergong a process that already made II mere Ameri-
can than Mexican, and the American residents IL is
acknowledged. far from reluctant TO express
their wishes for transfer to the United states. While
Mr.. Barrows points out that Fremont may have been
TOO outspoken in his sympathy with the American
pent OF the population, and lntimates that the Bear
Flag episode was ndiscreet yet he shows that Ere
mont right In expecting orders from Washing
ton to operate with the naval forces Of the United
States In Of war. If his acts affected the prog
ress Of affairs. they al least only FASTENED result
that inevitable. But the free movements OF him
atxn-n
picions Of the Mcxicans and March = 1876, he re
ceived a peremptory notice withdraw from the
Territory. To enforce this demand the project Gen
cral Castro hastily gathered force Of three or four
hundred men. and Fremont, fearing attack fortified
position on Gaban Mountain. and on March TO- find
ing that the danger past, began his march 10
Oregon.
Fremont himself denied that he committed any
act Of hostility or IMPROPERLY on this occasion,
but he also acknowledged th't appearances against
the United States were strong, and a fight would
have compromised the Government at Washington.
The time the Coast not Of delicate diplo-
macy but OF passionate feelings and FremOntS care
and moderation at the moment when restraint must
have been most difficult outweighs whatever inds-
cretons Of speech act he had committed before.
confessions of a Convict" edited BY Julian Haw
thorne and published By Rnfis C. Hartranft, Phila
depha is collection OF anecdotes and "reminiscences
made by former convict In Auburn prison, who is
u
the book that No. 1882 the author was
known In prison. II justice had been done would never
have been in position to write such book. But |
whoever be may be- he tells little about himself un
less his descriptions Of the treatment OF prisoners
and like matters be considered personal. He is the
listener and the looker-On Mt the play daily reen-
acted, but with incessant changes, before his eyes
Others are the actors-for example. Jimmy" Hope, |
the bank burglar. and certain exoanker VINO Will
doubtless be easily Identified, and numerous Others
who known by strange nicknames. What STUDY |
In pessimism the book is How the shady side looks
at what Is supposed be the bright and honest side
of life comes clearly in these pages. Tie crook
has his points Of honor and his criticisms on the people
who are not crooked seem apt at times, and always
amusing. One would think all the good men were
IN prison to read the confession OF Hope, the burg
lar Mr.. Hawthorne'makes no mistake when he calls
attention to this character as an admirable one Tor
fiction. He has education, manners, sclfrcsfralnt,
knowledge Of the world and the stories he mas to tell
lose nothing at his hands. one might almost suspect
that good literary man was spoiled when he went
into business as a bank burglar. After showing on
their own testimony that cOnvcts are a commendabe
class OF people, the book ends. as shoud in fair
ness. with glance at the other side. "CrooAs
may be fair with each other but IL must be quite
clear even to those who send them flowers that they
are al war with the of the world. Hopes rem
inscences and those OF others include some famous
names fsOm the shady side OF Ncwlo for instance
those Of Heenan and John Morrisscy and Mrs Man
delbaum. The tales in which these pcrsonages figure
make one think about those rough, unsightly hiocks
which inside all fairy show and glitter. The
fairy show turned always 10 BE- a very vulgar
make believe.
Other aspects of the shady life of the metropolis
ore presented In story by Maurice NJ. Mnton, "The
Road OF the Rough The Illustrated American seres
The novel eXempifcs the honely proverb ABOUT the
habit chicaens have OF coming home to roos The
sins OF n mans youth find him ont. and he is pun
nd In no |
vhosn he would gladly shield. The theme Is not
new one and cynical person wonders what need
there Is Of repeating a sermon as old as namahl.''
and one which is never needed. sim 1t must be
said that Mr.. Minton tells his story with earnestncss
Mr.. r. l.. stevenson has been talking with a New
Iealander on literature and the reading OF young
pcople who want TO cultivate literary style He
commcnds all these young people to read aloud.
" Too many OF us he said, read by the eye but
the man who means TO write must. whether lie |
articuiates not read everything by the ear. III
short as a musician reads and hear har
mony so the literary man, even when Swimming with
the eye must able hear all the uttered words"
Mr. Stevenson declared that he was tremendous
benever In the classics, and added 81 have the
more cause 10 be because. although / am IN the
position OF Shakespeare have little Latin and less
Greek-yet the benefit which ] owe to my little :
Latin is inconteivable. Ii not only helps one TO
arrive at +he value Of words but you must remember
that are only the decayed fragments OF the Roman
Empire from which We have all that We value our
selves ,rpon and | always believe We can never b.
10 we'll employed in cndcavorine to Understand rs
we'll as we can the original meaning OF that system
,f things In whose ruins live. In the second place
he Latin language. of which profess myself dev-
,,ee is extraordinarily different from our own.
and is capable OF suggesting such extraordinary and
effects. that it gives man spur and
wings to his fanny
1t is worth while. perhaps. to quote few other ,
sentences from this successful authors rambling ad
rice 10 the padding New-Zcaand writer. If young
man, he said. "wlshcs TO learn 10 write English he
should read everything | qualify that by excluding
he whole OF the present century In body. People
WILL read all that is worth reading ont OF that for