New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-23
THEORIES OF UNION.

"Cynical" is perhaps the most appropriate cpl
tibet to bestow Mr.. Scotts study OF the e1-
forts to reconstruct loyal governments IN the
rebel States during the Civil War. There Is
almost nothing to be said against the literary
style OF the book. 1T is written in the utmost
GOODNESS of temper Yet its sketches of character
are hardly less bitter than those Of Junfus. and
its history is travesty. Mr.. Scott has maze
caricature of American political development
since colonial times by picking out those facts
which are useful to a satirlst and ignoring all
the rest Whether he really meant his work to
he looked on satire veritable history time
will tell a good example Of the sardonic way In
which he treats facts is + be found In his al
fusion to one OF the speeches made by Lincoln
on the tourney to Washington in 1861. 1t Is we'll
known that Lincoln lacked reverence for that
fetch Of antique American politics, States rights.
At indianapolis this irreverence was revealed
with startling question. "By-the-way, said
Lincoln indiffcrently. "in what consists the spe-
cial sacredness Of a State?" People had listened
TO the din of disunionisn that from all sides,
North as well as South, Tor so long that they
were shocked by this simple inquiry. In these
days Of transcontinental railways OF Interstate
Commerce laws. of ipcessant appeals to the gen
eral Government, 1T must seem that this ques-
ton has answered itself.
is true as Mr. Scott says. that there were men
In Lincoln's own party ito note that In his con-
sideration Of a sovereign State. he had done that
which Davis and ToOmbs and Wigfa were then
doing-not regarding 1t. in the position assigned
to 1t in the Union by the Constitution but in a
position outside of the Union and the Consti
tuition" But 1t is equally true that these men
were reading into the Constitution a tradition
which not recognized in the document.
The Constitution in Itself gave no better
warran. TO the legend of strict construc-
ton than II did to that Of latent powers"
Both belonged TO the subsequent course Of inter-
probation to which the document was subjected
The cynical element in Mr.. Scotts account Of
what he considers Lincoln's mistake Is shown
in the fact that the only adverse critic whom he
quotes by name is jefferson Davis whose fixed
belief was in Mr. SCOTS words. that the States
were sovereign and unaccountable." No Won
der that 10 Davis the little question raised by
Lincoln involved "a lamentabe and fundamental
error"
Not content with shocking the upholders OF IN
ancient tradition, Lincoln renewed his attack on
State sovereignty in his first Inaugural address
According TO Mr.. Scott. he answered one fallacy
by asserting another The sophism which he
disputed was that any State of the Union may,
consistently with the National Constitution. and
therefore lawfully and peacefully. withdraw from
the Union without the consent Of the Union or
Of any other State" Lincoln not only denied
this but added that this sophism derived much
OF its currency from the assumption that there is
some omnipotent and sacred supremacy pertain
ing to a State-to each State of our Federal
Cnion," and asserted "by historical perver-
sion" says Mr. Scott, that no one OF the States
had ever been State cut Of the Union" On
this point-the point whether Lincoln had his.
toricel warrant for his so-called sophism-ths
whole argument of Mr. SCOTS hook. considered
as a serious work turing There are other mat
ters In which he differs from the men who were
the leaders of the Nation at the time OF the Civil
War In particular he Is at variance with Lin
coin on the evolution Of the slavery question.
Mr.. SCOTS pages give no sign of any change In
the feeling OF the South on this subject. 1t is to
he inferred tina; from first 10 last the slave
that the only change was at the North, where
the people gradually became intoerant toward the
peculiar institution introduced moral consider
atoms into the discussion of IL (Mr Scott for
Canaan" argument). and In general betrayed I'M
due pride In It's own prosperity. There Is posi-
bly, a tinge Of afterthought in this as there GER
tanly Is in the pathetic feeling Of having been
beaten in the race for wealth which is attributed
TO the South in this book.