The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11

and delicate task in litorntnre and morals than
that OF writing the history OF the United States
for this ~eventful epoch. The precediaE periods
may bs now treated without fear Of arousing
passion, prejudice, and resentment, and with
little danger OF being misundorstood. When
tha year 1890 Ia passed, however. and especially
a. wo approach t..c year 1860. We find ourselves
in n different world: In tho midst of the ideas,
motives, and occurrences which have produced
IN large dcgroo the animosities, friendships, ana
rotations between parties and s~ccttons which
prevail to.dny.
Arduous as tho task l.. however. the timo
has arrived. as DR.. Burgess recognizes, when
Il should be undertaken in u thoroughly Inn
partial spirit. The author sees that tho con-
tinucd misunderstanding between tho North
and tho South Is an evcr.prescnt menace to tho
wolfaro OF both sections and of the entire nation.
This Misunderstanding makes 1t almost I'M
possible to decide any question of politics upon
fits merits. II offers an almost !nsrpcrable OBJ
stno,e to tho development OF u national
opinion concerning the principles
Of our polity. II we would clear up the con-
fusion in tho common consciousness. some
thing must he don, to dispol the misundcr-
s%t,ndirg md nr. burgess, for his part, knows
Of 10 means Of accomplishing this save by tho
rewriting Of our nist0r! from 1916 to 1850.
with an open mind. md n spirit willing to de-
tcct and depict ,rdt!i and error and distinguish
right from wrong, without regard to the men or
tie sections in whom or whore they may appear.
Tho author frankly acknowledges II certain diff
dcncc respecting his ability to fulfil his aim. He
IS old enough, he tells us. TO have been a witness
OF the great struggle OF 1864 and his curly
years were cmbittcrci by tho political hatrcGs
which then prevailed. Before he had attained
his MAORI; j, he had learned to regard secession
as IN nbominGtion and it's chief cause, slavery.
as n great evil. and he cannot aver that
these feelings have been much modified by
LONGER experience and mnturcr thought.
He il. Mt all events. however. alivc 10 his
own rrciudiccs. and accordingly no has
excrtcd his imagination TO create n picture
OF the environment OF those who held the oppo-
site opinion upon fundamental questions and to
appreciate the processes Of their reasoning UNI
der the influences Of their own particular situa-
ton. To this end nc has carefully avoided all
the histories written Immediately after the close
OF the II eat contest OF arms. He has made 1t,
IN fact. an invariablc rule to uso no secondary
material. that is tn say. no material in which
original matter is mingled with somebody's in
depreciation OF its meaning. II, therefore, tho
facts set forth in the narrative before us are
twisted BY prejudices and prcconceptions. the
author feels that he can assure his readers that
they have suffered only one twist. He has
also tried, he tells us, to approach his sub
jcct in a rcverent spirit, and to deal with the
characters. who made our history in this
almost tragic period. as serious and sincere mon.
having a most perplexing and momentous prob
lem to solve. n problem not OF their own makinG.
bu, IL fatal inheritance from their predecessors.
Dr. Burgess also recalls in his preface the re-
mark of a distinguished professor of history and
politics. that he thought the history OF the
United States during the period under review
could be truthtully written only by a Scotch
freshman. The meaning of the suggestion
probably was that the Scotch element in tho
IDEAL historian would take the Northern point Of
tiew. and the Irish element the Southern; but
pothinG. apparently, could come Of such q COM
bination but another pair Of narratives pcnned
from the old contradictory points Of view. The
authors own opinion is that tho history
Of tho epoch in question ought to DO
written by an American and q Northerner.
and from the Northern point Of view: first, be-
cause an American best understands Amcrica;
secondly. because the victorious party Gun be,
and will be more liberal, generous, and sympa-
thotic than the vanquishcd; and. lastly. because.
30 DIR. Burgess believes, the Northern view is. in
the main. the correct view. 1t will not improve
matters. he thinks, to concede that the South
had right and the North might, or even that
both were equally right and equally wrong. In
his Judgment tho incubation OF such a doctrine
can only work injury to both sections. and moro
injury 10 the South than to the North. Chewing
the bitter cud OF fancied wrong produces both
spiritual misery and material adversely. and
temp.s to foolish and reckless action for
Fighting the imagined injustice. Moreover, the
author of this book is convinced that any such
doctrine is false, and ncquiescence In 1t, how
ever kindly meant, is weak and can have no
other effect than the porpctuation OF error and
misunderstanding. Tho time. he submits. has
como when the men OF the South should scknowl-
edge that they were in error In their attempt to
destroy tho Union. When they appealed the
great question from the decision at the ballot
box to the trial by battle" their leaders de-
clared over and over again, in calling their fol-
lowers to arms, that the God of Battles " would
surely give the victory to the right. 1t is not
denied that. In the great movements OF the
worlds history, this is a sound philosophy. but
tho men OF the South should have held to 1t
after. as we'll as before, their defeat.
While. therefore, great care has been taken In
these pages 10 attribute to tho Southern leaders
and the Southern people sincerity Of purpose in
their views and their acts; while their ideas and
their reasons have hecn. as the author submits,
duly appreciated and faithfully explained; while
tho right has been willingly acknowledged to
them and honor has been accorded to them.
whenever and wherever they have had tho right
and have merited honor. and, while unbounded
sympathy for personal suffering and misfortune
has been expressed; still not one scintilla OF
justification for secession and rebellion must be
expected from this book. DIR. Burgess holds that
any Interpretation OF this period of American his
tHry. which does not demonstrate to the South
rs error. vii! be worthless, simply because II
will not he true; and unless all Americans,