New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-10
TWO STATESMEN.
GOVERNOR GREEHHALGE AND FRED
ERICX DOUGLASS.

INF THo 'dfs GRREEENHAIGE, Governor Of Massa-
Do tx, 45s Boston: Roberts Brothers.
IN MEMORIAM FREDERICK DOUGLASS. Oc-
tavo PIP. $50 Philadelphia John c, Yorston &
These books are alike in their commemora-
tive character The men whom they honor
were alike in that their lives were involved IN
the politics of State and Nation. But, while
the one ended his career almost in the hrst
flush Of success, the other measured all the
heights and depths of life The one exempil-
fed the welcome which America gives to tai
ents In one who is alien in birth but not in
blood The other tasted oil the bitterness OF
race despised But there is a misery greater
than contempt for man OF genius; and Green
balce In the opinion OF those who knew MI"
beet had capacities particularly as an orator.
amounting to genius This worst misery VI
genius is to fall upon prosaic times Inc "oiiu
will always reckon Douglass among It's ele"'
orators in the same circle with the ahclen'
uaeters With Mrabeai and Burke and Web
ster and Lincoln But we must remember wna'
themes stirred MS heart. He had Inc auNah-
+are OF living when there was something great
for an orator TO say. Greenhalge mad WIZ
profuse If not deep learning. practcal "isu'"'
and popular sympathy. Men or long eNPe'f
ence linked his name with that OF webster III
hopeful anticipation Of what he might become
But politics in his time gave him no TASK ~
tact the movers Of a Webster. He could dis
play dexterity and quickness, he could snow
the qualities Of sound lawyer, he could make
men laugh but he could not raise them 10
those heights which they had trodden with
pbillios because those heights had disappeared
Thus p wise old university critic of Cambridge
reckoneI him the first sophist in the line OF
American orators; and this oracular dictnm ap-
pears to have sgniied that here was man
perfect in all the details. mental ana PHYSICAL
OF the orators arr. but not happy IN the topics
which the living interests OF his time forceo
upon him. His opponents called him clever
manipulation. HIS private letters. on the o'ner
hand show him in the light OF man VINO
hated place hunting and lamented the sma"
selfshness that flied the scene from VINCE
great motives had departed. He was meiah-
choly enough to wish himself out OF Congress
after he got in. and it is curious feature IN
his career that he was so much interested
afterward in the general campaign and so
little in the struggle for his own reelection
He did not expect defeat. Still. an ordinary
political ,actican in his place would hardly
have neglected his own interests.
Mr. Nesnith's book describes a life every way
successful and yet disappointing A man with
the tastes of the scholar and the poet and ali
unmeasured power OF expressing his thoughts
wins all the honors that come In his way. and
then passes away prematurely. his real powers
INFESTED. On the other hand. in the collection
OF tributes to the memory Of Douglass we
have the reflection Of a life lived out to the
end. filled not with opportunities Of mere vulgar
success. but with opportunities for utterng
the high thoughts Of stirring times. We have
massive character worked out in every Inca
ment, and an achievement which broadens
from a single personality to the life of race
Memorial volumes not usually interesting
reading but the mere presence OF the one In
hand Is suggestive.