New-York tribune., 1900-04-23
RICHARDSON'S GREAT MESS
,rTTLE INDUSTRY AND LESS INTELLI-
GENCE IN HIS COMPILATION.
-ur PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS Thrown TO
GETHER." WITH MANY ERRORS
AND OMISSIONS


washington April % (Special) Passing from
..e consideration of the questionable methods
,-,nloyed by the Hon. James d. Richardson in
.c,rlne from Congress the job to prepare
onnp.le and edit the public papers Of the Presi-
,snts TO the results of his labors in their ulti-
-,e,e form. the reader finds them TO be equally
unsatisfactory
Nearly every page of the vast heterogeneous
.ess bears evidence that the responsible COM
.nsr brought little industry and less intell!-
s,ce 10 his work. notwithstanding the persist
~. craft previously disclosed TO have himself
,oninated TO the charge of the duty for which
re had carefully prepared the way by the en-
sc,nent Of the proper legislation. 1t is clear
.,a, no great intelligence was required for the
mere arrangement. annexation and proof read
,nr Of series Of printed public documents: any
ordinarily bright sophomore would have been
suHcently equipped for the task Yet MIR
richardson's genius was apparently inadequate
20 its requirements or he wofuly neglected his
spties for his performance lacks in thorough
ness lacks that indefinable quality which at
o,ce gives confidence of accuracy and approx
iuate fulness.
SEVERAL HANDS DO SLIPSHOD WORK
one dominant characteristic demanded in the
discharge OF TASK OF lis klnQ ana dimensions
,s s;ndustry. and here again Mr.. Richardson con-
enicuously failed TO fill the bill. This compila-
,,o5 does not show work, 1t rather has the ap-
nssranoe Of an undertaking discharged by sew
s,el hands. instead Of one each one pursuing
ar I'll digested plan Of his own. the combination
showing slipshod carelessness fatal to its unity
ss weU as trustworthiness
II fact the documents are simply thrown to-
rsfher: they are not intelligently and instruc-
,velv edited and arranged. as Congress doubt
rsss anticipated they would be. Many obviously
necessary explanatory and connecting notes are
eonspicuous by their absence. The classification
is execrable. letters merely conveying informa-
ton and suggestions are inadvertently printed
under the head Of Executive orders" an ex-
ample Of which is Mr. Cleveland's letter OF
March . 1855 10 the Civil Service Commission
AZ page 163 of Volume XIII. which begins Il
desire 10 make 2 suggestion" etc. It contains
order There IS strong reason to doubt the proper
Placement OF many undated documents. al
though mere commonplace chronology and Sc
ouence appear 10 have been about the only
rules attempted or even generally observed in
preparing the papers for the printer.
But above ALL in this sort OF literary work
seepless regard for exactitude in every detail
.or unbroken sequence and completeness must
be the chief consideration Of the directing au-
thority. Without il his achievements will not
stand the test Of criticism. Did Mr.. Richardson
bring This painstaking conscientiousness into
play in discharge OF the trust which he sought
50 greedily? In regard 10 the completeness Of
bis compilation no discussion is now proposed.
further than 10 say that If its collection and
arrangement have been 10 more thorough and
accurate than so much Of the alleged editing
that &c he fey
work Of utility. il is practically valueless. Its
shortcomings have long been the subject of in
vdious remarks on the part of literary experts.
BIOGRAPHIES FULL OF ERROR.
Foot notes Of explanation are sparingly intro
iuced. but mainly Mr.. Richardson's editorial
hbors were confined predatory note of little
aore than q page TO each Of the volumes. and
short Biographical sketch Of each Of the Presi-
tents II is in these that his palpabe neglect
II unftness for the work is conclusively shown
Short they are-being intended only as an
J 1utlne Of each Presidents career-hardly one Of
r he entire twenty-five biographical sketches is
free from some gross historical blunder. They
I ali show carelessness and lack OF information.
Where precision and lucidity are demanded and
easily possible nothing is found but listIess and
dsjointed paraphrasing OF the cyclop8dias.
There is nothing new, while unfortunately
i nearly every exploded error is copied with care.
4 i is doubtful If they were all written by the
I sane editor It is only necessary to refer
I to q few Of Mr.. Richardson's solecisms TO con-
vince the reader Of these facts.
% President George Washington Mr. Rich
= adson says at page A. Volume /: "In 175s he
tommanded a successful expedition against Fort
4 Dueuesne." Now. II is notorious that IL was
/ ts British General Joseph Forbes. and not
Seorge Washington who led the final expedition
4 against Fort Duquesne Instead of being sue
1 csssfui, the Forbes expedition came near being
! u fatal and abortive as Braddock's Major
1 tants detachment of some eight hundred
4 highanders and Virginians was surprised and
s9t 10 pieces. The small French garrison was
unpelled 10 abandon the fort not by Forbes's
Gsssure. bat by the victories Of Bradstreet and
Aaherst in the North. After all hope Of success
7apractically abandoned by Forbes Duquesne
Vas eventually occupied on the threshold Of
FnIer without a blow. Washington, only a
4 teordinate. was not even Forbes's second In
/ "mnand; he was commandant only Of the Vir-
1 ens contingent Of volunteers, about one-fourth
l the expedition OF six thousand men. Mr.
/ Hchardson's statement, therefore. both in let
! T and spirit. conveys an historical falsehood.
SORRY STORY OF TAYLOR's CAMPAIGN
-"e IoI!o"lng alone is sufhclent TO condemn
NJ Richardson historical editor" Speak
ng of General Zachary Taylor. he says:
re went . Corpus Christi. and on March s,
:o7o advanced, and after some fighting. in which
- routed and drove the enemy across the Rio
sStshde. on May IS occupied Matamoras. In
ssplernber fought the enemy at Monterey and
ssptured that town. The following February
-II1sht and won the battle Of Buena Vista. In
.-e mean time. besides engagements less i'm
i YEtant he had the victories of Palo Alto
4 @ la hesaca de la Palma, which created great
4 'AAuslasn throughout the Union.
l he victories Of Palo Alto and Resaca" were
n Ferl Of the 69htir1's mentioned