The times., 1901-06-02


erty of any number of Southern slave
holders who might happen TO come there
TO livc2 1t is not too much to say that
good many Northern people regarded
slavery as about on the same level with
horse stcasing. How would It be possi-
bic 20 protect an Apache Indian in his
hereditary right TO steal horses from
another tribe II he happened 20 be living
iu a community which did not believe In
that privilCgcs The demand is absurd
10 draw another parallel, the Northern
States believed IN the utmost freedom OF
speech ON this aud all other questions
and in puhlic education of the poor
est II a Northern man went into q
southern State he was not protected In
The Tisht allowed him In the North-oi
free discussion and OF teaching an iliit'
crate "a rsor 70 read IL he chanced tC
want to. ON the contrary. stringent
laws were passed in some OF the States
interfering seriously with these rights
~ his How was Il possible for such ar
anomalous state of things TO exist? The
country is already asking for uniformity
81 its marriage laws; but If the States
were 70 stay together 1t was consider
ably more important TO have uniformity
Of feeling and legislation on so important
question as one involving millions OF
dollars worth OF property.
There is no question, however, that
when not warped by partisan feeling the
ante-bellum legislators. North and South
were wiser and more conscientious than
most of those of the present. day. One OF
the most interesting chapters in this book
deals with the Confederate constitution,
which restricted IN every possible way the
power Of the Federal Government II
was evidently the intention of its makers
to allow the utmost liberty to each State
and thereby check any invasion of Its
rights by the central government. The
author is exactly right when he suggests
that it is about time for a reaction against
the disposition TO cede irresponsible power
to the Executive. He says:
'The study of the Confederate con-
stitution would be useful at present.
as there never was time when the
need of restrictions and guarantees
against irresponsible power was more
urgent. The public mind has been
schooled against any assertion or
State rights or of constitutional Inn
itations, and taught to look with aver
sion and ridicuie upon any serious at
tempt to set up the ancient land
marks. The allegiance of State au-
thority, reliance in actions and opin-
ions upon Federal protection and aid,
the vast accumulation of power ana
u.fuence at Washington, the sup
posed necessary supremacy of the CEN
trail Government. have caused wide
departure from the theory and prin-
ciples of the fathers. 1t Is not easy
to think of the present Government as
being the same simple, frugal, limited.
constitutional Government of the ear
lier and better days of the Republic
In addition TO old and familiar ques-
tions, we have new ones of fearful
import. Expansion, militar1sm, col
onizing, lifting up semi-savages, main
tanning a position of influence among
the great Powers of the world. exten-
sion of laws and administration with
out constitutional grants and inhibl-
tions over territory and people ac-
quired by purchase and conquest and
treaty. are of such vast concern and
so unprecedented as to require the
best minds of the country and the
highest wisdom and integrity. Unless
we are safeguarded by the best preee-
dents and the purcst statesmanship,
we shall drift entirely away from the
hopes and purposes of our ancestors.
With the Constitution as II was con-
strued by Marshall, Taney, Woodbury.,
Nelson; with a government admins
tered by such men as Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Polk; with such
statesmen as Calhoun. Clay. Wright,
Wythe our country could cover Nortn
America without sacrifice OF personal
liberty. without peril TO representative
institutions. and with unbounded pros
perity. 1t was of our Conteoeracy
thus administered that Mr.. Jefferson
wrote to Mr.. Madison In 1903: j am
persuaded no constitution was ever be-
fore so well calculated as ours for ex-
tensive empire and self-government.
Another statement which seems 20 have
a hole in IT somewhere is the assertion.
often made in these days, and reiterated
here. that the Northern army was compos-
ed largely. of the overcrowded popula-
ton of Europe" way of deciding
whether or not this statement is true is
to examine the inmates of the Soldiers
Homes throughout the country. 1t Will
probably be found that an overwhelming
majority of them are native Americans;
and soldiers enlisting for the sake of
bounty would certainly be as likely as
ANYBODY else to avail themselves of such
aid. Possibly the idea that the Northern
army was made up of foreign mercensries
arose partly from the fact that during
twenty years before the war the Irish
famine caused great numbers of immi-
grants from Ireland to come to this coun-
try. and that a great many of them, who
had not lost their Irish brogue, were en-
listed IN the army Moreover. the Penn
EyIvanIa troops contained a contingent of
Germans. and the Pennsylvania Dutch
man. betrays his origin Enthusiastically.
But the single State of Vermont. as stated
by Edward J. Phelps, sent one-tenth of
its population to the war and even now
that State is mainly peopled by native
Americans. The Vermont regiments GER
tainly were not made up of the over
crowded population of Europe" said by
DR.. Curry TO have been allured by boun-
ties
But the book is interesting in the ex-
treme. full Of information which has been
thus collected nowhere else, and which is
arranged and presented in a
style lucid and unadorred by rhetorical
hourishes. The care with which every
chapter has been written is evident, and
Il oughS TO find a place in the library of
everyone anxious to get at the exact
truth about the war between the States.
There is more of the exact truth in this
book, packed into a smaller space, than in
most works dealing with that period of
storm and stress II Is fascinating as the
accurately written history of any great
must be, and doubly valuable
because of its bearing on the development
IF the country. One need only glance at
some Of the speeches and articles of the
time 10 see that the leaders of the Con-
contemplated not only repubu-
but empire. They planned-some
If them-the acquisition of Cuba and in
lime other territory in which American
combined with slavery, should
prevail. They planned extension TO the
North as well as the South They were
wise, thoughtful, and conscientious men.
Who believed craftsmanship to be a great
profession. In their theory OF States
rights they were probably nearer right
han the infiamed public sentiment OF the