The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-02


arson, an unapeakable fate for women ana
children" If John Browns act had been
regarded with universal horror at the North,
and the man himself had been there de-
nounced as crazy and bloodthirsty fanatic,
for whom hanging was too merciful fate,
the abortive attempt to foment slave
ins,,rrection might have had no extensive
political results. What DR.. Wilson omits
to mention is that by the most enlightened
and humane men at the North, such men
as Ralph Waldo Emerson, the man Brown
became the object OF species OF apotheosls
az q hero and a MARTYR. From the moment
that such Mandatory view Of an Infamous
act became current in intellectual and in
influential circles at the North the South
had good reason TO dread q repetition OF
the outrage.
The three chapters on the civil war. and
u supplemental chapter on TIE North
During the War" are from the pen of the
late John G. Nicolay, the author OF the
well-known biography Of Abraham Lincoln.
n IL not TO be- expected that some OF Mr..
Nicolay's conclusions will please the friends
OF certain military commanders. These
are likely. on the contrary to protest against
the incorporation OF such Judgments In
An English history presumed TO be author-
i.ative. Of Mcclellan. for example, We
read on page AIS, where Mr.. Nicolay Ia about
to describe the series of conflicts known as
the Seven Days Battles, 1t was that Gem
erals chronic habit Of overestimating the
enemy that prompted his fear of being over
wheirned by 100000 soldiers, as expressed
in his despatch of June Is, 1852, to President
Lincoln" The mood in which McClellan's
note Of June % to tho Secretary OF War
was written ia described as an absurd
panic" and Mr.. Nicolay asserts that it was
only the Encouragement of their COM
mander that caused the retreat Of the North
ern forces TO the shelter OF the Union gun
boats at Harrison's Landing.
The President" adds Mr.. Nicolay, was
less alarmed at The reported disaster to the
army than at the utter collapse Of McClel-
lan's courage and hopes" Mr. Nicolay
accuses Mcclellan of glaring misstate-
ments OF fact. an letter OF July 3 McClel-
Ian said he doubted whether he had with
him more than so 900 men, with their cOlors'
vet his tri-monthly return for July 10.
one day after the Presidents visit 10 Har-
risons Landing, and week after the
Battle OF Malvern Hill, shows present for
duty, equipped, 9s,03l. aggregate present,
1l7,714, aggregate present and absent.
l57 O9s; of whom A,472 were absent by
authority" Mr., Nicolay also attributes
Popes defeat at Bull Run, on Aug 80, 1852.
10 -McCleilans delays" and the want OF
efficient cooperation between Pope and
some OK his corps commanders. Mr..
Nicolay does his best to belittle McClellan's
SUCCESS at Antietafi, and In one sentence
calls II "a drawn battle" but subsequently
feels constrained to admit that il was
victory, since II inflicted great Losses upon
the Confederate Army and brought the
invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania
to an abrupt close. OF Meade, the victor
of Gettysburg and stenner Of Lees gee
ond invasion. Mr.. Nicolay IL also lukewarm
In his praise. He describes him as eau
tious rather than brilliant commander
Before passing TO other chapters Of this
book we note an obvious error on page 5sl.
Mr. Nicolay says that on April S, 1885.
Jefferson Davis issued at Danville procla-
nation in order once more to FIRE the
Southern heart" but that, hearing on the
same day that Lee had surrendered to
Grant, the fugitive Confederate Govern
ment again hastily packed its archives
and moved on 1t was impossible to hear
of Lees surrender on April because it
did not take place until the afternoon of
April 0.
Would Lincoln, II ne lived. have held
the same views as to the right mode Of
reconstruction that were entertained by
his successor? Mr.. Nicolay does not an
swer this question categorica)ly, but he
recalls the general proclamation Of am
nesty and reconstruction issued by Mr..
Lincoln on Dec. 8, 1893 This proclamation
granted to all inhabitants OF the seoeding
States, except certain specified classes,
on taking a prescribed oath OF allegiance
pardon and restoration OF rights Of prop
erty, except as to slaves; and authorized
one-tenth Of the legal voters Of any Sc
ceding State to rssstablish loyal State
Government which would be- recognized
by the Executive Under the terms OF
this proclamation, Arkansas and Louis
lana organized State GoverDments, and
adopted new Constitutions prob hitting
slavery. Tennessee reached the same result
early in 1895; while in the border Slave States
of Maryland and Missouri, the regular
political action Of their peoples worked out
the same constitutional reform at about
the same date. Already, however, Con-
eress displayed considerable reluctance
TO recognize the 40 per cent. States
reorganized under the plan Of the Presi-
dent, and TO approve the admission Of
their Senators and Representatives 70 seats.
Even more significant Of the attitude
which Mr. Lincoln desired to see adopted
toward the seeding States was the mes
sage subn ted to his consti tutional adj
visers at a Cabinet meeting held on Feb S,
1896. In this proposed message, which he
withheld In Difference TO their unanimous
opposition, he recommended Congress
TO offer the Slave States compensation OF
$500 900 900 for their slaves. upon Qsndit\on
that all rebellion should cease before April
/; half the sum to be paid at that date
and the other half al soon as the Thirteen
Amendment should become valid con-
stitutional law. In the Cabinet meeting
held on Friday April "A, the day on the
evening Of which Lincoln was assassnated.
he spoke hopefully of being able to restore
the machinery OF civil government In the
Southern States without encountering too
much objection from extreme Radicals
on the one hand, or obstinate Conserva-
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