Evening star., 1903-11-28
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THOMAS JEFFER-
son. By Thomas e. Watson. New York; ID.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THOMAS JEFFER
son. By Thomas E. Watson New York; u.
Appleton Co.
Washington excepted, Jefferson has prob
ably been written about more than any
American statesman. Mr.. Watsons book
has been written from q southern point
of view. He complains that many histories
Of the country ignore the south and
the west, and that frequently they are
unjust to those sections. He remarks: Il
can conceive of nothing more ominous OF
future trouble than the continued growth
Of purely sectional literature or his own
purpose he says: II have tried to give
New England her just dues. which are
great, and have likewise tried to do JUS
tice to the south, whose fair proportion
of the toll and the glory is too frequently
denied. Without detracting from the one
section 1 have endeavored to exalt the
other Instead Of taking away single one
Of the treasures OF our national history,
my purpose has been to bring neglected
additions to the casket."
Mr.. Watson endeavors to show that 1t
was the south, not New England, that
led in the revolt against England. North
Carolina eleven days before the adoption
Of the famous resolution by the Virginia
ton to the stamp act that Gov. Tryon had
to dissolve the legislature. The people flew
to arms and compelled the royal distrib-
utter of stamps to swear that he would
make no effort to use the stamps. When
the Virginia house Of burgesses assembled
in the spring of 1866 Jefferson was pur-
suing his law studies at Williamsburg.
Three days before the session would end
a gaunt, coarSely dressed countryman
handed up in the burgesses series of reso-
lutions challenging the right Of the British
parliament to tax the colonies at ALL Mr.
Watson says: "Whlle there had been much
unofficial talk about colonial rights and
against British encrOachments, no respon-
sible person acting officially had set up
the standard of revolt 1t was in this sense
that Patrick Henry was the first of all
American rebels and patriots. 1t was in
this sense that Virginia's legislative action
was the first gun Of the revolutionary war.
Jefferson listened to Henrys speech, and
from the first stood shoulder to shoulder
with him. In 1774 he prepared a long paper
for the Virginia convention, which ne styi-
ed "a Summary View of the Rights OF
British America In this he boldly ad-
yanced the proposition that the colonies
were not subject to any legislative power
save their own. and, that the British par
lament has no right to exercise authority
Henry. Washington and Lee. 1t was far
in advance of any position Virginia was
ready to take. In tone and tenor 1t was
much like the Declaration Of independence.
but in force, vigor, terseness and reach OF
thought 1t surpassed the Declaration.
Mr. Watson's work is written In lively
and vigorous style. He does not find Wash
ington perfect, bit he loves him LOT ms
very lack of perfection He has hearty
admiration for JefferSons qualities OF mind
and heart, but he is not blind to his faults
He says: "a statesman who lived so long
as Jefferson and wrote SO much. express
ing opinions on so many topics would have
been more than human had he never said
a foolish thing nor ever involved himself
in q contradiction. But, after all Is said,
IL comes down to this: His dissimulaton
was that of the man of the world who
knows better than to tell those he wants
to use that he hates them, even II he does
hate them; his diplomacy was that OF the
traveller who reaches the summit along the
line of the least resistance; his inconsist-
ency was that of the practical leader, VINO,
not being able to get what he knows 10 pe
best, accepts a compromise rather than get
nothing. A theorist, he allowed the force
of circumstances to constrain him TO De
silent when his convictions bade him speak,
to be quiescent when they would nave urg-
ed him to active opposition
THE UNITED STATES IN OUR OWN TINE lsn
a Re,na an Extension Of .!The History of the
Last Quarter Century BY F.. BENJAMIN
Andrews chancellor OF the uniSetsiy s Rron ur
Sons. Washington: William Baliantyne
Sons.
The precise value of current history he's
never been accurately determined. 1t Is
certainly not to be regarded as defnitiVe.
for It lacks the factor of proportion. 1t is
nevertheless valuable in that it affords
groundwork for the historian to come. Yet
the latter has his own materials in the an
nails in bulk from which the compiler OF
current history has drawn his resources.
These reflections. pertinent to the first edi-
ton Of P-of Andrews story OF the quarter
century published q few years ago. are es-
pecially relevant now that he has produced
a supplementary edition, bringing the rec
ord up to date. The average person is fair
ly familiar with the events of the past
eight years. replete though they have been
with stirring and era marking episodes. The
two Bryan campaigns. the war with Spain,
the Chinese crisis and the assassination of
President Mckinley are by no means so re-
mote that even in this rushing age they are
forgotten by the most of men. 1t is, of
course, convenient to have diary-like his
tory brought up to date from time to time,
in the form of an encyclopaedia of passing
events. and this. indeed, Is what the An
drews book now is a series of condensed
sketches Of important American happenings,
profusely Illustrated fairly stated, and SO
planned as to admit of indefinite extensions
as the time passes. The present edition is
sentation of the work was in two volumes,
and was therefore much easier to handle
and read. This contains all the matter of
the first edition. save the preface. which is
omitted and makes no changes of text. 1t
picks up the story at '"The Battle Of the
Standards and the Republican Restoration"
and carries it through ''The War with
Spain" to description Of the new place of
"The United States as a Pacific Ocean
Power" and discussions Of Politics and
Progress at the Turn Of the Century" and
"McKinley's End and the Rise Of Roose-
velt." The author gives no sign of his own
conspicuous participation in the free-silver
campaign. which caused his separation
from the faculty of Brown University.
TALKS OF NAPOLEON AT ST. HELENA
WITH GENERAL BARON GOURGAUD; To-
gether with the Journal Kept by Gourgaud en-
their Journey from Waterloo to st. Helena
Translated, with notes, by Elizabeth wormeiey
Latimer, author Of France in the Nineteenth
Century" etc Illustrated. Chicago: A. c.
McClurg 4 Co.
Gourgaud was In a position to reflect
much Of Napoleon's mind during those
melancholy years at st. Helena. He had