The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-20
70 Years of a Great Life


 George F. Hoar's Autobiography of Sew enty Years" issued by Charles scribner's Sons, makes two good-sized volumes into which the venerable senator from Massa- chusetts has compressed the reeolleetions of his long and distinguished career. and as was anticipated. is a valuable and in- teresting contribution to the political his tory of the country. The memories of his wide and often close acquaintance with the foremost men of letters of his time have also furnished many delightful chapters.
 Those who anticipated that Senator Hoar would reveal the inside secrets of the momentous events of his career has covered will be disappointed While he explains the motives that governed him in his attitude in certain matters of his- toric moment, he has carefully refrained from overstepping the correct bounds of his position. There are no secrets dl- vulged in the Autobiography of Seventy years" In his scholarly style, MT. Hoar has told the story of a full life It IS freely enliyened with anecdotes of the great men of his time, most of them pllnAtu lOl tlit llSl llile- u IGuttiS lile intimate associations with the leading figures of the country which he enjoyed, and he has unfolded memorys pages un- til, at times, he recalls men, great in their day, but not unknown to the aver age reader.
 First Thirty-two Chapters.
 The thirty-two chapters of the first vol ume cover the period from his boyhood in Concord to the national convention of 1Sss The chapter titles, such as 'Fa- nous Concord Men, Harvard Sixty Years Ago" "Foundation of the Republi- can Party" Sumner and Wilson," 1.-The House of Representatives in 1S69,' Re construction "The Electoral Commits slon." "The Belknap Impeachment," etc., gives an idea of the extent of Senator Hoar's work.
 Of his boyhood in Concord. MT. Hoar writes entertainingly of the famous men that town sheltered. recalling many an- ecdotes of them. One of Edward Everett is new At the Concord Celebration in lS50 the great orator turned in the midst of his speech and addressed Amos Baker and Jonathan Harrington. two veterans of the Revolution. At once they both stood up, and MT. Everett said, with fine dramatic effect, "Sit venerable friends It is for us to stand in your presence"
 After the proceedings were over old Amos Parker was heard to say to some- body, what do you suppose Squire Ever cit meant? He came to us before his speech and told us to stand up when ne spoke to us. and when we stood up, he told us to sit down."
 Story of Grant.
 MT Hoar also contributes this story of General Grant, the occasion being bril- liant dinner at which were present many distinguished men. Commodore Allen had remarked there was nothing he disliked more than a subordinate who always obeyed orders What is that you are saying Commodore?' said President Grant across the table. The commodore repeated what he had said. There is a good deal of truth in what you say" said General Grant "One of the virtues of General Sheridan was that he knew when to act without orders. Just before the surrender of Lee, General Sheridan cap tured some despatches from which he learned that Lee had ordered his sup plies to a certain place. I was on the other side of the river. where he could get no communication from me until the next morning. General Sheridan pushed on at once without orders, got to the place fifteen minutes before the rebels, and captured the supplies. After the sur render was concluded, the first thing Gen. 
 his men, I issued them the same pro- visions which Sheridan had captured. Now if Sheridan, as most men would have done had he waited for orders from me, Lee would have got off l listened with wonder at the generous modesty which before that brilliant company. could remove one of the brilliant laurels from his own brow and place it on the brow of Sheridan"
 s-Ir1 ATr ha l. mated the more prominent men with whom he served in congress, paying friends tribute to them. The chapter on reconstruction is especially interesting. He says:
 Reconstruction.
 'It was the desire of many republican leaders, especially of MT. Sumner and General Grant, that there should be pro- vision at the national charge for the edn- cation of all the citizens in the southern states black and white, so far as the states were unable or unwilling to afford 1t, such as had been provided for in the states of the north for all of their cit- zens It was never contemplated by them to give the right to vote to large num- Der of illiterate citizens, without ample provision for their education at the pulp lie charge. General Grant accompanied his official announcement to congress of the adoption of the Fifteenth amendment with an earnest recommendation of such a provision. Earnest efforts were made to accomplish this result by liberal grants from the national treasury. Many liberal and patriotic southern democrats support ed it. But it was defeated by the timidity or mistaken notions of economy of north ern statesmen In my opinion this de- feat accounts for the failure of the pol- cy of reconstruction so far as it has faii-