The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1904-07-23

%Na !. 81 ?.

A POLITICAL HISTORY OF SLAVERY.
A Political History Of Slavery. BY Will
liam Henry Smith. With an Introduction
by Whitelaw Reid. Two volumes. Svo.
Net t, $4;5o By mail mail $500. New York:
"A Political History of Slavery by
VIM. Henry Smith, is an elaborated story
OF the controversy over the slavery Ques-
ton. from the early days OF the 18th cen
fury to the close Of the Reconstruction
period in the United States. - S:y@+
There is an Introduction by Whitelaw
Reid. which tells of Mr.. Smiths career
and which gives quite an extended criti-
cism OF these two very instructive VOL
umes. -
Mr.. Reid SAYS: This Political History
is written with the fullness of knowledge
that comes from having seen many of the
events from the inside as they occurred,
Of the entire range Of the subjects. and
from access to much unpublished infor-
nation. in the papers of President Hayes
and Governor Brough, in the records OF
the state office held during a critical part
Of the period. and in constant personal
communication with some of the actors
Again: AS time goes on fuller justice
ments by which free people enlarged the
bounds of freedom, to communities and
to leading men that relied upon typical
wrongs and the better development of
Anglo-Saxo institutions; to Horace
Greeley first among public educators, to
Chase and Seward. Stanton and Welles,,
first among legislators and cabinet min
listers: and finally to- the peer if not the
superior of them all. and certainly the
most capable politician of the list, Abra-
ham Lincoln
In Chapter I, the author says: IF there
is one thing clearly established, it is tina!
slavery was deprecated by the men who
formed the Constitution; who recogniz-
ing that such an institution was inconsis-
with ri CT oiUilizafiGn
tent with the great principles of civil lib
~erty for which the colonies had contended,
and which constitute the basis of our Re-
public. refrained from inserting in that
great charter name SO repulsve to free
dom. We must conclude that they were
percipient witnesses to the public senti-
ment of that day. There was no state
feeling that it was injurious to Society
was in 70 sense dependent upon sectional
lines. Its ultimate extinction was gener-
ally confidently expected: emancipa ton
was to be the rule. This came early north
Of Maryland and it is not unreasonable
to suppose that if there had been no inhi-
bition of the African slave trade, emanci-
patton, would have followed in Delaware
MARYLAND. North Carolina. Kentucky and
Tennessee.
"Opposition to the institution Of slavery
arose from religious convictions as to it's
sinfulness or from economic and social
With Mr.. Jefferson Condemned ne i it Because
Of it's destructive influence became as
impotent as his, or succumbed to the vio-
lence Of political forces; while that hav-
ing it's source in religious feelings played
an important part in the creation of a
third party. The Society of Friends led all
other denominations in the employment
the public. prints as to whether VIM:
Lloyd Garrison, Benjamin Lundy or Chas.
Of moral influence for the eradication OF
slavery, though there were not wanting
outspoken utterances in the Presbyterian.
Baptist and Methodist churches at an
early day, especially in Ohio, Kentucky
and Tennessee
Some years ago one who had been
conspicuous as a leader in the anti-slav-
cry contest endeavored to show the i'm
faithfulness of current history in dealing
with the genesis of modern abilitiOnism,
and thereupon a controversy sprang up in
Osborne was entitled to be styled the first
Apostle Of Emancipation. Geo w: Julian:
history clearly established the claims Of
Osborne to be mentioned before either
Lundy or Garrison. but strangely over
looked the claims of another whose career
was strikingly like that OF Lundy-John
Woolman, Friend, who was born in New
Jersey about 1920. Then follows ac
count of his early life and career, exceed
he Visited North Carolina, where he
sought to arouse the consciences of slave
holders and wrote an essay entitled Con.
After his death i'm 1772, his journal,
which was published hssd wide circula-
tion- 1t shows that hTs life was given to
the work Of emancipation; He travelled
from colony to coIorDyr preaching remon-
st!StImg and cOuT1seGing-
The author discusses with painstaking
detail the Free Soil Mo- ement, 1.-THE
Omnibus Bill" ''RepeaD of the Missouri
Compromise" THE Nomination of Lin
coln.' and in their discussion exhibits a
wealth of information and breadth Of
knowledge. which could only result from
many years. study and contact with the
leadTmg men Of those stirring times.
Vol. II opens with chapter on 1.-The
Outbreak of the War; in which he says:
I'm the history of nations weak rulers are
treated with sca1t respect. They become
the dupes Of Knaves, the instrument of
oppression; they mperiD governments and
invite disorders to enter in. they are the
real enemies to- human progress. When
Mr. Buchanan was brought face to face
with men resorute in purpose to- disrupt
the Union and overthrow the government,
he construed the fundamental Iaw to be
as impotent as he was in fact as the ex-
ecutive. Imagine Andrew Jackson, the
executive head of the government in
1S60-61. Would members of Congress en-
gagged in the work of disunion have been
welcomed art the White Fouse? Would
they have buIlied. Trim