New-York tribune., 1906-12-29
4NTE-BELLUM EVENTS.
Causes Leading to the Break Be
tFceen North and South.

George
maps sc cr6s XRerissn ,Naton: History Toi
PARTIES AND SLAVERY. 1S5O-1S5s Ry Theodore
Clarke LARK ,-t Smith. Phi. D; With frontspiece and
SvO % pp Asn xiv. sa Harpsr HarS; Bros Btist0ry VOL
CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR, 1s5s-1sS1. By
y With frontispiece and maps CThe American
Harper Bros.
These three volumes OF the important work
which the Harpers are publishing under the edi-
torial direction OF Professor Albert Bushnell
Hart, of Harvard University. carry the history
OF our country down to the breaking out of the
CIVIL War. With Professor Harts book on
Slavery and Abolition" (VoI 16) and two vol
umes now in preparation by James K Hosmer,
LII. d., on "The Appeal to Arms" and "The
Outcome OF the Civil War" they will comprise
Group 4" Of the History" with the general title
of Trial Of Nationality" The authors in this
group find some difficulty in restricting their
subjects to the assigned periods. and there is
certain amount of overlapping and occasional
repetition that is unavoidable where each vol
ume is by different hand and aims to be COM
plete in itself as well as to form part of a sym
metrical mosaic This is not, however, to be
regarded a defect but rather as an advan-
tage. Closely interrelated as the volumes are.
and skilfully fitted together to comprise a har-
monious whole the very plan of the work in
wolves the consideration of events from diverse
points of view. and writer acts as modifier
ampliher of another.
Professor Garrison's volume takes up the
story of the westward growth of the United
States where II left by DR.. Macdonald in
Vol. Is, "Jacksonian Democracy" and. in its
discussion OF the questions arising Immediately
out Of slavery follows Professor Harris slavery
and Abolition" Vol 10 The book, accordingly.
while describing the territorial expansion of
the country westward from the Louisiana Pur-
chase 10 the Pacific Ocean. shows ''how it was
affected by and how 1t reacted upon the con-
tenporaneous sectionalizng movement which
finally ended in the Civil War" The period is
an interesting one, and does not lack in stirring
contests on the field Of battle and in the forum.
The responsibility for the breach between Presi-
dent Tyler and the Wings. the real boundaries
Of Texas under Spanish and Mexican rule. the
progress Of negotiation for the annexation OF
the Lone Star" State, the Slideu mission Of
1S45 and the origin Of the Wilmot proviso are
illuminated with the results OF the authors
original investigations OF the archives Of Texas
and Mexico If his views differ IN many re-
spects from those commonly held, his constant
reference TO authentic sources serves to fortify
his position and TO set up a new standard for
judging of the events and influences that led
to the annexation Of Texas and to the war with
n
terest is that devoted to 'Isthmian Diplomacy"
in which Professor Garrison traces the history
OF the efforts made toward securing an inter
oceanic waterway from the days of Charles ".
down 10 1850. and gives the story OF the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty. In respect to this agree
ment he writes:
The significance of the treaty was somewhat con-
fused by q correspondence between the negotiators
Pe June @ Sir e 2eTy 6 S@e S S
British Envoy, wrote Secretary of State Clayton
treaty to apply TO British Honduras or its dspen-
deaciesn1nat is' IL promising not 70 assume or ex
the British government did not have British Hon
Sences must haSe been Mosquta and one or tWo
islands TO which Great Britain had some claim, in
reply that Bulwers reservation was correct. Thus
was LEFT omen the troublesome and at times threat
Mosquito Coast, which long remained 10 vex Amer
lean diplomacy.
In Parties and Slavery" Professor Smith
shows how in the decade before the Civil War
the sectional divergence between the free and
slave states came to permeate law and politics.
literature and social intercourse" so insdious-
ly and irresistibly TO defy every effort of the
leaders on each side to keep political feeling
amicable and unsectonal." Nothing is more
clearly brought out in the book than the per
sistent but unavaiiing reluctance of the majority
Of the people. North and South, 10 admit that
there existed any real antagonsm between them.
The course OF par development as one sur
veys the period in retrospect renders it difficult
for the student to understand how our fathers
could so successfully have blinded themselves
TO the inevitable cataclysm II was a time not
able for distinguished leadership; Clay and
Webster were still upon the field, Seward, Chase
Douglas, Jefferson Davis Sumner and Wade were
coming to the front, and all their efforts were
directed to concilation and compromise. In his
characterization Of these and other important
figures Of the day. the author exhibits insight
the political situation and Of the underlying
causes Of the widening breach between these
sections.
Rear Admiral Chadwick in his volume entitled
the Causes Of the Civil War. IS59-1S61." has a
shorter period to cover than any of his prede-
cessors In these two years however were
brought to a focus all the lines of movement that
had been growing in intensity since the forma-
ton Of the national government. until. directed
by events they burst into flame on Fort Sumter.
AS a student of and strategy, Admiral Chad
wick is perhaps inclined to pay more attention
than do other writers OF this history To the
actual military preparations and operations. 1t
would seem as if he devoted more than their
relative share of attention to the incidents of the
attack upon and tho defence of Sumter. Yet he
does not neglect the other phases Of the smoul-
dering contest. and he throws some interesting
light the military and naval inepttude of the
time
THE PASSING SAMARITANS.
From The London Academy