The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-15
JUDAH. Il. BENJAMIN, American
Crises Biographies. BY Pierce
Butler. George w. Jacobs Co.,
I,llilaaalnhiu. SNn. d5g M.

i.
Butler George W. Jacobs Co..
Philadelphia. $40. d5g PIP.
The writing of n biography requires
considerable self-restrain,. There is
So much oppertnnity. and. witha',
temptation. to twist facts or incidents,
be II over SO little. to color opinions
or to ascribe motives along the lines
OF ones own habit of thought, that
the just biographer must have the
power of self-effacemcnt az well as
t'ie possession of calm and accurate
Judgment. No one should write u
biography II he have n cause TO espouse
unless he can be, and here is the test
AS seif-sffacing as Boswell who is the
prince or biographers, because he is
the weakest of personalities
One would hardly accuse Mr.. Butler
Of resembling Boswell on the score of
personality. yet he has. proved to be
steered successfully between the
Scy1la of unmeasured adulation and
the Charybdis of unjust fault finding.
His estimate of Mr.. BENJAMIN is SYM
ma thetic. Intelligent and just. His work
shows vividly the great part that Mr..
Benjamin took in the critical period of
The Civil War. the strength. the courage,
the ability. the self-sacritlce that char
pcteriZed him. vet the biographer does
not hesitate to mention the criticism,
the accusations even that were made
against his subject, nor to express
his disapproval of u course of action
that did not satisfy his Judgment.
The task was. no light one. for his
material, from the personal standpoint
was both meagre and difficult TO OBJ
tain. Mr.. Benjamin had made ii n
rule to destroy at once all papers and
letters such as might serve to assist
or direct a biographer. To slr. Francis
Iawley. who had desired to publish a
biography and had applied to him. in
1883, for data, Mr.. Benjamin made an
swer: Even II had the health and
your work, / have no materials avail
able for the purpose. have never
kept a diary. or retained a copy of
letter written by me. No letters adj
dressed to me by others will be found
among my papers when I die. With
the exception of Mrs. Jefferson Davis.
no one has many letters of mine; for
i have read so many American biog
raphies which reflected only the pas
sion and prejudice of the writer's that
] do not want to leave behind me let
tiers and documents to be used In such
a work about myself"
Mr. Buffers work is done without
passion and without prejudice. The
that period of Mr.. Benjamin's life
when, first in the United States Senate
as tie representative of the State of
Louf1iana, and later in the Cabinet of
the Confederate, States, he was promi-
nently identified with the great crisis
of our American history. Evidently
not of the South, yet Mr.. Butler can
view the Souths claim and struggle
with sympathy and appreciation. His
picture of the political conditions that
preceded the great struggle between
the States the earnest, vet hopeless.
attempt made to avoid the inevitable.
the arrogance and misunderstanding
on the part of the North, of Southern
ideals and conditions and the likewise
most pathetically tragic undertaking
of the gravity of the conflict on the
part of many Southerners is his
torical perspective of real value. 1t
is likewise intensely interesting in
the reading. The part that Judah p.
Beniamin played in this memorable
national, drama, the immense amount
of service lie rendered, the comfort
and assistance he gave to President
Davis, the antagonism he was COM
PEELED to endure, the misunderstood
fnEs under which he suffered but was
compelled to remain silent, are likewise
given in such manner as completely
TO vindicate Mr.. Benjamin, If such VIM
dication were necessary, and to cause |
his friends to rejoice.
Two characteristics of Mr.. BENJAMIN
during this trying period are shown. |
viz. that he was capable of any amount
of hard work. and that he kept a smil-
ing countenance to the world. despite |
the anguish of labor and care that
said of him: Mr.. BENJAMIN. was al
said of him: MIR. Benjamin was al I
ways ready for work: sometimes with
a half-hour's recess, he remained with |
the Executive from 10 in the morning
till 3 at night, and together they tra-
Nersed all the difficulties that encom-
passed our beleaguered land. :. Both
the President and the Secretary of |
State worked like galley-slaves. early /
and ate Mr.. Davis came home fast
Ing. mere mass of throbbing nerves.
and perfectly exhausted; hut Mr.. Ben
1a!nin was always fresh and buoyant'
Interesting. 10. Fichmonders espec-
ally, will be the comment of the late
Dr. Moses D. Hoge, who said (of Mr..
Benjafhin): Gle entered very little
into the social life of the city Even
had he been disposed to do so, he I
could not have had time for it. He |
was one of the hardest workers in the |
Cabinet. going to his Office early in the
morning and often remaining there /
till after midnight. No matter what |
his tolls or late his vigils. every morn
Ing as he came by my house at 8
o'clock lhaving breakfasted before
leaving hisp, he was dressed faultless-
~ and always with a bright, cheer |
full aspect. Mrs. Hoge often said, as |