The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-21

A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS PEOPLE, by Elroy McKendree Avery. In fifteen volumes. Vol. III. The Burrows Brothers Co.,, Cleveland.
 Volume third of MT. Avery's admir- able historical work treats of what has been termed the neglected epoch of American history" This period was not prolific in intensely or dram atic historical material and hence the application of the term. but it was ga period of notable growth and development for the country, The period covered in this volume is from the accession of William and Mary to 1715 It was a time of trial never theless and of development of the people and a period not destitute of struggle and fighting and substantial political achievement. There were bloody contests in our own New Eng land including many hard fought con- tests with the Indians and our own conflict with the red men which wound up with the death of King Philip. There was also in this pe- riod Bacon's rebellion in Virginia. The wars of the royal William, Anne and George also occupied the mother country's attention for considerable time and distracted England's atten- tion somewhat from the colonies giv- ing them something of a rest from un- justifiable or onerous tax impositions. There were still however growing conflicts of authority between the crown and the colonies. Even in the lull the elements of discord were still clashing and some political and econ omic advance was achieved by the colonies and there was apparent and manifest the spirit of opposition and aggressiveness that later on made itself felt in the shot that was heard around the world" So although there were no great battles or mar shalling of armies the period covered in this volume is full of interest to the close student of our nations his- tory.
 In spite of aggravatdng treatment by crown officials and exasperating and tyrannical brow beating, there was going on what the author names the advance guard of an irresistible army" For in the Southern colonies cultivation of the soil was establishing the colonists in a true proprietorship, won fro mthe soil itself" on came and still on came the grand army, whose rear we have not seen, whose tramp unheard by sense is still reson- ant with majesty. Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war, and to-day her tasseled banners wave, as if in conscious triumph, over the almost boundless fields of the most prosperous valley in the world"
 As says MT. Avery in his foreword: 'Tn the second section of the story herewith given, we have the elabora- ton of @ British colonial system, the enactment of more comprehensive navigation acts; and the introduction of machinery intended to secure their efficient administration These years were also years in which England was engaged in war with France and Spain, struggles that endangered the peace and security of the colonies and intensified the desire of the mother country to make her Ameri- can plantations helpful to herself. The American colonists felt and re- sented the laying on of the heavy hand and evlnced a disposition to stand for rights that they felt were theirs by inheritance and contract. They thus laid themselves open to the charge of breaking the laws and fail ing in military duties. In no other period were the complaints of royal officers and English merchants in America so frequent, and seizures for illegal trading so numerous as they were in the years from 1890 to 1715 At no period were the rights of the crown and the rights of the inhabit- ants more difficult to distinguish than they were then.
 In those years proprietary govern ments were forced to the wall and colonial charters were subjected tC inuuisitoria1 torture.
 The third part of this period stands in sharp contrast with the second Added to the historical neglect that clings also to the earlier is what Burke called the "wise and salutary neglect" of governmental policy. Or the heels of the accession of the Hanoverians to the English throne and the passing of pressing danger from Frenchment and red men came g disposition that eliminated much ol the galling rigidity of the naviga' ton acts and suffered Ia generous na. ture to take her own way to perfec. ton" Some of the old conflicts were continued but the brow-beating of the colonists by such officials as Dudley and Randolph was mitigated and {