New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-28
Literary NetU.s and Criticism

pugnacious mood with a big -hir IT his shout
der. for il is not 10 be supposed that any OF
his predecessors, however inferior and deficient
aimed at anything less than the truth. Poor
Bancroft, so lightly tossed aside purposed "to
secure perfect accuracy in the relation of facts
even to their details and their coloring, and to
keep truth clear from the clouds, however brill
liant of conjecture and tradition" and the
despised Eildreth attempted to set forth the
personages of our colonial and revolutionary
history. such as they really were in their own
day and generation. living and breathing men,
their faults as well as their virtues. their weak
nesses as well their strength" In truth, VIII
not the immortal story nave TO be retold to
every succeeding generation. 10 suit the changes
of fashion in political ideas in historical
method and the dress of words?
The real meaning Of the Revolution will be OBJ
scured according to the writer if il be regarded
as a mere series of Interesting battles-a meas
urenaent Of dynamic force-whereas 1t was IN
effect a long-continued political and economic
movement, proceeding along the slow ana or
derby lines of natural growth and evolution 70
an end which was barely apPrehended by those
whose lot it was 10 guide and lead IT, Inc olU
charters were liberal. and the colonlsts taush'
themselves TO look upon them as OF higher au-
thority than acts Of Parliament. The charters
were made broad and liberal to encourage the
DEVELOPMENT of the wilderness and also 10 mas
ten the departure of troublesome people, rebelS
against government or established religion, ike
Puritans Ba ptists. Quakers and Catholics. the
most liberal charters were granted by Charles
II and other Stuarts from no love Of liberty
There was no overcrowding of population in
England but there were a goodly number OF
undesirable citizens, and they had TO be driven
arr na ed
liberal government. In fact, the English speak
ing communities in America not colonies
in the modern meaning of the term-England
had lost 4 large part of her sovereignty over
them and. as one observer put il, the Revolt
ton was a contest 10 recover il. At all events,
the withdrawal OF the French in 1868 brought
the English government face to face with the
question Of recognizing the status between
mother country and dependencies. This portion
of his subject MI Fisher has treated with ex-
ceptional art investing with interest the dis
cussion Of charters and forms Of government.
Al the time Of the revolution there had been
going on for many years a discussion OF natural
law or the rights of man The air was full OF
the pursuit of happiness and the consent OIL
tbe governed OF Grotius, and Locke and Mon
tesouieu. Of Beocaria and Rurlamaqui, M FISH
er writes with Illuminating skill, so that the
reader bareIE mas I1Ile 10 IedllZc IIlI q NNii "a
heavy subject is being dissected for him With
the French war on her hands the mother country
could afford to let the colonies make such apph-
cation as they chose Of the natural law ana the
eternal rights, but with peace and the departure
of the French a more logical adjustment of the
mutual relations of mother country and Deepen
denotes became inevitable The colonists the
less radical Of them, sought basis founded upon
= degree OF Indulgence and generosity on tho
mart Of the mother country incompatible with
her interests or her dignity. They wanted COM
plete control Of their internal affairs and made
an artificial distinction between internal and ex-
ternaI taxes which was illogical and irrelevant
and had TO be abandoned. Few at the time
saw as the present historian AYERS, the newt
able division which could not be deferred by
cancellation and kindness, of which there was
abundance and which could only have been
prevented by fire and sword ard ruthless de-
struction-and only then if some means were