The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-09
THE
OF 1860
Professor Emerson ID. Fite's Book the
First Crop rom a Fertile n
Cncultivated Field.

1t seems TO me, is to be found ia the
fact that it is, in a sense, the first crop
from an hitherto uncultivated field.
To the author also belongs the credit
OF discovering that cultivation of this
field would produce results. From
this point Of view, the book is an
undoubted success, for the author has
vincingly that there are great posi-
bilities for historical investigation in
a Presidential campaign. So very
evident has he made this that it is
safe to predict that during the next
few years, other campaigns will be
selected as fields for special investi-
cation.
With due credit to Professor Fite
for pointing out so attractive 4 field
for historical effort, and with recog-
milton of the many good qualities Of
his book. / cannot but wish that his
work had shown a little clearer per-
ception, a better sense Of proportion.
a more intimate acquaintance with
the sources for the period, and q
more scientific Interpretation Of the
sources which he used. His study,
which is we'll worth while apart from
the reason above mentioned, would
then have been a much more valuable
essay in American political history.
On account Of the defects alluded to
there is given an impression Of in
completeness, often Of bias on the
part of the author, and at times Of Of
%fensive partisanship.
Examples Of the defects are to be
found throughout the book. The re-
markable statement is made %. 45)
5 that practically no mention Of Helper
and his Impending Crisis was made
I in the Southern press Of the time.
5 On the contrary, it was apparently
! the chief stock in trade Of a number
, of Southern during De
cember, 1859, and nuar and Feb
ruary, 1860. Again, it is fairly clear
today to the unbiased mind that
Douglas, in spite of his many faults,
was a man Of principle who was
essentially patriotic. The author,
however, never loses an opportunity
to SHOW him up" and, accepting the
arguments Of the day, portrays
Douglas as "a self-seeking, inconsist-
ent, double-faced man, who could be
trusted by neither friend nor enemy
%. 1929. He is accused of political
bad faith (p. 1889; described as "a
trickster," morally deficient" Up.
o 205), ~"censorious, egotistic, and con-
/ descending {p. 206); and is even de-
n MED any claim to simple honesty.
e Another eakne of the book as
II regards sources is seen in the ten
:, dency3 to make statements upOn The
authority Of some obscure newspaper
" or worse still, to accept the statement:
10 Of the Charleston Mercury as indica.
i, tons of Southern sentiment, as wher
~ he states that one Of the temptation:
- to secession was the O~ppOrtunft,
- thereby offered to the South to stea
- Northern patents and repudiate debt
!, due Northern merchants. Does MI
Fite really believe that this articl
- alluded to in the Mercury represent
- the Southern point of view at tina
time? Does he really believe tina
e, the secession of g. single Southern
~ State was secured by the predomi
= nance or even the presence Of sue
.,f an idea? If so, he had better tur-
IN his attention to some other field tina
historical investigation. The remark
r. able statement is made that by Stat
law in Virginia, Maryland. Mort
IN Carolina, Alabama, and Texas, certai
:" Northern newspapers were burned b
of the ~postmaSterS (p. 22). He de
%nounces this outrage in no uncertai
nd terms, and fails to see that there Wer
It two sides to he question of I'll
he United States mail at that time, or
" Of which would contain justificatio
even for the passage OF such strir
gent laws as the imaginary ones h
SIS. mentions. He should turn his after
ny ton to the activities Of the Pos
n master-General in this day and tim,
Fly He has no criticism for the "our
RACES committed by eleven States j
a their personal liberty laws. The
we're in opposition to slavery an
-ps therefore justified. It would see
en- that one with the evident trainin
I'm ona ability Of Professor Fita mic,
bo-a eottan beyond the STAGE :.
1s' measuring right by the morality
slavery.
The chief Indictment, however.
IL naada anaipSt tha hacl l. tLat Il