Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-01
IMPORTANT HISTORICAL STUDY

OF much Importance to historians and
students OF history, particularly Of Vir-
ginia history. is the recently published
William Branch Giles: A Study of Vir-
ginia md :hc Nation from 1890 to
1880" by Dice Robins Anderson George
Banta Publishing Company. Mcnasha,
Wis, 1910. In an illuminativc review
of the book. Professor II. j. Eckcnrodc,
associate professor of history ard po-
liticaf science in Richmond College
says:
NO figure in our history is more
characteristic OF American life than
the States rights. strict construction
list politician. We have laughed ut his
extreme doctrinaire lbsurtiities, but We
also respect his devotion to duty and
his honesty of purpose. The typo has
passed away. but the school OF Jener-
sonian democracy from which he sprang
- still vigorous, although the methods
or modern democracy are so different.
In the present work. Professor An
dcrson has given a very brilliant study
OF one OF the ablest of States rights
statesmen. II Is true that William
Il. Giles is hardly even a name to the
present generation. but this neglect Is
unmcritcd in a history studying age.
and the author has rescued from OBJ
livion n man whose fame should be sc
curely settled.
1T Is the greatest evidence of JEFF
ferson's genius that he. the mild. tn.
unoratorical. the unaEsressive. should
have been able to win to his service the
finest men of action in the South
soldiers. lawyers. orators and prac q.
teal politicians. Jefferson largely ac-
complished his purposes through hiC
coteric of able licuteuants, and among
these none was ADLER, II we except
Madison. than Giles Indeed II is not
improbable that Giles would have at
tained the presidency, If he had not
suffered shipwreck in health in the
:nidchannel of his career.
William Branch Giles was born Au-
gust IL. 1862. He early showed talent
rs a lawyer and entered the First
Congress OF the United States in De-
ccmbcr. 1890. lie had already become
enamourod OF the political principles Of
Thomas jefferson and so naturally took
his place as as anti-Federalist Though
young and inexperienced he was
capable. and he soon became one of the
leaders IN his party. lie opposed the
excise bill and the National Bank. the
two pet measures of Alexander Ham
ilton. then Secretary Of Treasury The
bills passed but Giles continued his
opposition and attacked Hamilton with
great effect in resolutions criticizing
ment The Jeffersonian opposition to
Hamilton was now crystalliZing into
the great Democratic Republican party.
i'm the formation of which az one OF
Jcfferson's right-hand men Giles played
great part.
HE was very prominent in criti-
cism of the various acts Of the Wash
ington administrations. The most i'm
portant of these was the Jay treaty
with Great Britain. which. while the
hest settlement the United States could
secure from the Mistress of the Seas.
was nevertheless a sad disappointment
to the American people. Giles denounced
the treaty with great effect: he had
become one of the most noted speakers
In Congress-
Even moro important events were
soon to follow. In 179S the entire coun-
try was aroused by the alien and scdi-
tion laws. those unwisc measures
passed by the Fcderalist majority in
Congress and intended to secure the