The sun., 1919-06-15

are errors, of course, such as could hardly
be avoided in a work put together under
such circumstances as those which sur
rounded the author; but very few of these
affect the correctness of his conclusions.
The authors estimates of our public
men may sometimes differ from those of
American readers. Few Of us who knew
the late Robert G. Ingersoll, for example,
will agree with Mr.. Chesterton that
Charles Bradlaugh, the English radical
agitator, was "a much better and honester
man." There are not many slips Of TINS
sort, however. In his preface the author
expresses some apprehension lest his por-
trait of Charles Sumner may give Of
fence. He does not think there is any
real difference between him and Summers
admirers as to the sort of man that Sum
ner was. at is kind" says Mr.. Chester
ton, "that some people revere. 1t is a
kind that I detest-absolutely leprous
scoundrels excepted-more than I can
bring myself to detest any other of Gods
creatures"
To those who remember the admiration
of Sumner which prevailed in the North
ern States when the anti-slavery agita-
ton was at its height, before the civil war,
such language IS this is surprising in
deed; but there is no doubt that as time
has gone on Sumner has been gradually
losing in public esteem. In The Educa-
ton of Henry Adams the authors youth
full adulation of the Massachusetts, Sena-
tor eools off very perceptibly when he
records his later impressions concerning
the character of the great man.
Another exceptional feature of Mr..
Chesterton's work, to which the author
himself calls attention, is the compare
lively high degree of merit which be at
tributes to Andrew jackson, among the
great Presidents of the United States.
I'm my view" he says, "the victory of
jackson over the Wings was the turning
point of American history and finally de-
cided that the United States should be
democracy and not parliamentary oil
garchy. And I am further of opinion
that both as soldier and ruler odd Kick
ory' was hero of whom any nation
might well be proud"
III.
In another place he writes: with all
his limitations, Jackson stands out for
history as one of the two or three genuine
creative statesmen that America has pro-
dueed, and you cannot become a creative
statesman merely by swearing and fight
ing duels." When the election of the
President devolved upon the House of
Representatives in consequence of the
failure of any candidate to receive the
requisite number of votes in the Electoral
College and John Quincy Adams was
elected by the House, jackson and his
friends attributed his defeat to the in
auence of Henry Clay, and charged that
he was bribed with the Office of Secretary
of State, which he subsequently accepted
from Adams.
The charge has been regarded as base
less by most American historians, al
though Jaekson's election to the Presi-
deney four years later indicated that it
was believed by the people; and
Jackson's subsequent enforcement of the
"spoils system" in the appointment and
removal of public officers did much to
lessen his permanent fame.
With the exception of Mr.. james (now
Viscount) Bryce, Mr.. Cecil Chesterton is
the only English writer on American af-
fairs who seems to have acquired any ade-
quate comprehension of what the South
suffered at the hands of Northern carpet