There have been earlier biographies of John Brown, the martyr of
Virginia; but by none of them have his character and acts been told so
fully and judged so fairly as now by Mr. Sanborn.[6] His later
biographer, furthermore, has had access to all the papers and letters,
that remain, bearing on Brown's life, and of these he has made the very
best possible use. In the arrangement of the materials at his command,
Mr. Sanborn has shown admirable taste and judgment, and, without seeming
to be a eulogist, has contented himself with allowing his hero to speak
for himself, or rather to plead his own case. Viewing the case as a
whole, with its back-ground of antecedent history, no fair-minded person
can longer regard John Brown as either an adventurer or as a madman. He
was by nature, however, enthusiastic; he believed that he had a mission
in this world to fulfil, and that, the freedom of the slaves. This
mission he cherished uppermost in his mind, for its accomplishment he
labored and suffered incessantly, and for it he died. He lacked one
quality,--discretion. His pioneer life in New York, his thrilling
adventures in Kansas, where he fought slavery so fiercely that he saved
that state from being branded with the curse, his unwise but
conscientiously-conceived and carefully planned attack on Harper's
Ferry, his capture, trial and death, as told in Mr. Sanborn's pages make
up the warp and woof of a story, which surpasses in interest anything of
the nature of a biography that has been published for many a day. John
Brown has been dead a full quarter of a century; the object of his
ambition has been accomplished, but by other hands and brains; the
prophetic visions of his stalwart mind have been more than fulfilled.
History will do him justice, even if the book now before us has not
already done so, as we think.
Immediately after the execution, the body of the martyr was borne to
North Elba, N.Y., and, on the 8th of November, 1859, it was laid away to
rest. Mr. Sanborn gives only the briefest account of these last
services, and omits, for some unaccountable reason, to furnish even an
extract from that pathetic and pointed address, which came from Wendell
Phillips, while standing by the open grave. If Mr. Phillips ever spoke
more beautifully than he did, on that memorable day, we have never known
it. We sincerely hope that, in a future edition, Mr. Sanborn may be led
to insert the address in the pages where they so properly belong.
[Footnote 6: The Life and Letters of John Brown, Liberator of Kansas,
and Martyr of Virginia. Edited by F.B. Sanborn, Boston: Roberts Bros.
Price, $3.00]
* * * * *
The theme of Prof. Hosmer's narrative[7] was born in Boston. Sept 27,
1722, and graduated at Harvard in 1740, and studied law. He was not a
lawyer and neither did he make his mark as a merchant although he
engaged with his father in the management of his malt-house. This early
life of Samuel Adams is portrayed with more than usual interest in this
biography. Then with great care we are given the salient points of his
career as a representative in the Massachusetts General Court, as a
leader of the Boston patriots in their resistance to British oppression,
as a member of the Continental Congress and in other public offices. We
are shown Samuel Adams as a man without great business or professional
talents but wonderful in counsel, a cool headed patriot, an adroit
tactician, and above all a thorough democrat. To mingle with the common
people was his delight; he was a frequenter of the Caulkers' Club,
popular with blacksmiths, ship carpenters, and mechanics. He was not a
great orator; but sometimes, rising with the greatness of the subject or
occasion was the most effective speaker to be heard.
The two features of Professor Hosmer's work which impress us most
forcibly are its fairness and its readableness. We have had one worthy
life of Adams before this in Wells's three volume biography, a work
highly valuable in its abundance of matter, but hardly so impartial as
the smaller and more recent biography. In its preparation, Professor
Hosmer has availed himself of Mr. Wells's work, of the Adams Papers in
Mr. Bancroft's possession, and of copious materials in the Boston
libraries. He has thus had every facility for his task and he has used
them to the best advantage.
In general interest this book is second to no other in the series of
American Statesmen, so far published. The story opens well and does not
diminish in interest to the end. The author, although now a St. Louis
man, is himself from the old Adams stock, and has amply shown his
capacity to prepare a concise and permanently valuable life of the
sturdy American patriot and town-meeting man, Samuel Adams.
[Footnote 7: Samuel Adams. By James K. Hosmer. American Statesman
Series. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Price $1.25.]
* * * * *
The only fault which we have to find with Mr. Drake's book[8] is, that
he has not done himself justice in his title. The title which he has
chosen is expressive neither of the size nor of the contents of his
work. We read at least one hundred pages before we find a New England
legend, and the only account of the folklore that we have been able to
find is in the author's introduction covering about six pages. Properly
described, the work deals with New England history, of the most romantic
character occasionally interspersed with a great deal of very tedious
moralizing,--a blemish of style which Mr. Drake seems quite unable to
avoid. The book, despite many features which annoy, is valuable, and
ought well to repay publication. To the young especially it ought to
prove interesting, since it makes plain to them many familiar tales of
early childhood. The publishers, as usual, have done their level best to
make it a very beautiful book, and have of course succeeded.
The second volume of the _Life and Times of the Tylers_[9]
concludes the work. It is the volume which is the more important and
will prove the more interesting to readers in general. It comprises the
events and incidents of the public life of John Tyler,--from his
induction into the Presidency in 1841 to his death while a member of the
Confederate Congress of 1862. It must be remembered that these volumes
are edited by a member of the Tyler family; a fact, which leads us to
say that an impartial history of President Tyler's administration of the
pertinent matters which preceded it, and of the reflections upon its
policy, cannot be naturally expected from a person interested, or from
an actor in the politics of that period.
By the operation of the Constitution alone, Tyler became President. At
that time, he was not considered by his party, and, after he had
obtained the office by the death of General Harrison, he straightway
placed himself in direct opposition to the party which had nominated and
elected him Vice President. The son, who is the author or editor of
these volumes, appears to be forgetful of this fact; for on no other
ground can we account for the bias which he exhibits from the first page
to the last. His duty, he thinks, is to defend his father's
administration, and this idea leads him into trouble at the very
beginning. He says: "The Whig party of 1840 had nothing to do with bank,
tariff, or internal improvements,"--when all the world knows the
contrary! There can be no doubt,--indeed there never was any doubt--that
the Whig leaders of 1840, no matter by what pretexts they gained votes
and power, were committed to a national bank, to a protective tariff,
and to internal improvements. The measures, which the Whigs in Congress
introduced and passed,--only to be vetoed by the President--were Whig
measures, and would certainly have been approved by General Harrison,
had he been alive.
The Whig party gained a great deal in the election of 1840; but it lost
all by the contingency which made John Tyler president of the United
States. Why he was ever named on the electoral ticket is itself
inexplicable. He distinguished himself only by virtue of his mistakes,
from first to last inexcusable; and the biography, by the son, is
distinguished only by innuendos and a current of bitterness which
destroy its value as historical authority. This is much to be regretted;
because an unprejudiced life of John Tyler has long been needed.
That portion of the volume which deals with Mr. Tyler's part of the
Peace Congress, and his share in the exciting events preceding and
during the first year of the war of the Rebellion, will arouse no
discussion. The letters which these concluding pages contain are
particularly valuable, for they show the state of public feeling in the
South at that time. Notwithstanding our adverse criticism of certain
portions of this volume,--and we have plainly stated our reason--we
still welcome the work in its completeness. It adds much to our stock of
knowledge, lets in light where light was needed, and is withal
commendable as an addition to the material data of our national history.
[Footnote 8: A book of New England Legends and Folk-Lore, in Prose and
Poetry. By Samuel Adams Drake. Illustrated. Boston: Roberts Brothers.]
[Footnote 9: Life and Times of the Tylers. By L.H. Tyler, Richmond, Va.:
Whittet and Shipperson. 2 vols. $6.00.]
* * * * *