ratification by Maryland after a long delay. That the Articles were, however, defective as an instrument of government had already become apparent, and measures were at once taken looking toward an enlargement of the powers of Congress (March 6, May 2, August 22). Important steps were also taken (February 16, April 5, July 18) toward establishing a system of federal courts. On the financial side, in particular, the federal system was on the verge of collapse. On January 15 Congress sent to the states an urgent appeal for funds with which to pay the arrears due the army, following up the appeal with statements of the condition of the federal finances (February 19, April 18). Meanwhile, the system of requisitions had proved to be so utter a failure that Congress took the important step of asking the states for power to levy a duty of five per cent. on imports, the proceeds to be used for discharging the principal and interest of the public debt. The hopes from this measure were destined ultimately to be dashed by the refusal of Rhode Island to sanction this federal tax. The country was saved from immediate bankruptcy through a subsidy from the French government and the assistance of that government in obtaining a loan. Another important series of measures was the overhauling of the executive departments by substituting single executive heads in place of the cumbersome and inefficient boards and committees of Congress. The appointment of a Superintendent of Finance (February 20) did much to put the finances of the Confederation on a sounder basis.

A Journey to Ohio in 1810, as recorded in the Journal of Margaret Van Horn Dwight. Edited with an introduction by Max Farrand. [Yale Historical Manuscripts, I.] (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1912, pp. vi, 63.) It is not often that one reads a more charming account of life a hundred years ago than this first volume of the Yale Historical Manuscripts series. As the editor explains in the brief introduction, Margaret Van Horn Dwight, a niece of Timothy Dwight of Yale, and a great-granddaughter of Jonathan Edwards, travelled from New Haven to Warren, Ohio, in the fall of 1810, keeping this diary to send back to her cousin in New Haven. The journey was accomplished by wagon and occupied six weeks, the company including a deacon, of whose parsimony Margaret often complains, his wife, son, and daughter, and various others who joined them for brief periods. In addition to the enjoyment afforded by the writer's shrewd humor and delightful lack of self-consciousness the little volume is a valuable addition to the social history of the period and the region. The accommodations offered to travellers of the day were a continual source of complaint to Margaret, the beds dirty, the food poor, the people rude, indeed it became a cause of rejoicing before the journey was over to find a tavern which could afford the party a room to themselves. The dress, the language, and the habits of the people they met are all commented upon with keen interest. "We are at a Dutch tavern almost crazy. In one corner of the room are a set of dutchmen talking in dutch so loud, that my brain

1

is almost turn'd. I believe at least 50 dutchmen have been here to

day to smoke, drink, swear, pitch cents, almost dance, laugh and talk dutch and stare at us" (pp. 15, 16).

The journey stretched much beyond the time expected, and the high spirits of the writer and her interest in the country lessened before the weary trip across the mountains was over, but her courage did not fail. The form of the book is most attractive.

66

Governors' Letter-Books, 1840-1853. Edited with introduction and notes by Evarts Boutell Greene and Charles Manfred Thompson, University of Illinois. [Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, vol. VII., Executive Series, vol. II.] (Springfield, Ill., Illinois State Historical Library, 1911, pp. cxviii, 469.) This volume of the Illinois State Historical Library Collections contains the letters of Governors Carlin, Ford, and French, found in volumes IV., V., and VI. of the manuscript series of Governors' Letter-Books" in the office of the secretary of state and in time covers the years from 1840 to 1853. Unfortunately, the manuscript series is incomplete. There are no letters of Governor Duncan's administration (1834-1838), none for the first year of Governor Carlin's (1838–1839), and none for the last year of Governor Ford's (1844-1845). The destruction in the great Chicago fire of a considerable number of the Duncan manuscripts renders impossible the completion of the series and the loss is a serious one.

The defeat of Black Hawk and the beginning of steam navigation upon Lake Michigan ushered in a period of rapid development (18341855)—a period in which the population of the state increased fivefold and changes, heavy with responsibility, followed closely upon each other. The rapid growth during the first few years of this period encouraged the state to undertake a gigantic scheme for internal improvement and to indulge in some reckless banking experiments which involved it in serious financial difficulties and all but destroyed its credit. We regret greatly the absence of letters for the years 1834-1839, which undoubtedly would have given us an insight into the responsibilities of an executive whose wisdom and patience must have been sorely tried in directing the over-enthusiastic legislatures which voted away the state's money to finance such ventures.

The period covered by this volume (1840-1853) is one in which the state suffered for the errors of preceding years. The internal improvement system had burdened it with a tremendous debt and consequently a great part of the correspondence of Governors Ford and French is devoted to the question of finances (chs. II., III., IV.). The financing of the Illinois-Michigan Canal, the only important project not abandoned after the collapse of the "system" occupies much of Governor Carlin's attention (ch. 1.). This is by far the most valuable part of the work for the necessity of maintaining the financial integrity of the state pushed into the background other questions which would have demanded attention under ordinary conditions.

Some space is given to the discussion of the proposed Central railroad (ch. Iv.), and some to the question of slavery which comes up in connection with the Eells and Wade cases (chs. II. and III.). The controversy between the state of Illinois and the city of St. Louis over the proposed improvement of the St. Louis harbor was sufficiently serious to cause Governor French to talk of using force to protect the rights of the state (ch. III.). Little is said of such important affairs as the Mormon agitation or the constitutional convention of 1847.

An introductory chapter gives a careful account of Governor Ford's administration, treating of questions which receive little mention in the letters. An appended list of letters (371 in all) acts as a guide to the work and further assistance is given by an unusually complete index. WILLIAM V. POOLEY.

Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to his Father and his Youngest Sister, 1857-1878. Edited by his nephew, Jesse Grant Cramer. (New York and London, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1912, pp. vii, 182.) This book contains sixty-four letters (running from August 22, 1857, to January 13, 1885) and a proclamation by Grant, and (pp. 159-182) a curious feminine justification of the South. The notes introducing the several letters for the most part clarify family relationships. The letters are mostly short and would be of little historical interest if not written by Grant. Still pages 12 to 14 refer interestingly to slavery conditions, 17, 19, 20, and 55, to politics, 28 to 36 enlistment, and 44 and 45 to secessionist sentiment in Missouri.

The letters confirm the commonly accepted views of Grant's character, but, while extremely reticent, suggest somewhat more change than is generally recognized. The first show a strong, simple, somewhat boyish and to all appearance commonplace man. The letter of April 21, 1861, to his father, giving his position on the war, is a noble and appealing document. That of February 9, 1862, after the capture of Fort McHenry, gives the best self-revelation. The joy of fighting, competence, and confidence, show that the man has found his vocation. "Your plain brother, however, has as yet no reason to feel himself unequal to the task, and fully believes that he will carry on a successful campaign against our rebel enemy. I do not speak boastfully but utter a presentiment."

Heavier responsibilities bring shorter letters, sometimes a little curt and grim. His father's interference disturbs him more than financial difficulties earlier, and he is forced constantly to resist attempts to use his influence to aid relatives or friends. Never an idealist, Grant emerges from the presidency a practical man of the world. He writes, March 29, 1878, expressing his disinclination to serve again as president, and his hope that the North will rally "and put in the Executive chair a firm and steady hand, free from Utopian ideas purifying the party electing him out of existence".

CARL RUSSELL FISH.

Personal Recollections of the War of the Rebellion. Addresses delivered before the Commandery of the State of New York, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Fourth series. Edited by A. Noel Blakeman. (New York and London, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1912, pp. viii, 380.) This volume includes a number of interesting papers relating to the Civil War. Rear-Admiral Goodrich writes of the life of a middy during the war when the "Naval Academy" was at Newport, Rhode Island; Edward Curtis describes the daily round of a military hospital in Washington and tells of the post-mortem examination of President Lincoln at which he assisted; and General Edward H. Ripley in a paper, Memories of the Ninth Vermont at Harper's Ferry Tragedy, gives an interesting account of the defense and surrender of Harper's Ferry in 1862.

George Haven Putnam has an exceedingly interesting paper (since published in separate form) on his experience in Virginia prisons during the last year of the war; and there are three papers on the treatment of prisoners North and South: one by John Read who tells, in particular, of conditions at Camp Groce, Texas; another by Thomas Sturgis who was adjutant of a regiment on guard at Camp Morton and then himself a prisoner at Libby; and the third by Clay W. Holmes on the Elmira Prison Camp.

Special mention should be made of the addresses by General Horace Porter and Horace White at the observance of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of President Lincoln; and of the paper Lincoln's Last Hours by Dr. Charles A. Leale who was the first physician to reach the President's side after he was shot and attended him to the moment of his death.

The other papers that appear are interesting but do not call for comment. Nor do the sermons, except, perhaps, that of the Rev. Morgan Dix who prays, God save us from the passion for further amendment of the noble instrument, [the Constitution] and would to God we might not see another amendment for fifty years to come!"

The American Year Book: a Record of Events and Progress, 1912. Edited by Francis G. Wickware, B.A., B.Sc. (New York and London, This, the third issue of

D. Appleton and Company, 1913, pp. xx, 876.) the Year Book, in scope and form is practically the same as the issue of 1911, though the order of topics has been varied somewhat, and the topics have been more carefully subdivided. The statistics which formed the first two sections of the last volume have been placed in the departments to which they appertained, thus bringing the article on American history to the beginning of the volume. The greater part of this article, written by Professor James A Woodburn, of the University of Indiana, is concerned with the presidential campaign of the past year, giving an excellent account of the events leading up to the nominations, written with much restraint. The remaining pages of this section treat of the doings of Congress and the closing events of the year. The editor adds

a short account of the Titanic disaster. International relations are dealt with as adequately as could be expected, by Mr. Philip M. Brown, formerly United States Minister to Honduras, and foreign affairs by Messrs. Dudley Harmon, Charles Lyon Chandler, Ernest H. Godfrey, and the editor. The series continues to prove a valuable condensed record of events of the year.

Les Fêtes du Troisième Centenaire de Québec, 1608-1908. Publié par le Comité du "Livre-Souyenir" des Fêtes Jubilaires. (Quebec, Laflamme and Proulx, 1911, pp. 630.) Probably no historical celebration on the North American continent was ever carried out on so large a scale or in a manner so calculated to appeal to the historical imagination as the tercentenary celebration at Quebec in 1908. An elaborate record of this event has been prepared by Abbé Camille Roy under official auspices, which contains an account day by day of the proceedings and events with detailed descriptions of the pageants. Of historical material the volume contains a number of old views of Quebec, and a "Liste des Familles de la Province de Québec dont les Descendants occupent (en 1908) la Terre ancestrale depuis deux cents Ans ou plus." This list of over 260 families is a striking evidence of the social and economic effects of over two centuries of feudal social organization. While the present volume will in years to come constitute a most valuable document it is perhaps to be regretted that it was not thought feasible, as an important part of the celebration to bring out a notable series of documents bearing on the history of the French régime, such for example as the completion of the publication, abandoned in 1891, of the Jugements et Deliberations du Conseil Supèrieur de la Nouvelle France.