Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/418

 4o8 Reviews of Books the pen is eulogistic, as comparisons are drawn with the colonial regime or more still with the revolutionary days, who can fairly object? These other volumes have much material of value upon the social and economic life of Mexico for the student of that country's history. The volumes are magnificently produced, with a profusion of half- tones and many full-page color-plates, printed excellently, bound splen- didly, and are really de luxe in every way. War Govcrnmcni, Federal and State, in Massachusetts, Nezv York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, i86i-i86§. By William B. Weeden. (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, and Company. 1906. Pp. XXV, 389.) This volume, by the author of The Economic and Social History of New England, presents in rather suggestive fashion an account of " the interplay of the National Union and the State commonwealths, which were principalities in the Civil War" (p. ix). The book is evidently the result of extended and long-continued reading. The author has made much use of the Official Records published by the federal govern- ment, has consulted the manuscript archives of the state of Massachu- setts on many points, and in at least one instance (for Governor Sey- mour's inaugural message, 1863) he has gone to the original New York archives. He writes not merely as a student of the times which he de- scribes, but as a participant, having served in various posts of artillery command during the early years of the war ; and at several points in the narrative (pp. iii, 175, 346) casual mention is made of matters which came within his personal observation and experience. The scope of the work may best be indicated by a summary of its con- tents. The opening chapter is entitled " The Genesis of the Union ", and deals largely with the varying manifestations of Union and States' Rights sentiments called forth by the slavery question preceding the war. Subsequent chapters deal with " The Executive Crisis " precipi- tated by the election of Lincoln; the personalities and problems of the " Administration" in the early stages of the armed conflict; " State Sup- port " in the four states named, including the formulation and conver- sion " from social means to political ends " of " the passionate vehemence of the sympathizing sex " in the Sanitary Commission (p. 126) ; " Federal and State Interference ", which comprises the New York at- tempts to control the appointment of general officers, together with a long account of the friction between General Butler and Governor Andrew over rival state and federal enlistments in Massachusetts; the ' Party Estrangement " following the military miscarriages, Emancipa- tion Proclamation, arbitrary arrests, and corruption in the departments; "The People under Compulsion", dealing with the draft; a chapter on "Government", which continues the subject dealt with in chapter iii, : and a final chapter entitled " The Union Vindicated and Developed." The narrative is never perfunctory, and at times it rises into bril-