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 9o6 Revieivs of Books afraid was invited by the desire to defeat the ticket." Possibly it is too early as yet to publish much of Sherman's correspondence, but a gleaning of the newspapers would have given a large amount of color which could be justifiably used in the preparation of a biography. As a history of national politics in the last quarter-century, the volume is highly creditable. Criticism is directed against the editorial plan of the publishers rather than to individual shortcomings of Mr. Burton. D.AVis R. Dewey. Life of Edtvard H. Rollins: a Political Biography. By James O. Lyford. (Boston: Dana Estes and Company. 1906. Pp. viii, 547-) The subject of this biography was a prominent figure in the political life of New Hampshire from, 1854 to 1884. Although he early entered upon a business career and served as treasurer of the Union Pacific Railroad during the most critical years of its history, the scope of this volume makes its sub-title, A Political Biography, accurate. Edward H. Rollins was the efficient organizer of the Republican party in New Hampshire, the way for which had been prepared by John P. Hale, Amos Tuck, and their Free Soil associates, and the successful manager, as chairman of its state committee, of its campaigns for twenty years. Endowed with keen political instinct, talent for organ- ization and leadership of men, he rose to the highest political honors of his state, being successively speaker of the New Hampshire legislature, member of Congress for three terms (1861-1867) and United States senator (1877-1883). The portrayal of his life reveals a practical politician of much strength with some of the defects of his class and a legislator who served well his day and generation. The story of such a career naturally includes a brief account of each of the political campaigns in New Hampshire from 1855 to 1883, sketches of the chief actors in both parties and the part played by each, and as the author says, " has afforded opportunity for collecting and preserving facts connected with the political history of New Hampshire for this period, which, except for a work of this kind, are not likely to be gathered together ". ' The addition of this material gives the book its largest value for most readers, and makes it in effect a narrative history of New Hampshire politics during the generation named. The campaigns described are of more than local interest. New Hampshire, the home of President Pierce, wrested from Democratic control in 1855 by the Know-Nothing coalition under Rollins's leadership, long re- mained a doubtful state. Further, its election, held annually in March until 1878 and so the first of the year in any part of the Union, made New Hampshire a pivotal state. Hence both political parties sought to win this election for its national effect, and these compaigns were fought largely on national issues. One result of this almost constant