BOOK NOTES.
THE OLD NORTHWEST: with a View of the
Thirteen Colonies as Consti-
tuted by Royal Charters. By B. A.
Hinsdale, Ph. D. New York: Town-
send Mac Coun. 1888.
The importance of the Northwest
Territory has been fully emphasized
during the present year by centennial
celebrations of various kinds, begin-
ning with that at Marietta, in April
last, of which the full proceedings were
published in the last issue of the
QUARTERLY. While many parts of the
history of this region have been fully
investigated by students, and the re-
sults given to the world, Dr. Hinsdale's
book is the first that has attempted
to present a complete and connected
sketch of the beginnings of the whole
Northwest and its organization into
states. In his preface Dr. Hinsdale
says: " Save New England alone,
there is no section of the United States
embrace several states that is so distinct an historical unit . . . .
as
the Old Northwest. To portray those
features of this region that make it
an historical unit is the central
purpose of this book."
The author's conception is a good one,
and in carrying it out he has pro-
duced a most valuable work. After
treating of the French discovery and
colonization of the Northwest and its
surrender by the French to the Eng-
lish in 1763, the author paves the way
for a discussion of the conflicting
colonial claims to the territory, by two
excellent chapters upon the charter
grants of the old thirteen colonies. The
discussion of the western land
policy of the British from 1763 to 1775,
which follows, was previously
printed in substantially the same form
in the QUARTERLY of last December,
with Dr. Hinsdale's permission.
The discussion of the
Northwestern land-claims and cessions is full and
accurate, and that of the ordihances of
1785 and 1787, while containing
little that has not been printed before
is clearly and convincingly stated.
The division of the territory into states, the organization of those states
and
a chapter on the progress of the
territory during the first century, complete
a work the value of which can hardly be
overestimated.
Dr. Hinsdale has been a careful
investigator and the value of the work
has been greatly increased by the
abundant references given. We notice
however, that in several instances he
gives as his authorities works which
are themselves not in any sense
"original sources," when a reference to the
original authority or document would
have been equally easy and more
scholarly. Numerous extracts from
important but scarce documents are
a valuable feature for close readers and
students. As a whole the work
will take its rank as an accurate,
scholarly, and comprehensive discussion of
the discovery, organization and
development of the Northwest.
PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
Archaeology of Ohio. By M. C. Read.
Cleveland: Western Reserve His.
torical Society.
The Identification of The Society of the
Cincinnati with the Settlement of
the Northwest Territory. By Mrs. L. A.
Alderman. Pamphlet, pp. 26.
Marietta, Ohio, 1888.
American Journal of Archaeology, June,
1888. Boston: Ginn & Co.
348