614 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications
HISTORY OF AKRON
A Centennial History of Akron 1825-1925, published
under the
auspices of the General Committee of the
City's First Cen-
tennial Celebration, July 19-23, 1925,
and the editorial direc-
tion of the Historical Committee, Oscar
E. Olin, LL. D.,
Mr. J. M. (Ada E.) Allen and Edwin W.
Brouse; Man-
aging Editor, James A. Braden.
This book presents the remarkable
progress of the city of
Akron from its humble beginning one
hundred years ago to the
present time. It is one of the best city
histories that has come
to our notice. It is absolutely free
from advertising features
and contains a wealth of material on the
institutions and indus-
tries of Akron. It opens with a general
history of the city cov-
ering 122 pages followed by
thirty-three special articles by citi-
zens of Akron who are qualified to write
with authority on the
chapters assigned them. The volume
includes 666 neatly printed
pages of small octavo size. No one
interested in the growth and
commanding importance of this industrial
city can afford to be
without it. It is published at a very
moderate price without any
thought of profit and deserves a place
in every public library of
Ohio. It has an ample table of contents
that the average reader
will find a sufficient guide to the
chapters of the book but it de-
serves and should have had in addition a
carefully prepared index.
BROOKS AND BURLINGAME
Among the papers left by Governor James
E. Campbell re-
lating to the challenge of Anson
Burlingame by Preston S. Brooks,
is a copy of a communication published
in the New York Tribune
of July 28, 1856. This is signed by
Lewis D. Campbell and sets
forth fully the circumstances of the
challenge and Burlingame's
acceptance of the same. The letter
places Burlingame in a favor-
able light and was evidently intended to
show conclusively that
it was no fault of his that the parties
did not meet at the Clifton
House in Canada opposite the Niagara
Falls to settle their "dif-
ferences". In a future issue of the
QUARTERLY we will publish
the communication in full.
Reviews, Notes and Comments 615
Judged impartially at this distance, it
looks a little as though
neither Brooks nor Burlingame was eager
to fight a duel. Of
course each naturally desired the public
to think that he was not
lacking in courage to meet the other in
mortal combat. While it
would doubtless have been dangerous for
Brooks to travel through
the hostile North direct to Canada, had
the public been advised of
his going, a journey to the point
designated seems not to have
presented any unsurmountable difficulty.
The contribution by
Governor Campbell shows pretty clearly
that Burlingame was
not eager to fight the duel.
While Brooks was sustained and
"vindicated" by the South
that probably did not fully satisfy his
conscience. His attack
upon Sumner when the latter was seated
at his desk and could
not defend himself, certainly did not
reflect favorably upon the
courage of Brooks. In a speech in the
House of Representatives
shortly after the assault, Brooks
publicly admitted that he took
advantage of Sumner while the latter was
seated, because he
knew that he would not have been able to
measure strength with
the Senator from Massachusetts if the
latter had been face to
face with him on his feet. Reflection
upon his rash act and the
storm of indignation that it had aroused
against him and his state
probably preyed upon the mind of Brooks
and shortened his life.
Burlingame doubtless realized that a
duel, even if he should
win and "kill his man", would
in the end bring no glory to him
or his cause.
In this connection it is interesting to
remember that Lewis
D. Campbell was an uncle of the late
Governor James E. Camp-
bell. He was an eminent political leader
of his time and worthy
of a monograph by some writer of Ohio
history.
DEDICATION OF MEMORIAL WING
The Memorial Wing to the Museum and
Library building of
the Ohio State Archaeological and
Historical Society is rapidly
nearing completion. The bronze statue of
the Marching Sol-
dier at the north entrance has for some
time been in position.
The bronze tablets in the memorial room
have been cast and will
soon be shipped to Columbus.
Arrangements are in progress to