BOOK REVIEWS
Three Virginia Frontiers. By Thomas P. Abernethy. (University,
La., Louisiana State University Press,
1940.
96p. $1.50).
In recent years various historical
writers, including Louis
Hacker, Benjamin F. Wright, Jr., Murray
Kane, and Fred A.
Shannon, have challenged or minimized
the importance of Fred-
erick Jackson Turner's famous
interpretation of the democratiz-
ing influence of the frontier upon
American life and institutions.
Professor Abernethy's short volume is an
additional contribution
to this "revisionist"
literature. He sketches the development of
the three Virginia frontiers (the
Tidewater, Piedmont, and Trans-
montane areas) as fairly representative
of the first three stages in
the westward march of the whole American
frontier. In tracing
this movement he was "impressed
with the manner in which the
democratizing influence of the frontier
was largely offset by such
countervailing factors as European
customs and traditions, British
legal systems, and the methods by which
the public lands were
disposed of." (Preface, p.ix.)
In the Tidewater region, Professor
Abernethy finds that the
cost of migration to America, the
undemocratic laws and prece-
dents, and the scarcity of towns (potentially
focal points of dis-
content) were factors making for social
stratification. This aris-
tocratic tradition "was established
by law, supported by custom,
and accepted without serious question by
all classes. For a hun-
dred years frontier conditions made only
minor inroads against
it." (p.19.) In
Bacon's Rebellion the author finds not a demon-
stration prompted by special frontier
grievances but one "against
a governor who usurped the established
rights of the people."
(p.24.)
In the movement into the Piedmont,
moreover, the author
asserts that the path was blazed by
prosperous Tidewater planters
who wanted additional lands for tobacco
cultivation, for planta-
tions for younger sons, and for
speculation. (p.42.) Among
these people were the grandfather and
father of Thomas Jefferson.
In the Shenandoah Valley and in
southwestern Virginia greater
(293)
294
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
democracy prevailed, but here also the
law carried its conserva-
tive influence. (p.60.)
Among the early settlements in Kentucky
were: (1) Those
in the rich Blue Grass region, where the
leaders were speculators
for themselves or for absentee
investors; (2) Those of a less
fertile type outside the Blue Grass
area. Professor Abernethy
contends that when Kentucky attacked the
problem of a state
constitution in 1792, the radicals drew
part of their views from
the conservative "east", e.g.
the Pennsylvania Constitutional Con-
vention at Philadelphia, which he
suspects was "much more radi-
cally democratic" than anything
ever produced by the American
frontier. He asserts that, in general,
from 1792-1802 the estab-
lished leaders controlled Kentucky's
affairs and passed enlightened
and even progressive legislation; and
that when (1802) the radi-
cals, under Felix Grundy, scored a
victory, the results were un-
fortunate. He believes that "the
vulgarization of the judiciary
and of officeholding in general was one
of the chief accomplish-
ments of that frontier leveling spirit
of which so much has been
said by the historians of the
West."
Professor Abernethy's interpretation is
thus one which does
full justice to the importance and
intelligence of the aristocratic
element, especially the liberal agrarian
aristocracy of Jeffersonian
Republicanism. He admits that in
Kentucky "perhaps the best
purpose served by frontier democracy was
the pressure which it
brought to bear upon the more
conservative leaders who, while
wishing to protect their interests, were
in this period still indoc-
trinated with the philosophical ideas of
the Revolutionary era."
(p.91.) Doubtless many readers will feel
that Professor Aber-
nethy has not sufficiently stressed the
importance of this pressure
in the struggle of the popular cause
against conservative views.
FRANCIS PHELPS WEISENBURGER
BOOK REVIEWS 295
The Planting of Civilization in
Western Pennsylvania. By Solon J.
Buck and Elizabeth Hawthorn Buck.
(Pittsburgh, Univer-
sity of Pittsburgh Press., 1939. xiv +
565p. Illus. maps.)
This is one of the studies that grew out
of the Western
Pennsylvania Historical Survey which was
sponsored jointly by
the Buhl Foundation, the Historical
Society of Western Pennsyl-
vania and the University of Pittsburgh.
The survey was under
the direction of Dr. Buck for five
years, 1930-5, and this work
represents one of its crowning
achievements. Equally scholarly
and interesting studies by other members
of the survey staff have
appeared from this press in the last few
years.
The authors have presented a graphic
account of the history
of the western part of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania down
to the War of 1812. The dominant theme
is that evidenced by
the title, "The Planting of
Civilization," and no significant phase
of human activity in that region has
been neglected. Although
they have made scholarly use of both
source materials and sec-
ondary works, they have spared no pains
to present the story in
an interesting and popular manner.
A look at the table of contents reveals
some 20 chapters. The
first few deal with the natural setting,
the Indians, the early set-
tlers and their cultural heritage. Other
chapters deal with the
establishment of political boundaries,
the expansion of settlements,
frontier economy, transportation,
domestic and community life,
and religion.
The value of the work is enhanced by
more than 125 maps
and illustrations, and a bibliographic
essay of 42 pages. The lat-
ter was prepared not merely to indicate
sources of information
used by the authors, but to assist those
who may be desirous of
doing further work in the field. Ohioans
will find the volume of
interest because much of the history of
Ohio and Western Penn-
sylvania for this period is the same.
W. D. O.
296
OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
Youth in Museums. By Eleanor M. Moore. (Philadelphia, Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania Press, 1941.
115p. Illus.)
The author of this book visited more
than a hundred museums
in the United States and Canada in order
to gather information
in regard to the work for children in
museums. Some of these
were "adult ones with children's
departments as well as those with
distinct children's museums," also
included were those belonging
to other organizations such as boards of
education and recreation
centers as well as "independent
children's museums." The study
deals with those phases of museum work
which are directly con-
cerned with children.
After discussing what is meant by the
term "children's
museum" in the first chapter she
devotes other chapters to such
topics as the staff, collections,
exhibits, activities both supple-
mentary and independent, publications,
and finances. The last
chapter discusses what may be
anticipated for the future "Young
People's Museum."
The book should be very helpful not only
to members of
museum staffs but also to administrators
and trustees. It abounds
in ideas which can be modified to suit
the individual situation. To
know how others have met and solved
problems is likewise an
encouragement and inspiration.
The museum has a definite role in the
field of progressive
education. The need for visual aids is
on the increase and what
better place to find them than in the
museum? As Miss Moore
says, the museum is "an educational
institution in a treasure house
and a magic carpet which bears children
from a land of books to
the land of things."
She emphasizes the importance of high
standards which must
be maintained to keep the museum a true
"treasure house." Yet
she warns lest these high standards
result in a snobbishness which
repels rather than an excellence which
invites. They should
result in a friendly house, open to all,
especially to children, who
come frequently because of the vital
interests to be found there.
After reading the book one feels that
the number of pages
BOOK REVIEWS 297
is all too small--twice the number would
have been better con-
sidering the type of material presented.
L. OLIVE CLEVENGER
The Catholic Church in Indiana. By
Thomas T. McAvoy.
(New York, Columbia University Press, 1940. 226p.)
The purpose of this volume is to examine
the religious con-
tributions of the French in the state of
Indiana, within the terri-
tory of the present dioceses of Fort
Wayne and Indianapolis, and
the time from 1789 to 1834.
It is an explanation of the French
Catholics' attitudes toward
faith and morals. Their laxity, however,
is not condoned. It also
is a description of the hardships of
life and of the customs on the
French frontier and a contrast with the
life of the ordinary
American frontiersmen such as were found
in Ohio.
New unpublished materials in the form of
letters and jour-
nals of the priests who ministered to
these Frenchmen were at
the author's disposal. The book is well
documented, contains a
lengthy bibliography and a detailed
index.
A. J. O.
Crusader in Crinoline--The Life of
Harriet Beecher Stowe. By
Forrest Wilson. (Philadelphia, J. B.
Lippincott Co., 1941.
706p. Illus. $3.75.)
This is without question one of the most
readable biographies
of the year.
Although seven biographies of Mrs. Stowe
had already been
written the author, after much research
and acquirement of new
material, saw the opportunity for a new
book embodying the re-
sults of this research and the product
is one of the most success-
ful stories of modem times.
Mrs. Stowe was born in 1811 in Connecticut and died in
1896. For eighteen years of this term (1832-1850) she
resided
in Ohio. She was married to Calvin Stowe
in 1836. Her coming
298
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
to this State was occasioned by her
father, who had been induced
to move from New England to Cincinnati
to establish a college
for the Presbyterians in the frontier
West. This was the Lane
Theological Seminary. Calvin Stowe was a
member of the fac-
ulty of that institution.
Mrs. Stowe's life spanned one of the
most complicated and
interesting periods of American history.
New England life was
still colonial when she was born and she
lived through the pre-
Civil War, Civil War and post-Civil War
eras of our national
history, and the years spent in
Cincinnati were exciting ones,
politically, religiously and socially,
to say nothing of riots and epi-
demics. She became interested in various
aspects of human slav-
ery and became an antislavery crusader.
In 1850 she removed with her husband to
Bowdoin College,
Maine, when he accepted a teaching
position and, while the mother
of seven children, she began to write a
story in 1851 which was
completed in about a year. This was Uncle
Tom's Cabin which
had a tremendous reception both in the
United States and in
Europe.
Many have considered her book one of the
most outstanding
causes of the Civil War. In addition to
this she wrote a number
of other books.
Mr. Wilson deals with her life in
chronological order: Litch-
field, Connecticut, 1811-24; Hartford,
Connecticut, 1824-32; Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, 1832-50; Brunswick,
Maine, 1850-52; Andover,
Massachusetts, 1852-64, and Hartford,
1864-96. The book con-
tains thirty illustrations and a chapter
of eight pages giving
sources of material. There is an
excellent index.
The author was born in Ohio, and began
his early career as
a newspaper reporter in Cleveland. He
lived for a number of
years in Paris, France, and now resides
in Weston, Connecticut.
H. L.
BOOK REVIEWS 299
Let My People Go. By Henrietta Buckmaster. (New York,
Harper and Brothers, 1941. 398p. Illus.
$3.50.)
The appearance of this book which tells
the story of the Un-
derground Railroad and the growth of the
abolition movement
supplements the recent book of Forrest
Wilson, Crusader in Crin-
oline, which is the life of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Miss Buck-
master tells the story of the origin of
the Underground Railroad
and how it operated, in a series of nine
chapters. The first of
these gives a very graphic word picture
of the road and the way
it operated and this is followed by the
history of the growth of
abolition through its various phases
until the days of Reconstruc-
tion following the Civil War. The book
reveals a great amount
of research into newspapers, diaries,
books, contemporary docu-
ments and personal evidence. Particular
mention is made of the
research and collection of Professor
Wilbur H. Siebert of the
Ohio State University on the Underground
Railroad and the book
tells, as perhaps no other one book
does, how the North organized
the means of leading slaves from the
southern plantations to free-
dom. The book has a very exhaustive
classified bibliography of
fourteen pages.
Miss Buckmaster was born in Cleveland,
Ohio, but has spent
most of her life in New York.
H. L.
Washington and the Revolution. By Bernhard Knollenberg.
(New
York, Macmillan Company, 1940. 269p. $3.00.)
This reappraisal of Washington and his
generals during the
Revolution is the product of many years'
study of contemporary
letters and diaries by a lawyer who has
recently been made libra-
rian at Yale University. Among the
outstanding features of the
book are: a defense of General Horatio
Gates, evidence in support
of a belief that the so-called Conway
Cabal was a myth, and a
deflation of Washington. The latter is
accomplished, more by in-
creasing the stature of Washington's
contemporaries, than by
debunking the general himself. However
he reveals "Washing-
300
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
ton's hypersensitiveness to criticism
and morbid determination to
prove himself always in the right;
traits which led him to shift
responsibility for his errors to others
and to be unduly suspicious
of the motives of those who ventured to
criticize or differ with
him. It brings out his misunderstanding
of those whose social or
economic status was different from his
own and shows that his
judgment in military matters was
sometimes fallible."
The author set himself to the task, with
apparent success, of
showing that practically all writers on
the subject of Washington
and the Revolution, both in biography
and general history, have
been unduly critical of Gates and have
accepted the existence of
some sort of conspiracy among the
generals, and certain mem-
bers of the Continental Congress, to
replace Washington as
commander-in-chief. He gives author and
page citations in his
refutation of the treatment of
Washington by "the historians"
from Jared Sparks to Rupert Hughes and
he particularly empha-
sizes the fact that the contributors of
the sketches on Revolution-
ary figures in the recently completed Dictionary
of American
Biography all assumed the existence of the Conway Cabal. The
tendency of historians to puff up
Washington at the expense of
his less important colleagues, he
believes, resulted from the fact
that we had no heritage of great public
men and that it was essen
tial for our national pride that we
endow our first great national
hero with the excellent qualities that
would be attributed to several
personages in a nation having a longer
history.
The volume has a good index, a
bibliography and a large ap-
pendix containing much of the
controversial material. For a work
replete with quotations from the
sources, and from "the historians"
he refutes, it is not ponderous and the
general reader will find it
both interesting and quite readable.
Some scholars may not ap-
prove of the book in all its aspects but
must admit that Mr. Knol-
lenberg has escaped the tendency of many
former writers on this
subject to accept Washington's own view
of himself, as set forth
in his letters, as a correct statement
of the facts.
W. D. O.
BOOK REVIEWS 301
Lazare Carnot: Republican Patriot. By Huntley Dupre. (Ox-
ford, 0., Mississippi Valley Press,
1940. 343P. $4.50.)
Lazare Carnot, the powerful and
ubiquitous figure in the
French Revolution, is portrayed here as
saturated with the philos-
ophy of Rousseau, though differing in
certain ideas from him.
This dynamo of energy differed in other
respects from the man
whose ideology influenced him so
greatly: Carnot was thorough
in his planning and execution, devoting
much time and pains to
detail; he also believed in action both
for himself and for those
with whom he was associated. In this
volume Professor Dupre
traces Carnot's life in its multifarious
detail. The reader becomes
acquainted with Carnot as an engineering
student, as an army
officer writing works on mechanics and
on Vauban, as a legislator
and member on mission, as member of the
Directory, as an exile,
and as minister of interior during the
Hundred Days (Napoleon
offered him the title of count, but the
confirmed republican refused
it).
It is regrettable that this is not a
better life of Carnot, because
it is obvious that Professor Dupre spent
much labor in gathering
material for it. Much of that material
has undoubtedly been in-
corporated. The pity is that it has not
been more thoroughly
digested. The book is poorly organized,
and suffers from repeti-
tions. It appears to the reviewer that
the author might have im-
proved his product had he worked over
his notes and organization
for some considerable time. The same
material better organized
would present a wholly different and
more satisfying result.
The result as presented informs the
reader of many facts
about Carnot, it does not permit the
reader to know him. One
does not know him as an individual; one
knows him only as a
student and as a man whose moving
passion was love of his coun-
try. As a full picture of Carnot it is
unsatisfactory.
At times the author presupposes
considerable knowledge of
the subject. And yet there are many
repetitions of fact. On
page 88 and on page 91 the reader is
informed that Toulon sur-
rendered to Admiral Hood. In like manner
the French were de-
feated at Neerwinden on page 71 and on
page 79. At times the
302
OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY
facts are badly marshaled. For example,
after writing several
pages about Carnot's reports to the
Committee of Public Safety,
the author then describes the creation
of the Committee. Nothing
is apparent in the material to make this
arrangement necessary.
There are many mistakes in proofreading.
It will be neces-
sary to detail but a few of them. On
page 70 "adject" is obviously
meant for "abject," on page
146 is "harrass," on page 155 are
"San Sebastien" and
"independance," and on page 210 is the
phrase "touches we deeply."
There is a bibliography and an index of
proper names.
JOHN H. McMINN
"Mr. Secretary." By Ben Ames Williams, Jr. (New York,
Macmillan Co., 1940. 507p. $2.50.)
This is an "autobiography" of
Edwin M. Stanton, second
Secretary of War under Lincoln, and
purports to have Stanton
tell his story from his childhood days
to 1866 when President
Johnson vetoed the Freedmen's Bureau
bill.
Stanton shows himself possessed of a
huge egoism, an inde-
scribable conceit, and an ineffable
ambition. These three qualities
remain in the reader's mind as the
dominant ones in Stanton's
character. The author also pictures a devoted husband and
father, and a man who would not permit
"thought of person
to interfere with what would be the best
for the Union." (p.176.)
From the time when shortly after the
outbreak of the War
Between the States Stanton became
convinced the North would
be able to win eventually, his conduct
was dominated, according
to this interpretation, by one principal
motive: to prolong the
war. Stanton did not doubt the North
would win, but he did not
want a quick victory. For that would
mean that the South was
crushed merely on the field of battle.
Stanton wanted the war
prolonged in order that the South might
have her economic sys-
tem and her morale exhausted.
With Stanton it was to be a war of
attrition, and after he be-
came Secretary of War his official
conduct was calculated to effect
BOOK REVIEWS 303
that aim. He planned how to withdraw men
from northern gen-
erals when they seemed in a position to
deal an overwhelming
blow to the Confederate Army. After he
had seen to it that an
entire corps was kept to defend
Washington and Stanton feared
that as a consequence McClellan might
resign or rush madly into
battle, Stanton is made to write this
sentence: "I did not wish a
great defeat, but I would have been
willing to sacrifice the army
of the Potomac if it had been necessary
for me to do so to prevent
McClellan's taking Richmond."
(p.343.) When Burnside was
defeated Stanton realized that he had
been mistaken in him, but
is made to admit by the author that he
had not considered Burn-
side as carefully as he might have, but
that he had felt obliged to
remove McClellan before he had time to
fight another battle and
possibly crush Lee.
Stanton was also convinced that Lincoln
would make too
generous a peace with the Confederacy,
and believed him "a threat
to the future security of the
nation." (p.430.) He knew of the
plan to assassinate Lincoln the day
before it was to be attempted.
He thought upon reading the note to this
effect which was pushed
under his door that it would be a good
thing for the Nation if
the plan succeeded. The next morning he
had his wife cancel
their engagement to attend the theater
with the Lincolns that eve-
ning; that evening Lincoln was shot.
When he heard that Lincoln
was dead, he thought to himself:
"Lincoln's dead. Reconstruc-
tion can now be done!"
Ben Ames Williams, Jr., allows his
character to act out his
own life and does not intrude. Yet, what
a self-centered, egotis-
tic, ambitious, unscrupulous character
he has created. It is pos-
sible that this method of presentation
makes Stanton more despic-
able than a diatribe against him could
have. The work may con-
vince the uninitiate that they know the
"true," the "real" Stanton;
it must however be classed as a tour
de force.
The author includes a list of books from
which the facts of
Stanton's life were taken.
JOHN H. McMINN