History of the United States under the Constitution. By James
Schouler. 4 vols. (Dodd, Mead, and Co., New York ; E. Arnold, London.)—These four volumes, published at intervals during the last ten years, begin with the year 1783, and carry on the history as far as 1847. Another volume will bring it down as far as 1861, a date which the author proposes to make the terminus of his work. The narrative of the Civil War he leaves to other pens, though, of course, in his forthcoming volume he will have to touch on the preludes to the strife. Mr. Beholder's book is evidently the result of much labour and an extensive research. It would be idle to attempt to criticise it in respect of its accu- racy, or of the equality of the balance which the author holds between the parties which have contended in the political struggles of his country. As to the relations between the United States and this country, it will suffice to say that he regards them from the Transatlantic point of view. It would be idle to expect anything else, and we are not disappointed. We still think that the States might have behaved with more for- bearance when we were engaged in a life-and-death struggle with Napoleon. Of the controversy about the Maine boundary, Mr. Schouler takes a view of which we can at least say that it has no brag about it. Lord Ashburton appears in his account an intelligent diplomatist, who managed to settle in a way that was satisfactory to both parties, a dangerous dispute. The general impression here is, that he was a simple person who certainly failed to hold his own against the astute and not very scrupulous diplomatist with whom he was dealing. Mr. Webster, it has been confidently asserted, had in his possession at the time a map which authoritatively settled the question in the British sense. Mr. Schouler's style is vigorous and easy, but sometimes, we are inclined to think, a little wanting in dignity.
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