Press enter after choosing selection

Classified_ad

Classified_ad image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
May
Year
1887
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

BOOK NOTICES. IIISTORY OF THE PACIFIC STATES: CENTRAL AMÉRICA. By lí. H. liancroft. Vol. III. The latest volume of Mr. Bancroft's history series treats of Central American States from the time of thelr independence from Hpanish rule in 1801 to the present day. The world knowa llttle or nothing concernlng tliis subject, and it is especially important. Unlike the history of Mexico, there is llttle that is elther dramatic or romantic to record concerning the Central American history of the past eighty years. Mr. Bancroft has not depended on the mere interest of narrntive to earry the work, but he lias made the book an important addition to the historica! and commeicial inspiration of the world. The Central Ainericau States have begun to play r foremost part in the trade of the world. Coffee, fruit and other products are attracting the niercliants of the Old World as well as the New. In the present volume the climate, commercial and natural resources and business advantages are carefully discussed by the historian. Half a dozen chapters describe the indepentlence secured by all the States, ind their subsequent projcress. The most Interestiug part of the succeeding portion is that which treats oí Walker, the Iilibu9ter : Willlam Walker was bom In Nasliville, Tenn., In 1821, belng of Scotch dencent. After recelvlng a classioal education he studled luw, mul I ter followeii tlie medical profesnlon a time In Phlladelpliia. He then traveled In Europe one year, and on nis return was connected wlth Home of the Important Dewspapers of the country, nor t h, south and west. 'l'lrlng or that, he sucecssfully practlced luw In Marysvllle, California. In i2 tie vlslted Uuayiuas, and from the operatlons of Count Itaousst t ooncelved the plan of creatlng wlth adveutarerK from California indepeiulent repuulles in Home of the sparsely poputated terrltorles of Mexico. Henee hts expedltlons to Sonora and Lower Cullfornla, of which 1 gave full accounts In my volume on the northwestern States of Mexico. Kew persons unacqualnted wlth Walker would suspect the preseuce of so much ablllty and energy beneath hls plaln exterior. He was llttle more than flve reet four lnches in hlght, wlth a rather dull and slow appearance. A man of few words, though an atteuMve listener, hls aspect was that of a serlous, thougbtful pernou. A remarkable feature of hls face wus adeep, intensely brllllant, blue-gray eye, largeand intelligent. Sincere and devoted to hls frlends, says a devoted adherent, hts enmlly. though not violent, was not easlly appeased. He was Indifferent to personal ase and oomfort and to the acnulsltion of wealth. He was not incapable of lofty conceptions and possessed courage, abnegatlon, but there was llttle of what mlght be called iieulus about hun, though his mimi was suftlciently unbalauced in certaln dlrections to give lilm a tltle to that dlstlnctlon. He wlshed to be a great man, ilke ('tunar or Napoleon, but the elementa of that qualltyof rratness were absent. He ralght have carved for hlmself a career ol honor and usefulnena but for the restless ambltion tbat possessed hlm to obtaln a place araong the notabilitles of the world, even by a disregard oflaw andjustlce. The idea of manifest destiny, so prevalent among uIh countrymen, which lmplied the conquest of the I.ntfn race lu Amerioa by the Anglo-Suxon alforded hlm, as he iroaglned, the coveted renowu, and at the same time securing, througli hls inxtrumentallty the future happluesH of Spanlsh America. But, unfortunately for hlm, he couimltted at the lncepllon of his career in Nicaragua acts which alienated from hlm the men wlio had lnvited hlm to co-operate In tbe consolldatlon of democratie principies, mul some of hls latter raeaaures what ever muy be thougbt of hls earller ones, snvored of recklessness and alsregard for the good oplnlou of mankind. Mr. Bancroft is merciless in bil denunciation of Walker. It is a pity that he could nut hare allowed hiin a grain of charity. Willlam, the Norman, was only a species of filibu.tter, and he was far more cruel than Walker. However, he was euccessftil and Walker was not. Come to the bridal chamber. Death ! Come to the mother, when sne feels For the first time, her flrst-born's breath, And tbou art terrible ! The nntimely death which annuully canics uit' thousands of humiin beings in the prime of youth, is indeed terrible. The first approach of consumptiou is inMdious, and the sufferer himself is the most uncon-cious of ils approach. One of the most alarininjr symptomsof thisdread disease is, in tact, the ineradicable hope, which lurks ín the heart of the victini, preventinp hini from taking timely steps to arrest the malady. That it can be arrested in its earlier stages beyond question, as there are hundredaof well-authenticated cases where Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Drscovery has effected a complete cure.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News