New publication.
--‘"Cause and Contrast.
An Essay on the
American Crisis.
By
T. W. McMahon,
Richmond.
West &
Johnston."’
We have read with great pleasure this able and brilliant vindication of the
Southern cause.
Although the subject has been often discussed, the author's style and mode of treatment give it new attractions.
The historical statement in the concluding pages of the conduct of the
North, since the beginning of the sectional troubles, and especially of the
Federal Administration, towards the
South, is masterly.
It is a simple record of facts, and less ornate than any other part of the publication, but he must be a man of ice whose blood that unvarnished story does not cause to boil in every vein.
There are portions of the work we do not agree with, and which will have few disciples in our old-fashioned, Bible-believing Southern community.
We refer to the advocacy of the theory that man was created in distinct and specific ground, during certain intervals of creation.
The author disclaims infidelity to the Mosaic account of creation, and says ‘"It other men choose to misinterpret
Moses, it is neither his fault nor the fault of
Moses."’ The whole Christian world and the whole infidel world have never been able to put but one interpretation upon the plain language of Scripture, and have agreed in ascribing to it the statement that all mankind are descended from
Adam and Eve. For our own part, we prefer the evidence of the Word of God on this subject to the humbug discoveries of certain modern men of science.
The late work of
Dr. Cabell, of the
University, upon the origin of the races has completely shelled to death the theory of mankind being created in distinct and specific groups, &c., and has also shown that such an argument, instead of being essential to the
Southern cause, can only weaken it in the opinions of sound thinkers and of the Christian world.
With this exception, the work is one to be commended for its research and eloquence.--It is gotten up in a style that does infinite credit to the
Richmond publishers, of whose enterprise, courtesy, and generosity to himself, the author, in his preface, makes especial mention.
