Essays in Historical Criticism

by Edward Gaylord Bourne

Yale Bicentennial Publications

ESSAYS IN HISTORICAL CRITICISM

Yale Bicentennial Publications

With the approval of the President and Fellows of Yale University, a series of volumes has been prepared by a number of the Professors and Instructors to be issued in connection with the Bicentennial Anniversary, as a partial indication of the character of the studies in which the University teachers are engaged.

This series of volumes is respectfully dedicated to

The Graduates of the University

ESSAYS

IN

HISTORICAL CRITICISM

THE LEGEND OF MARCUS WHITMAN . THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FEDERALIST . PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR . THE DEMARCATION LINE. THE PROPOSED ABSORPTION OF MEXICO, 1847-1848 . LEOPOLD VON RANKE, etc., etc.

BY

EDWARD GAYLORD BOURNE

Professor of History in Yale University

NEW YORK : CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD

1901

Copyright, 1901,

By Yale University.

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Published, September, 1901.

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UNIVERSITY PRESS • JOHN WILSON AND SON • CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

PREFACE

The first essay in this collection, The Legend of Marcus Whitman, although bearing the same title as the article which I published in The American Historical Review last January, is substantially a new piece of work. In Part II the material contained in that article is reproduced and in addition the testimony of the sponsors of the story and of their supporters has been subjected to rigorous criticism, and the origin of some of its peculiar elements has been brought to light. The distinguishing feature, however, of the essay as published here is the full presentation of the literary history of the legend. It is my hope that this account of the genesis, diffusion, and wide acceptance in the latter half of the nineteenth century of a narrative about a momentous event in American history that is as unhistorical as the legend of the Donation of Constantine will prove to be a serviceable contribution to the literature of historical criticism.

The circumstances of the preparation or publication of these essays are indicated in the footnotes, except in the cases of the short paper on The Federalist Abroad, which formed part of an Introduction to a new edition of The Federalist in the Universal Classics, and of The Beginning of the Seminary Method in Teaching History which was contributed to The Educational Review. All the essays have been revised, and in some cases slight additions have been made.

In venturing to select a title for the collection which is accurately descriptive of only the first three or four essays, I have been influenced by the desire to indicate precisely the character of what is perhaps the most distinctive part of the book. The other papers, too, if not strictly essays in historical criticism, were written in the spirit of it and in conformity to its methods.

E. G. B.

New Haven, September, 1901.

CONTENTS

I

THE LEGEND OF MARCUS WHITMAN:

Sketch of Marcus Whitman ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3

His Extraordinary Posthumous Fame ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

4

The Legend ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

6

Its Source ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

8

The Story unknown before 1864 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

16

Put before the American Board ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

22

The Origin of the Story ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

26

Its Diffusion ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

29

Shown to be unhistorical ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

36

Barrows's Oregon ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

40

New Life infused ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

42

Systematic Propaganda ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

47

Countermining ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

51

Whitman Day ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

52

Real Cause of Whitman's Journey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

55

The Sponsors of the Legend untrustworthy ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

61

Later Variations of the Story ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

64

The Affidavit of Cushing Eells ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

69

Whitman's Purpose in going to Washington ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

75

His Visit without Political Significance ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

79

Genesis of the Imaginary Details of the Alleged Interviews with Webster and Tyler ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

82

Whitman in Boston; the Primary Objects of his Journey ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

86

Whitman and the Emigration of 1843 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

89

The Real History of Marcus Whitman ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

99

Spalding's Memorial ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

100

Earliest Printed Version of the Fictitious Interview between Webster and Whitman ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

101

Elwood Evans's Summary of his Conclusions in the Whitman Controversy, 1884 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

104

George Catlin's Account of the Visit of the Flatheads to St. Louis ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

105

de Saint- Araant on Whitman, 1852 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

106

Mrs. A. L. Lovejoy on Whitman's Ride ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

106

Mr. A. L. Lovejoy's Account of Whitman's Ride ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

108

II

THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FEDERALIST ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

113

The Problem ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

113

The Authorship of Numbers 18, 19, and 20 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

115

The Structure of The Federalist ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

117

Internal Evidence in cases of Numbers 49-58 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

119

Numbers 62 and 63 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

137

III

MR. PAUL LEICESTER FORD ON THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FEDERALIST ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

149

His supposed "Syllabus of The Federalist" ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

154

IV

THE FEDERALIST ABROAD ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

159

In France ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

159

In Germany and South America ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

161

V

MADISON'S STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

165

Early Direction of his Studies ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

165

His Authorities ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

166

His Use of the Material ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

167

VI

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

173

The Significance of his Work ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

173

His Aims ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

174

His Method ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

183

His Activities ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

187

VII

THE DEMARCATION LINE OF POPE ALEXANDER VI ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

193

Precedents ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

194

The Occasion ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

195

The Treaty of Tordesillas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

202

Magellan's Voyage ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

206

The Congress of Badajos ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

209

The Attitude of England ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

214

The Attitude of France ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

215

Results ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

216

VIII

SENECA AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

221

Seneca misinterpreted by Roger Bacon ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

221

By All Subsequent Writers ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

222

IX

THE PROPOSED ABSORPTION OF MEXICO IN 1847-1848 ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

227

The Mexican and the Spanish War ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

227

President Polk's Policy ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

229

Cabinet Deliberations on the Mexican Question ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

230

All of Mexico ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

233

The Cabinet Discussion of the Treaty ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

238

The Treaty in the Senate ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

240

X

LEOPOLD VON RANKE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

245

History in the Nineteenth Century ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

245

Ranke's Early Interests ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

246

His First Teaching ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

248

His Contribution to Historical Criticism ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

250

His Work as a Teacher ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

253

His Ideal ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

255

His Works ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

257

XI

RANKE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMINARY METHOD IN TEACHING HISTORY ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

265

Precursors of the Historical Seminary ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

266

Karl V. Raumer ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

267

Ranke on his Seminary ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

269

Von Sybel and Waitz on Ranke's Seminary ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

273

XII

FRANCIS PARKMAN ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

277

The Opportunity for American Scholars in History ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

277

Parkman's Early Life ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

279

His Self-training ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

280

The Oregon Trail ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

281

The Conspiracy of Pontiac ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

282

His Novel, Vassal Morton ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

283

His Series of Histories ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

283

His Characteristics as an Historian ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

285

His Fame ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

287

XIII

JAMES ANTHONY FROUDE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

291

Froude's Environment in Youth ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

291

His Devotion to Carlyle ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

293

His Views of History ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

294

His Characteristics as an Historian ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

296

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INDEX ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

299