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1585, Aug 25

KD6430 (2)

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COPYRIGHT, 1885,

BY JAMES SCHOULER.

Rights of Translation and Abridgment reserved.

AUTHOR'S NOTICE.

AFTER a lapse of about three years the author presents to the public the third volume of his history, prepared in the intervals of graver professional tasks. He has pursued, as hitherto, the plan of personal research, consulting the original authorities as far as possible, and taking neither facts nor opinions at second-hand. He has sought, too, to place himself in the centre of the scenes described, and imbue his narrative with the atmosphere of the age in which men and events moved. His constant aim has been to furnish in the true sense a history of the people of the United States, their virtues, their errors, and their wonderful development.

The choice collections of two cities, the Public Library and Athenæum of Boston and the Libraries of Congress and the State Department at Washington, have been carefully studied. The author has gone through the whole unpublished Monroe correspondence at the State Department, and obtained rich materials for this volume never before explored. Through the courtesy of the Gouverneur family, the last of Monroe's lineal descendants, he has obtained other interesting information, besides examining the valuable letters still remaining in their hands. He had hoped to examine, also, the Jackson papers, long in custody of the Blairs at Washington, but a lawsuit having arisen. over the title of those manuscripts, they are still withheld from inspection. Considering the ample materials brought to light by Benton and Parton, and the letters of Jackson besides, to be found in the Monroe correspondence, this is