Reviews for Randall Lee Gibson of Louisiana

The average rating for Randall Lee Gibson of Louisiana based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-10-23 00:00:00 Donald Woods It is rare to see a professionally written history by an English professor, let alone one about Randall Lee Gibson. The subject is worthy of it, since Gibson was a front-line officer in most of the western battles, from Shiloh to Nashville and Spanish Fort. He was also a leading Gilded Age politician. Yet, his actions were more compelling than the man, who to be fair was intelligent, judicious, brave, and charismatic. So much so that even though a Democrat, he won over Grant in the last days of his administration and was offered a position in Hayes' cabinet. Gibson led the way in sectional reconciliation, first in attending a Yale reunion only a few years after the war. Yet, there were no flashes of brilliance, colorful anecdotes, bewildering blunders, or unusual tragedies. The book is good history, but Gibson is not compelling enough to make it a fun read. That and McBride can get lost in the details of Gilded Age political maneuvers and debates. Still, the subject is worthy, particularly considering Gibson's political career. He walked a tightrope. He supported measures in favor of Louisiana, such as high tariffs, but was broad minded enough to consider national issues. He was against free silver, but for direct elections of senators and Union veterans pensions despite opposition at home to all three positions. He helped create Tulane University and generally supported public and fair education. He opposed imperial schemes of conquest and racial violence. However, in his later years he also wanted educational tests for suffrage, both for blacks and whites, thinking that as each benefited from better public schools, they would be worthy of the vote. His politics revealed a personal consistency and standards, but he was flexible enough to cut deals and he made friends easily, which explains his longevity. He was that rarest of American birds, an aristocrat who actually believed in noblesse oblige. By the time of his death though, the Southern aristocrat, who was moderate on race (for the 1890s at least), despised populism, and was willing to support gradual reform, had given way to "Pitchfork" Ben Tillmans of the South. Indeed, the Gibsons of the world seemed to not understand the passions of the age. Gibson in fact deplored moral grandstanding, and so was blindsided in the 1890s by the lottery fight. His tale was not solitary. Wade Hampton, another broad minded patrician, suffered a similar fate.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-12-24 00:00:00 Betty Clark Edward Crapol provides a short but insightful book into the effect James Blaine had on the development of "American Empire" in the Gilded Age. From the house to his eventual triumphs as secretary of state in several administrations James Blaine "the man from Maine" developed many of the key ideas that would allow William McKinnley to be successful in annexing Hawaii, expanding American influence and the expansion of American trade through things like the open door policy. These were all things Blaine pushed for but lacked the ability to get through due to changes in administrations during his time. His unsuccessful runs for the presidency were usually matched by his ability to wind up as secretary of state where he did far more good than he would have otherwise done. He was an able administrator with thinking beyond his time that would transcend into the future according to Crapol. The biggest complaint about this book is that it does not go into enough detail and you find yourself wondering how some of the conclusions are reached since we don't hear about the debates in the senate or more about the proposed revolutions in Hawaii. It still provides an excellent look at what happened just without the details of why it happened. Overall it is at 4 stars due to the lack of detail.