Excerpt from Heroes and Statesmen of America: Being a Popular Book of American Biography, Embracing the Lives of the Representative Great Men of the Nation

But this wonderful story of progress is not all that should engage our attention at this period of national rejoicing. It is fitting that we Should remember the great men of our history, to whose labors we owe all that we now enjoy, and that we should know the story of their lives and the means by which they accomplished the task allotted to them. America has no prouder record than that of the lives of her great men - none from which her children may draw greater in spiration, or learn more useful Iessons. Not one of them owed his success to fortune or social position, but all were eminently self-made men; and their lives are full of hope and encouragement to those who would emulate their glorious examples.

The writer of these pages has thought the present a proper time to offer to his countrymen this collection of brief biographies of the great men whose deeds illustrate the First Century of American Independence. There never was a time when such a work was more needed; there never was a time when our people needed, as they do now, to be taught that enduring success in public life can be attained only by honesty, disinterested patriotism, and fitness for the task assumed, and that he only is the truest lover and best servant of his country who is willing to sink all considerations of self in his desire to promote the welfare of his fellow - citizens. Such was the Spirit that animated the men whose lives are recorded in these pages. They were often mistaken as to the means to be employed, or the course to be pursued, but never as to the end to be attained. They were will ing to spend life and fortune in the effort to benefit their country, and faithfully and patiently sought to qualify themselves for the great work to which they were called. They have their reward in the grateful love and honor with which their country cherishes their mem ory, and their lives are lessons which each American should take deeply to heart.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.