The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-24
Our Boston correspondence.


The Senate of Massachusetts, have had the
Maine law before them for several days past
which is the only subjscs Of a political character
that is much talked Of that is likely to be, until
it shall have been completely sposed of. There
have been two long debates on the law, the ques-
tion being on an amendment to the bill, by which
it will be submitted to the people. The wings
deny the constitutlonality Of tho proposed amond.
ment, and the enemies Of the bill hope that 1t will
be adopted, 80 as to compel them oil to vote against
the law with such a provision attached to it. In
this way they hope the bill will be thrown out Of
the Senate, and their hope is not without some
foundation, for, if the twelve wings shall vote
against it, IL is far from unreasonable to suppose
that at least eight coalitionists will not do So and
thus the project be stiaed Immediately The
friends OF the law made great mistake IN report
Ing to the Senate. Had they sent it to the
House, it would have passed that body, aud have
come down To the Senate with the prestige OF sue
cess ab0utit ard made its way In spite OF opposition
AS 1t 49, consider the chances of It's being carried
about equal to those of its failing, far the
Senate is concerned The debates that have
taken place have been very spirited, and have
some what relieved the Senate from the charge of
being one Of the stupidest political bodies Ii the
country. They have taken very wide range, aud
have attracted crowds TO hear them. OF the
speeches made, that Of MIR. Warren, of Suffolk,
(whig.) against both the law and the amendment,
is considered the best on that side; and that Of
MIR Robinson, Of BeIhs hire, Grees0ier) ia favor
of both The las aud the amenoment as the best on
the side CT the proposed law. Poltics, you may
suppose, are largely introduced into the discus.
sioDss, and are the cayenne aud currie which add
much to the puDgency of the IN entail feasts.
Mr.. Thomas Russell, freesoi lawyer Of good
standing, has been made Police Justice. This was
the place which the en- ire press Of the State, with
some very few exceptions, called upon tho Cover
ppr IN ha III Mr N has hpnD lnry
connected with the Boston Post. Though known
to be stiff democrat, MIR. GilPs appointment was
recommended by both wings and freesoiers, and
the uhole Massachusetts press would have been
gratGed at SO deserved and solid compliment be-
mgpaid to one OF its ablest and oil lest members.
NO man ever owed more to the press than Cover
nor Boutwell,. and no man ever did less for it in
turn than the Same gentleman 1t il almost an
offence in his eyes that a person recommended for
place within his gift has belonged to the press.
let he might have made an exception in MIR. Gllfs
favor, Tor that gentleman was very useful to him
in those days when there was no prospect of his
getting beyond the place Of town representative,
and when, consequently, his services ad the merit
Of being disnterested. But disinteressed services
are always at disc ount, and probably his excel
lency believes, with another eminent politician,
that gratitude is lively sense of favors to come.
Mr. Park has taken the District Attorneyship of
Suffolk am not aware of any further distribu-
ton Of .'the spoils, though there are many good
places at present occupied by wings, who are ra-
sarded by The coaliionists as fat enough to kill.
Probably the massacre of the innocents" will DO
resumed in the course Of few days. IL is supposed
Mr.. Wilder has good prospect Of obtaining the
Office Of City Treasurer Of Boston, much better
place than the one he now holds.
History Of Boston, by the venerable Josiah
Quincy, Sen, is understood to have been completed,
and is soon to be published It is said by his
friends that his original intention was to hav,
published it on his eightieth birthday, which occur
red in the month of January; but from some Cause
was not carried out. The work will unqustionaoy
be ono that will command attention, as well from
its manner as its matter. 1t is not the least curious
OF the literary deficiencies of the world, that 10
called history in it's true sense-should ever have
been published. One would think that place with
such literary pretensions, with SO many scholars,
and with so much in its annals worthy of being
related in proper manner, should have long since
stood on the same footing with less important COM
munites.
1t has been understood for some time past, that
Mr.. rockingham, junior editor of the Post, is
engaged on another work. illustrative Of the annals
Of Boston. If it shall prove as interesting and
useful as his History of the Siege Of Boston, it will
be very valuable addition, indeed, to American
literature
Mr.. Sparks is engaged on his long announced
"Hstory of the American Revolutions" but no one,
so far as know, has the remotest idea Of whom it
will be published. 1t has long been said that he
and Mr.. Bancroft were waiting each others move
ments, each having somo documents which the
other lacks. Mr.. Bancroft's work is understood to
be much more comprehensive than that of Mr..
Sparks. 1t extends from the time Of the treaty Of
Aix.la- Chapelle to tho commencement Of our pre-
sent form Of national government, and thus en-
braces an important period of pure colonial history
Mr.. Sparks work opens with the com mencement Of
what we specifically call the American Revolution,
or Immediately after the conclusion of the old
French war. Both gentlemen arc writing from
abundant and valuable original papers. / have
been assured, by excellent authority, that Mr..
Bancroit's work will, from such sources, throw
much new ligh. on the conduct of the European
the early days Of the Revolution.
MIR. llildreth is busily engaged on the third vo-
lume Of the second series of his History of the
United States being the sixth OF the entire work.
but not, it is very likely, the last. His fifth volume
closes with the year 1907 and, conseq hisn
must be devoted to the embargo and tho war, sub.
jccts which cannot be handled-certainly not By so
fiery partizan as himself-without exciting good
deal Of political feeling The democrats declare
that the second series OF hs work has thus far been
filed with libcls on Jefferson and eulogies on Ha
milton, equally false. 1t s certain that he writes
with great deal Of parta]ity and not anfrequenty
past generation Of the constitutional republic; nor
is there much prospect that he win become less par
tial as he goes on with his book. lie has become
less and less impartial IS he comes down toward
our time. Indeed, be cannot be impartial. IL
would be to violate the FIRST law Of his montal
being were he to succeed in getting up strictly
impartial history. Perhaps he would be less read II
no were more last: for, much as men praise justice,
they do not love it. Justice to themselves, and
injustice 70 al the world besides, what mankind
like. Mr.. lfildreth's virtues are precisely those
which Byron ascrihed to Notwithstanding, la5er,
research, wrath, aud Partially. Tic great poe.
called wrath and partislty virtues in writer, be-
car,e they make him write in earnest. Bat a man
may be earnest end yet not . very reliable guide
through tho morasses AMI forests ot VIA! is called
history.
Among the Lesser lights o. the literary world,
do uot bear that much is doing Mr. Hawthorne
i said to he engaged on a nc work, but haveuot
been able 70 learn anything definite concerning il.
lie has taken bis position among the popular wri-
ters Of tho dag, after long years Of neglect. In
chasing bin among tho lesser lights, SPEAK not
with reference 10 his power, fOr consider him one
Of tie Gst writer's of the age, but only with refer
ence TO the position which romance writer's are
generally held 70 occupy For myself, like novels
ana roman,cs mach better than i 90 history, not
only because they require as much talent to write
them, but because they contain more truth
d, thaat rfr