The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-19
Intolerance at Harvard Universal,


We trust the people of Massachusetts, will
congratulate themselves on the progress which
Harvard College has made in tolerance and en-
lightenment since the Quakers were hanged
and the Independents whipped and exiled
under the advice of the overseers Of that learn
ed body q couple Of hundred years ago. We
trust they will read once more those gratifying
portions of their history, and compare them
carefully with the decision rendered on Thurs
ship, by the same body, whereby Edward G.
Loripg, U. s. Commissioner, was rejected as
candidate without discussion, in consequence
of his firm discharge of his duty in the case of
the fugitive slave Burns. There is no question
about the facts Loring is rejected because he
did not resign his Office as U. S. Commissioner
on the first occasion when he was called upon
to act, or because, retaining that office, he did
not yield to the mob and play false to the
power which appointed him, or the constitution
he had sworn to carry out. Had he done
either of these things-had he played the
coward or the knave-he would undoubtedly
have received the suffrages of the overseers Of
Harvard, and might now have been in full
bloom as law lecturer. He chose to do neither
: to be courageous and honest-and he is re-
tcied without discussion. This is the estima-
tion At wbich honesty and courage are held by
the oldest academical institution in the United
States.
The event is not tit occasion for an idle
parade Of words: it demands deep earnest
thought on the part Of every northern man.
Every day thatwe live the danger presses upon
us; every hour the spectre Dsunion advances
q step nearer our homes. The time for alb
stract discussion has past Slavery, in
all aspects, has been thoroughly exhausted by
speakers and writer's; we know all that we shall
ever know both Of its merits and dement's, OF
it's past history and of its future prospects. All
that remains is to act upon the knowledge that
is in us. Whether that action shall be such as
to render the dissolution Of this Union mere
matter of time or not depends upon very few
men, TO whom it is given to lead the minds OF
the masses-upon none more than those to
whom the education Of youth is entrusted. II
the instructors Of our young men SET their en-
ergies to the great work of nurturing a spirit
of answering fidelity to the Union, we may
defy the efforts Of the demagogue andthe Unit
ed States will stand. If on the contrary, they
direct the influence they WELD to the migrate
full task Of fostering sectional strife, we may
feel assured that the seed they SOW will bring
forth fruit, and that the generation now about
to spring into manhood will earn questionable
fame by destroying The work of the men of
l776.
Harvard has chosen her side: she selects the
latter part, as the one most congenial to her SYM
pathies, the most worthy of her name, and her
honors, and her learning. II must henceforth
be understood that all the power she yields
will be thrown into the scale opposed to the
Union, opposed to the constitution, opposed to
the law In her halls Law will be taught as for
merly, but students will be taught to break
net 10 obey its provisions. The constitution will
be read and studied but its readers will be care
fully admonshed that disgrace and ostracism
are the penalty Of carrying it into effect On
gala days the Union will be Landed in one
breath, but the necessity for Its dissolution will
be inculcated in the next. Strange predica.
ment for teacher TO be placed In The gen.
Il, man who fills the chair from which Mr.. Lo-
ring has been excluded cannot explain to the
students the nature of civil or municipal Law;
for that, we are told by jurists, springs from
mutual compromise Of interests and opinions,
each member OF society yielding something TO
lie VII q iLe a,leI mtiLl.rs aid E-Iy-sd