New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-17
ss.tssr YESTERDAY; clearly aud forcby expressed


eve do not wish 10 evsde the issue which a
Board of Overseers have made with Mr. Eliot 10
the grevous fault OF that gentleman that ia TIE -
1850 he voted for law the most odeus, the mos. =
human, the most infamous thar ever disgrsced AZ.
statute book d this nation tina; he aided in sst,inr ~
foot series OF the bloody aud barbarou, ,.,
cutioDs that have ever been canied on IN any 40
pretending TO BE- civilized land; that he heps.i -
degrade hs own constituents his own State and a.
people Of tho North generally into condition of .rh
ordination TO the vilest class q men in the ybos-
wOrd-ihe shareholders of the South: thar he ess,L
lphed far as his vote and active influence wen. ~
insftufior if we may call ii, which has almes, -
anniversary slave hunts in the city be migepresen.
disturbing its peace, aggravaiDg the feelings Of ~
citizens and producing scenes OF dscord and violep,s
which in the inevitable nature IL things must g.
time 80 long as the wicked Act confines TO whics l.
zaye his consent. This is Mr. Elies fduy II 49,
misfortune that the people of the State, whose repr,
seniatiycs the Board of Owe seers are, As0R The Ru
gitiye Act they sbhor no other legislation and thai
they view its authors and enotcers with feelings ye-v
Ike adherence II is his misfortune hat he WIS ast
able to discern the signs of tae imeo And in .As
action of the Board of Overseers he only resps the
consequences which sure to follow w'ekedSsts of
legislation, combined with a failure 10 CiscoyerAe
indications of an enlightened and Christian pabGs
sentiment"
But the truth is, that even if the vote agsnst
Dir. Eliot had been given from purely political
motives il would only have been sort OF retriea-
ton on the very persons who are now making such
power Of Harvard University, the nominatins
power, lie. and has been for many years in the
hands of Mr.. El0ts frends-in the hands OF the
small social and political set to which he belongs
How have they used it The present political d.
visions and feelings Of the State date from 1873
when the Free-Soii party was formed. Since that
period no Free-Soiler No Democrat, (saye onls
Mr.. Boutwell, TO whom As Governor II could not
be refused has received degree from Harvard
tha hieh A obtained
as matters of course by graduates who choose TO
pay for them. Charles SBmner, the man IN tho
State who has the best claims to the degree of
LID on the ground OF distinction, ability, high
position and learning in the law, has not been no
ticed by Harvard College since he became Free
Soiler Stephen &. Phillips, Charles Allen and
Charles Francis Adams men OF greater ability
and emnence than Mr.. Eliot Mr. Alleo and Mr.
Phillips having both sat in Congress with rePutsr
ton and Mr.. Adams having not only political but
literary distinction yet they have no degrees from
Harvard College. Neither has Richard Hlldreth,
the able and learned author of the History of the
United States who, beside his history, has other
literary claims to the regard of the College Of
which he is graduate. 1t may be as well to 70
mark by-the.way, that the set to which Dir. Eliot
belongs controls the Massachusetts, Historical
Society az well as the nominations OF Harvard
College Mr. Hldreth has not been admitted to
that Society, though, with the exception OF Mr.
Prescott, be is almost the only man IN Boston
whom an intelligent stranger would suppose must
of course be member. Had he not been an Anti
Slavery man he would doubtless have long ago
been voted In.
Among the eminent Democrats who have been
neglected by the nominating power OF Harvard
College il is sufficient TO mention Robert Rantoul
and r. T. Banks. Mr.. Rantoul was one OF the hrst
men of bis day in Massachusetts,. lie was an
eminent lawyer; he was one OF the few OF our
political men who deserved TO be called states
man, and scholar of singularly wide and profound
literary attainments. He had been, besides Repre-
sentative and Senator in Congress. But he was
Democrat, and what was worse, an AntiSlavery
Democrat Wing with half his claims to dis
tinction would have had showered upon him all
the honOrs that Harvard College could bestow.
Mr. Banks has been repeatedly Speaker OF the
Massachusetts, House of Representatives, was
President of the Constitutional Convention OF
1853, the ablest body that ever sat in the State
over which he presided with distinguished success
and has been twice elected to Congress. he has
risen unaded from very humble position by his
fine talents and by hard and perseyering study Tie
has made remarkable attainments in languages and
literature under peculiarly dsadyantageous cir
cumstances He lie, therefore, inst the man whom
the literary institutions of a republican country
should delight to honor. Harvard College has
never given any sign that she Is aware OF his ex-
istence.
might extend still further the list Of men much
more distinguished than Mr.. Eliot whom Harvard
College has had under her eyes for years without
deigning to notice them. l might name Theodore
Parker the most eminent Of orr cergymen for
talents learning and literature, whose name and
writings are known all over the civilized world |
might name Wendell Phillips, if not the first, a.
most the first of orators, man OF high culture
and attanments, and Of national note and rePua-
ton, though be has never held Office. Bnt have
said enough 10 show that il does not become tho
party or set to which Mr. Eliot belongs TO make
much ado about his rejection, on the ground that
political considerations should be entirely excluded
in the matter of comforting degrees.
Mr. Eliot has yet another chance of getting Dis
degree. Perhaps should say tnO chances. A re-
consideration Of the vote of rejection was moved
in the Board of Overseers, and though not held In
order may possibly prevail at the meeting next
week No effort, suppose, will be spared to OBJ
tain confirmation. The other chance to which
alluded is that some southern college, say the Col
lege of South Carolina or the University of Viz
ginia, may step in and do the handsome thing in
case the hitch in Harvard cannot be overcome. II
would be compliment to Dlr Eliot which il would
be credtable and gracious in them to pay.
OLIVER