New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-07


ignorance and vanity and least Of all is it bearable
when we find such disagreeable qualities displayed
in the conduct of men whose social position, whose
public reputation and whose presumed requirements
have led us to expect quite other things OF them.
It is natural, even when circumstances strongly
Justify the suspicion that in given case such un-
worthy characteristics are the ruling influence, to
pause long before coming to so stern judgment.
Such has been our feeling for the past week in
relation to the affairs of the Dudley Observatory.
1t is with great reluctance that we compel our
selves to accept the fact that the difficulties which
have arisen in that institution are really of
serious nature; and with reluctance sorrowful
and mortiyng as well as great, that We arc forced
to believe that those difficulties exist only because
want Of scientific knowledge, and vanity mOrti-
fed for the want of an exercise of a little brief
authority, have found lodgment in the same per.
sons. We can come to no other conclusion after
carefully and most impartialy reading all the owl
dence within our reach in relation TO this matter.
We cannot doubt that the public, TO whom all
this evidence is not easily accessible, have reached
the same conclusion Tue instructive love of fair
play, even without q careful examination of the
merits Of the case, must unquestionably condemn
body who, like the Trustees Of the Observatory,
first ANONYMOUSLY eject from place of trast and
responsibility gentleman who was chosen to fill it
because be was thought eminenty fit for it; refuse
then to lay before his associates any evidence Of the
very serious charges which they bring against hun;
denying even advisory power to body to WHOM
the acientifc direction of the Observatory was es-
pecially intrusted; and finally TO complete their
assumption of immaculate authority, assert to the
lady to whose generosity the Observatory owes It's
continued existence, that her feelings, worked upon
By interested parties have so warped her judgment
thst abe s incapable Of coming to just conclusion
without aid from them-whch aid, however, as 1t
was indecate for one party to render, so 1t would
b. improperly offered by the other and therefore
improperly sought for by her. This whole course
Of is 80 remarkable aa assertion OF IRE
sponsble power, and such an entire disregard OF
the commonest dictates Of even-handed justice,
that Il is not necessary, to form righteous j1dg-
ment in regard to il, to 90 behind il to the original
causes of the difficulty. Whatever these may be,
they could not justify the Trustees in their subse
quent measures.
We have, however, read the correspondence, the
resolutions, the statements as far u any have
been made in newspaper and pamphlet and can find,
as yet, OILY cumulative evidence that the high
handed measures which are patent to the public
were resorted to to sustain an act originally out
rsseous; and that this was perPetratsd because DR..
Gould would not comply with demands which only
vanity and ignorance could have suggested. OfLl
the charges against DR.. Gould of inefcieney, mis-
management, peculation and ncivility, there seems
to be not the slightest ground for any Of them e1-
cept the last Indeed Of all the Others he 10 not
only fully acquitted BY bis associates Of the Council
but they amount only 10 vague senerabties oa the
part of the Trustees. But for the last imputation
named there seems to be some positive and tangible
ground. Tho Trustees put DR.. Gould in position
where be must either sct in direct contradiction to
tho dictates Of his judgment, his eooscieoce,