Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-11-14
The Metropolis" and the Province
thu @EFN "H
In the speech which Mr.. Seward made
Mt New York on thc Cd. he said:

The Metropolis and the Provinces"
In the speech which Mr.. Seward made
at New York on the I'd, be said:
Fellow Citizens--I have sometimes
thought hat a man who lives in the eoun-
try can see about rs well what is going on
as one who lives in the midst of the excite
ment OF the town or capital. on the prin-
cipal that if you stand q little further
back you are apt to see just about as well.
(Laughter.) l certainly have thought so
within a few weeks past, when have read
presses in this metropolis talking of rural
districts of distant counties, and even Of
States, as provinces of New York, and
think 50 Row when | see presses in New
York echoing the sounds and alarms Of Sc
dition and instruction and disunion in
distant rural districts. 70 me nothing is
more plain than that this is 4 country in
which there is no provinces that al
allegiance to the city of New York; and,
on the other hand. that this is q country
in which there are no rural districts. near
or far, North or South. that can dissolve
the bonds which bind them to the COM
mercial and social circle of the country"
From the comments upon the above, by
the Ohio State Journal, we make the fol-
lowing extracts. which, as well as the ex-
tract from Mr.. Stewards speech, embody a
vast deal Of truth and good sense. The
Journal says:
In this country there arc seats of gov
eminent, as there arc seats of commerce.
learning and manufactures. but not prop
erly capitals. The legislative centres Of
Of the different States. are not commonly
their largest cities; and the balances of
power established by the distribution to
different points of the different forces usu-
ally aggregated in a capital. conServes the
usefulness of all. Our civil system, is one
Of a~ntagonisms, but of harmonies Each
Of our great cities is distinguished by tome
spe 'iality. At present. Boston is without
doubt, the literary and scientific centre
New York is the metropolis of commerce
and fashion. Cincinnati radiates pork
throughout the commonwealth. st Louis
is the heart of 4 vast western and overland
trade. Philadelphia is the seat of ancient
quiet. and time honored Responsibility. SOL
id wealth and manu- %acturing prosperity
Washington is the national clearinghouse
and laundry. Richmond is the great man.
mart.
The provinces" do not trouble them
selves a great deal about the metropolis. I"
and would probably survive its Obliteration
with the SAINT calmness that they receive
the occasional impertinences of its journals
offensive. certainly, but not considerable.
They can afford to overlook affectations of
superior civilization, which every public
event in New York contradicts. Thename
province does not undignify any of the
great sections to which its applied. nor add
to the splcndor of the city which has rath-
er the number than tie enlightenment of
its population T. boast.
1t would be foolish to deny to New
York commercial and financial importance;
but in nearly all other respects. it is pro-
vincial and not metropolitan. and the
growth of a sectional fecline-which knows
nothing of sectional jcalousy-in the west.
it may cease to have even this superiority.
Chicago or st. Louis, may either enc with
in the lapse of q few dccades attract the
capital which aggrandizes New York. and
leave that city to the glory of being the
largest seaport town Of the nation.
We argue the possible entire PROVINCIAL
zation of New York, because its gradual
decline in many things that 60 to make a
metropolis is very ~preceptible. The very
pr~etentions to influence made BY its jour
nails may be taken in eridcnce of decaying
greatness.
New York was once the seat Of a litera-
ture which commanded the respect and ad-
miration of the country; but Boston has
lately cclipsed the metropolis in this
greatest splendor Of a capital. George
p. Morris is the laureate of a people, who.
plunged in affairs, have no time to cult
vate the sweet humanities." 1t is said
that this mechanic is assured of fifty dol
lars for any song he may grind out. in New
York. Harper's Magazine, which begNn
in piracy. and continues in the dull repen-
lance of indigenous stupidity. is the, repre-
sentative periodical of the city. Put
nam languished and died in the unfriendly
atmosphere. and the men who made Put
nam" so glorious. are silent. The first of
these spirits. Geo. W. Curtis. has forsakcn
literature for politics. Tuekcrman is now
the great cssayist of New York. The
Ledger is the first literary Journal.
Contrast this literary situation with that
of Boston. Compare Harper and the
Ledger with the Atlantic.-Tuckerman.
Morris, and the rest of the gutta-pcrcha
sublimitIes with Lowell, LongfellOw and
Holmes-Spin.ler Institute with Harvard
University.
Money and enterprise have given to the
New York political journals a circulation
entirely dispropOrtioned 20 their influence
and ability. They are valued as newspa-
pcrs. and only newspapers. The local pol
itics of their city are at once lincoln Jrehen-
sible and Indifferent to the country. Par
ties in the State are believed to be corrupt
ly managed, and nc one cares about them.
except as they affect national elections -
As far as the Tribune has represented
Greeley, it has had some influence with the
rural populations which it is rapidly los
ing. With the press Of the different sec-
lions. it is almost without influence. Its
editorials are seldom copied. its opinions
seldom quoted. The Post is believed to
be al honest and able journal. but is chief.
ly valued for the admirable arrangement
Of its news. The Times is entirely stupid
The Herald is read and laughed at-what-
ever position Il NAV assume. Its writers