The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-03
Hnycs and iinIvnrd.

ing. Like other Institutions. it has not al
ways been careful i'm comforting those
degrees which The student, the scholar, and
the statc-nnn regard a. above the ordi-
nary prizes 81 life. when such honor- are
chcapcncd by being unworthily bestowed
they lose much of their value and interest.
Even in England. whore degrees are more
CONSIDERABLY granted than in this country.
there are occasional departures from the
safe rule, which provoke criticism AMI some
times rdiculc. Tho individual or rather
the accidents of his position. and not the
recognition of distinctive merit. too often
carry the day. Thus oxford recently ten
dcrcd the degree of Doctor Of Civil Law to
Gen. GRANT which he indirectly declined by
staying away. Its acceptance would have
made him appear ludicrous. and he was
probably not Indifferent to that suggestion.
For what reason other than that hc g., act
ing as President. without being elected to-
the Office. Harvard gave Mr. HAYES her
highest degree is difficult to imagine. Cor-
tallly he g. not scholar. an eminent pub
lie man. lawyer of distinction. and he has
made no mark in any department Of know-
edge or science which lifts him above the
common run of mon. Separated from the
Office, which he holds by monstrous fraud.
he is nothing but successful politician,
made So entirely by the absence oi these
positive qualities, which have defeated
superior men 50 often in the race Of life.
At the Tar, IN the army. in Congress- and
rs Governor Of Ohio. lac achieved no dis
tinction of any kind. and his speeches
during this prcarraugcd tour in Mas-a-
chusctts and Rhode Island do not contain
n III ta O.. /.
membcrcd or repeated. In truth. they were
below mcdiocrity. and in that respect were
consistent with the past record OF HAYES
whole career.
Ii, therefore, the high honors Of Harvard
are reserved for exceptional merit. it viii Toe
difficult to find reason for assooiatin, the
name of RuTHERFoRD b. HAYES with tn So
who. by attainmcnts, public service, vah-
able contributions to knowledge, or other
achievements, have fairly won a title to
such a Distinction But for the position
which he occupies, and docs not fiji, this de-
gree would never have been conferred upon
him.
If there be cause for comment in the fact
itself, there is stil greater reason for cNcop-
tion In the manner Of presenting the undc-
served compliment. President ELIOT is
justly esteemed for his learning, his man
agemcnt Of the university, and his oXcm-
plary life. On this occasion he had Il duty
to perform and nothing moro II is To- be
supposed, Of course, he was Instrumental in
comforting this degree. and he represented
the institution and It's traditions ia the pub
lie ceremonial.
President ELIOT could not possibly he ig-
norant Of the circumstances under which
Mr.. HAYES was installed in the Wnte House.
He must know that Mr.. TILDES wa- elected
President by a majority of "A milton Of white
voters by u majority Of a quarter of mill
lion of white and black. and bya decided
majority in the Electoral Colleges. H. must
know of the non-trous frauds rcrpctratcd
by The Returning Boards. and of the still
greater niquity of the Electoral Conspiracy,
through which Mr.. TILDES wa7 cheated ont
OF his rights, and MI HAYES. who had adj
mtted his own defeat in November, was de-
clarcd President without the color Of title.
He was bound a. a teacher of morals, not
TO ignore these facts, or 10 couduuc thecrimc
10y the technical plea that, without regard
10 TIA" Constitution, a commission WIS con-
Situated by Congress which, by an unlc-
waiting vote of eight 90 s"ycn- the eighth
man hoii.-, IL iorSworn Jul, confirmed the
fahrca,o rc,1ns in Louisiana nnd Florida,
and ratified all the acts ol WILLS ami his
oonicdcrate- in that >iiiaiuy. THAI s1lt If
Iretoucc may serve in the mouths oi scurNy
politicians who prohtrd by the pseconcertcd
chest; lf,t 10 I'D becomes men Of honor and
iu' 'NrH i.4'u.c lli.-h tru. rs and iulu-t-
81 v,tn.tt,.le oi tse b. Jag youth ol the
crut.r.'. t'.t ~ thr uala I-l tl-,hI ID.
9.. tiI.t DID, l.l..irI.f.' Of tIt- N. 'iNutl