New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-17
THE FOUNDATION or CITIES.

Two Of the largest and most important cites oil
the United States about to celebrate interesting
anniversaries. To-day Boston will observe the
two hundred and fftieth recurrence of the day
of It's settlement. This makes it, with the excep-
ton of New-York. tie oldest of AmerlcaL munich
palties of equal rank. Baltimore is younger by
century, completing its hundred and ffteth
year upon the lin pr0XimO. These periods and
especially the form. r, cover very considerable
reaches in the annals OF the world. Massachusetts,.
il is well to remember had made history long be-
fore the Declaration Of ludepeDdenceln fact had
been an independent province, accustomed 10 self
government and hardly ever submitting without
protest to the interference Df the mother country.
1t was the offspring of the English Commonwealth.
1t acquesccd the restoration of the Stuarts with
bat an i'll grace was a ways restless under the
Governors sent out by James H.. and accepted
with satisfaction the Revolution of 1858
But it Is IN Its relation TO the American
Revolution OF 1776 that Boston will al
ways occupy high historical position. The history
of that great political change never be written
without including that of the IrmoDtaHe City
There. in 1861, began the American Revolution in
the famous contest about the Writs of Assistance
when first the thunder and the lightning Of the elO
quence Of James Otis stirred al the colonies if not
to revolt at least to profound sense Of its expedi
ency. There little need that should repeat all
the StOry--iue country KNOWS III ny HcdIt1 anu
Faneui Hall and Bunker Hill are names familiar
to the whole Republic. 1t not without reason
that Daniel Webster once proudly exclaimed III the
Senate, when speaking of Massachusetts, "rhe
past at least is secure"
The later days of Boston and of Massachusetts
have, In many important respects been worthy tho
first. The hostility to the institution of slavery, if
1t did not originate upon the Bay State soil.
there most carefully and courageousy cultivated
IL is true that there was always party Of
Massachusetts, who deprecated discus
sion, were quite ready to make conces-
sons, and forgot, In their nervous feai
for the Union and its material advantages the
noble traditions which should have prompted them
to better things. But it is questionable whether
from the first these were not substantially in the
minority. At any rate. the progress of higher
public sentiment was always steady ard straight
forward The best mind heart and conscience of
the city and State gradually came round to the
right side, until at last discussion did its perfect
work and the apoogsts of slavery became of hardly
any consequence in the politics of the Common
wealth. Perhaps the popular religion had some
thing to do with this 1t has been customary among
those who had a to make out to represent
Boston as seat Of religious bIgotry. 1t not so
in the beginning, and it surely has not been so in
later days. II there have been religious revolutions
there, and great doctrnal changes, they have
been in favor of liberty. Ii there has been any
fanaticism it has been the fanaticism of Tree
thought aud speech so that sometimes it has
been easier for fault-fuders to strike diff
ferent keynote and to denounce the reformers
as intides and religious iconocasts. Sometimes in
stormy days, the way in which the tone of denunc-
alton has changed. and Boston has been charged
alternately with believing too much or too little |
has been sufficiently amusing.
Baltimore hardly claim the interest which |
attaches to Boston. 1t is, indeed com paratively
modern, for the province of Maryland had been III
existence nearly century before the foundations
of the city laid. Its progress, however. in |
modern times has been remarkable. In 1852, it |
had but 200 inhabitants and in 1875 n little less
than 5000. Every succeeding census showed a |
rapid increase until the population has reached its |
present large proportions With great advantages |
of locality. and reaping the advantage OF excel
lent system of railroads, it has gone yearly adj
vancing in commercial activity. Its growth has |
been In accordance with tie spirit of the age |
Colonies are no longer established for the |
promotion Of religious freedom-hardly in
any instance are they now projected |
out of pure motives of morality for the advance
ment of political truth. But, on the other hand |
such colonzing has been rare Mt any period of the |
worlds history. The first colonies We're established |
to secure the advantages Of conquest. The migra- |
tory tendency of the human race has nstinctiyey |
led II to seek fresh fields of enterprise, and to |
occupy new discovered quarters of the world |
Such impulses, tending as they do to increase the |
happiness OF mankind are to be regarded with re-
spect and admiration. Civilization is better than |
barbarism. cultivation than barronness, elegance |
than rustjcity. great city represents. perhaps |
the max mum of human ability, both intellectual |
and physical 1t is the mother of Art Ii is the J
nurse of Science; it tends to refinement OF man. |
ners and it promotes the felicity OF the greatest
number Of human beings. 1t has corresponding |
disadvantages, but these inevitably tine result
Of great aggregates of population. Let the specula
tor who doubts the usefulness and value of cities
ask himself what the world would have been with
out them, and he will soon find himself involved in
maze of endless and useless conjecture
Hancock calls Greenback victory " glorious y |
That supplies his missing financial reco I'd.
L.. l..s. II.