Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1883-05-31
SuurnaI ana Gourisr.
EDITEp kND puBIlsHHp BY
Thursday, May 81, 1888.
BUTLER AND HARVARD.

Wendell Phillips has had his say concern
ing the great question which has been vexing
an important part of the universe namely,
whether Harvard collage should give Cover
nor Butler the degree of Doctor of Laws.
And, as is usually the case, his sfsay' is a
sensible one. He hardly believes that Har-
yard college can be left to such judicial blind
ness as to refuse to confer the degree on the
governor. s'Such a breach of the custom
SO long established as to be almost law he
continues, s'would be disgrace to it's off,
GERS and would very seriously affect the feel.
ings of the commonwealth towards the COL
lege. For the people would not stop to dis
criminate, or to remember that the insult
was not really the act of the old and time-
honored college, but merely venting of
spleen on the part of the narrow-minded and
prejudiced men who, unfortunately, chance,
for the moment, to represent her. Any true
friend of Harvard would pause long before
doing, in her name, an act which, long after
he had passed away, might, and probably
would, subject her to the bitter hostility of
the people of Massachusetts,. She does not
stand now any too strong in the affections of
the commonwealth. If the custom Is a bad
one, let it be changed at some future time.
But not now, when every man will see that it
is only the impotent attempt of defeated
faction to insult successful rival"
This is frst-rate advice, but the college
has been getting plenty of the other kind,
and from sources, too, whence very different
things might fairly be expected. Thus the
nj E3r,A a 4
college is Influenced in the distribution of its
honors by other considerations more strong
ly than by party or personal politics, there
are reasons enough why Governor Butler,
who is already DIR. Butler by the favor of a
college in Maine, should not have the for
NAL approval of his character, scholarship
and attainments, and the use he has made of
them, which the Harvard degree would im-
ply. * Harvard college is under no obi
cation, we may even say she has no right
to allow her honors to be extortsd from her
as political blackmail. Let her corporation
and overseers do their duty as their iudg-
ment and conscience point it out to them,
and the people of Massachusetts will take
care of the consequences.
The Spy also points out that the argu-
ment from precedent In this matter has been
somswhat overworked. A careful exami-
nation of the record shows that since the
practice of giving the governor degree be-
gan, two governors have not received it at
all, one received it in the tenth year of his
service and three in the second year. Of the
twenty governors since the constitution,
therefore, six were not honored with this de-
gree during the first year of their service. 1t
is also pointed out that while the connection
of the college with the StatexWas maintained,
it was customary to confer the degree ot doc
tor of laws upon each justice of the supreme
judicial court, but this practice has been of
late abandoned, and without offense though
no member of that court, since the depart
ure from the ancient custom, has been in
character or professional attainments un-
worthy of the honor. And it is urged that
the custom in the case of the governor is
not more sacred than in the case of the
judges.
1t is surprising to unprejudiced outsiders
that some of the leaders of public opinion in
Massachusetts, who can usually be depended
on to lead well have made such work with
this question. But we suppose that the
height and depth of the hatred felt for Gov
ernor Butler by the respectable people of
Massachusetts, who did not vote for him can
not be adequately understood by an outsider