New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-14


PIP wiser q. I. Futnan's sons -
III. s,o,s ~ Boston as told by Professor Vil-
49, = a,st;nsnishci from other histories 10y the
possession OF certain qualities when siNS "
sncoial value The dominant note OIL the new
historical method is the application OF the eNoi"-
,ienarv principle The student no longer expects
"a ind the full explanation Of srcat political or
SOCIAL changes in their immediate antecedents-
SIC looks mach further hack. lie seeks traces OF
rrowinS tendencies in pablo opinion. Nor is there
any era OF modern history which better rcpays
sns NOR FULLY vindicates this treatment than
That which embraces ,he American Revelation
while II that Revelation no part more strongly
exhibits the effects Of gradual development than
the annals Of the Boston community. For a long
time /, WAS the practice Of the historian whether
American os English. 10 proceed upon the theory
that the Revolution grew entirely out Of irri'at~
ing and oppressive acts committed by the British
Government during the generation immediately
preceding il, Many writers too. have held That
the sentiment in favor Of maintaining dependence
upon the mother country very strOug almost
10 the last, and that it changed only when the
contes, had become irrepreSSible.
Professor Gilman. however, : enabled 10 bring
out the fact that the struggle between the colony
and the crown WIS increasing during century
and halt. and that the public opinion OF Boston
hundred years before the Declaration of indie
pendence as when that Declaration was made.
II must indeed be admitted that FOR a long time
,he attitude Of Boston toward the King was
difficult 20 Justify upon any principle recognized
at the time and especially in regard 10 the salary
Of the royal Governors the BoStonianS exhibited
n stubhornness which was not only illogical but
plainly perversc. They would not pay the Gov
ernor themselves and they would not agree TO
his being paid by the King They wodld not be
content with q Governor taken from among them
selves and they protested vigorously against an
executive sent from England. In those days. In
deed, they gave so many fair opportunities 10
their enemies that but for the engroSSment Of the
home Government in nearer and more serious
affairs they must have drawn down sharp chaStise.
ment upon themselves; for this was in the days
Of their weakness. when defence against the royal
power would have been ont OF the question.
The community that could not stomach royal
interference. ana that stood 50 stoutly for its
charter privileges, was. nevertheless. in some
respects the most submissive and lOng-SufIering
enc imaginable 1t was governed by the
e>raay, which was not less despotio than secu-
lar ruler possessing practically unlimited authority
is ape 10 be- As regards the harsh intolerance of
the Pari,ars, no doubt q great deal too much has
ecea said in criticism. The fundamental fact that
the settlers Of Boston ana Plymouth never pre-
,csdef-o Ne liberal has been too commonly left out
az consideration. 1t is historic truth that these
raea. could they have had their own way in Eng
land. would have. prosecuted and put down the
form Of worship from which they revOlted. They
enigrated simply because they found themselves
Cutnumh ered and overborne; but in changing their
cline they did not change their minds. and when
they had established themselves in the New World
il was perfectly natural and perfectly consistent
for them 10 exclude all other denominations. Inc
pcrsccuting spirit was that of their age. The IL
humanity with which they used the Quakers was
after all merely the inhumanity Of the period,
and not nearly so cruel as the period al is wo:sc
could be. Execution of heretics by hanging Vas
certainly more merciful than burning them alive,
and that was being done all over Europe at the
time when the Quakers and the Salem witches were
being led to the galows.
As 10 the Salem witchcraft episode we may CON
clude that from some points OF view II is rather
croditable than otherwise to the NeT-EngLand
people The superstition and c.cd-l-y which 10
duesd il carroe ~ sd % -1ei. eLa.Ce, lEAs=2te
as all TIE world bed tie sA-e tc-s.s ss''-i ~
supernatural All he VOID. -:.e.Tec- -es- 1.i-
that roas,ing s,ive MAS -Ae y-res I'D q 3ss-g
with witches sri t6z- t1e .ulc.a. -.t1on1s - -
employed IN securing tAe,- c--vl --a- ~s-~ -1,sss
so skilfuny sys;,r,a,5aed ov - i-Q-aSte--
methods under which eScsTe ~ Tie ae>cst-1
was impossible, slIce ever avenue -
which his CT her innocence might
be demonstrated was carefully closed WIZ
sn internal ingenuity. Tie whole procedure
in Salem was mild by contrast with the prevailing
Europcan practice. The examinations were 50
conducted as to leave loopholcS Of escape 70 tie
accused: the endemic OF fear and suspicion and
orcduhty was very soon over; the people who
had been deluded quickly regained their senses
and the whole number OF victims WAS but nine
teen. When we reflect that in Europe scores Of
thousands went 20 the stake under the same &C
ousatiens and that the madness endured for cen.
ru-.es there we must consider the Salem affair
As rather 8 striking proof Of the progress which
the New World had made in enlightenment Inc
Boston theocracy was lightly touched by the witch
mania. and quickly ard fully recovered The con
di,sons amid which those men lived were not
favorable 30 the growth Of Illusions The New
England mind WIS practical II tie New .ElE.and
conscience was uneasy.
Professor Gilman gives a graphic Slctch Of the
changes which gradually passed over BoStor So
sie,y. and which led L. the SUbocdlnailon q the
ology and the dominance Of politics. The most
interesting period q AL that N which. under the
able and perSever.ng labor Of Samuel Adams, TIE
Father q tie Revolution tie public MUD was
r-epArei ~ the haal revolt against the royal
authority is also described with strong eject
in bold srd elea- lines Never was the influence
Of a single visorv2s mind fully knowing lis ewn
purposes, aid bent upon carrying them o.; nv
any azt al means. rncre S;s.aucN exhibited
The foresight. tie Judgment, tie switt utilization
81 neSas. size P-OfoaDd Suow.eGsc q human ns'oEe
displayed hy Samuel Adams during this struggle,
enitls him 70 tho highest place among admits
traitors and leaders 90 men and % HIM mora than
say ether Individual -a&>t DC A>csi0ed the
riPeniIg Of that public sentiment which MADE
independents possible. Pr0ieSSo- Gilman iolOwS
The dessi-,cs Il BostOa down 70 modern times.
and t<aosS tie evolution 81 tie present CITY