New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-05
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
COTTON MATHER DEFENDED.
HIS CONDUCT IN REFERENCE TO wIToHcRArr
LBss HASTy THAN HAS BEEN ASSERTED.

HIS CONDUCT IN REFERENCE TO wTTCHcRArr
LEES HASTY THAN HAS BEEN ASSERTED.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In recent review OF Professor Wendell's
most excellent and Just life Of Cotton Mather You
say "The manner OF dealing with II (witchcraft for
which he largely responsible he learned TO see the
wrong and danger off, / beg TO dissent from the
statement that Mather TO any great degree respon
sibe for the manner Of dealing with the wchcraft of
1902. This, grant, is the fair inference from the
purported extract from the advice OF the ministers
to the court which Professor Wendell quotes from
Upham. But Upham does not quote literally nor
epitomize Justly. Not only did the ministers advise
caution and circnmspectlon," but a very critical
and exquisite caution lest by too much credlity for
things received only upon the Devils authority, there
be door opened for long train Of miserable eonse-
quenoes' etc Again: IL Is necessary that all pro
ceedings thereabout be managed with en- exceeding
tenderness towards those that may be complained off,
Again: That there may nothing be used as test
for the trial Of the suspected the awfulness whereof
may be doubted among the people OF God" Ana here
is the great caution that was entirely ignored Con
victions whercupon persons may be condemned as
guilty Of witchcfas ought certainly to be more con-
siderable than barely the accused persons being repre-
scented by a spectre unto the afflicted. Nor can we
esteem alterations made in the sufferers by look
touch OF the accused to be infalibe evidence OF
guilt but frequently liable to be abused by the Devils
egerdemain."
Five OF the eight paragraphs OF the advice are
in this strain The closing one cannot but " humby
recommend unto the Government the speedy and
vigorous prosecution Of such have rendered them
selves obnoxious according to the directions given
in the laws Of Cod and the wholesome statutes OF the
English Nation, for the detection OF witchcrafis'
have quoted all that is said TO favor the work.
but only q small portion OF the cautions l submit
that 1t shows the injustice OF the alleged quotation
OF Upham reproduced by Mr. Wendell, that, In gen.
eral terms 1t urged the importance of caution and
earnestly recommended that the proceedings should
be vigorously carried on" 1t will be seen that this
Is not what II purportS to be, quotation from the
advice The emphatic words are omitted In tho
cautions, and the recommendations TO continue con-
tain emphatic words not In the original This letter
has been again and again warped and twisted to make
out a case against Mather until the general pubIc
has an entirely erroneous idea of It, Mather wrote
on May 81 1922 to John Richards who had Just been
appointed a member of the commission TO try the
alleged witches In Salem, letter In which he urged
similar caution: ado not lay more stress upon
pure spectre testimony than IT will bear The Devil
was sometimes represented in the shapes OF persons
not only innocent but very virtuous.' SO far docs
he 20 TO extremes in this letter that he fears some
may call him a "witch-advocate.n Cotton Mathcr was
nor present at single trial In salem and at only one
execution. For l rejoice that Professor Wendell
still better had he gone TO the original sources ~
one or two cases, instead OF relying upon alesed
'OI salem Dec. /. is9i. WINFIELD S. NEvINS.