The sun., 1893-07-16
THE UNITED STATES I. ARE.
David Dudley Field on the Use OF Fiu~nv
Subjects with Singular Verbs.

Subiects with Singular Verbe.
From ns BoSon Ev,-in0 Tan,oipt
The following letter from the distinguished
jurst and scholar. David Dudley Field, deals
admirably with an important point Of lan-
guage. and we are assured, states We've In 70.
gard to which Prot Hill and all the depart
meat of English at Harvard arc wholly at one
with Mr.. Field:
., STocKpRrDoE, June 10. 1893.
DEAR sra: You have been so kind as to send
mo your interesting work on the Foundation
of Rhetoric for which thsuk you. The eer-
vice that YOU have performed Tor tho preserva-
ton IN It's purity OF our common speech Is not q
small one, and trust that it may help to atom
tho tidr "t = hybrid language which. seems TO
OF III" word comb me- used as u noun. which
s@sSm snss iron o the slang Of band Of thteyss
good birth into our mother tongue
| have observed with especial qualification
monty ussd 10y carclcsS writer's S'V aud d'p SOME o
times by those who should know better. Irefer
of tho / niiei states is" with variations Of
shc. hc'. and dcySrt No wonder that Bryant
dSnonrsGh i when It Lcsan. wish that me
was there 4 phrase in use with so little to COM
SnS %sSs II f&r i has merit IN
she" ner.' or "hcrsclt"
former Is Tint tn" Federal Constitution desig-
rates rates the United states as, pIura. Thus Ia
sstsni to the laws Of I'll the 'qu 'S PSSs Istss Sn aaa
treaties made under H,cl. authority" Section
conss, only in lcwing, war against hen,. or In
Has ,l,e civil war nq,c any difference in this
respect? see tho thirteenth article OF the
ameihnmenf an Nelth.r slavery nor in,oluntary
orany vi lace sutJert to Msir jurisdiction
Not only lid tho framers OF tho Constitution
SCI before Us this model. out tho earlier Presi.
spntches. and state papers. without exception,
80 lar AS can disc9,sr' made their language
sons , suffice for every true Amcricany
The usage OF which you complain is contrary
auires plural verb for a plural noun. / rs-
memtor that years ago. during tho fierce hut
Of tho parties got hold o. a letter of one % OF the
candidn'es. which, by aid Of much Imagination
Read as Il Written t our suorinGs fs ,s e nto1erao
blc. pcrhars hecause tho asst letter OF suffer-
ing had atwist in ii: This. however. was asenou9h
trumpeted from one end " tho land to the
other as proof o. the candidates Ignorance.
the true crammar o. 1880
This new phrnseoloGy is. moreover. contrary
TO our own usage in other respects. Has any
;hI nhmeTlcah historian ever written or spoken Of
BY the ryrtalsf Has it ever been asserted of
New York and New Jersey that they IS contiR-
suTp"se e Stss Mo X ssns
other countries. The cantons OF Switzerland
have hays sret united. some, or all Of them. in q
sort OF federal compact for many ages. VINO
ever wrote oi thom that tho | lnitoa Cantons
ga. g,a n'mE h7' neutrality among European
Rhine have been united time out of mind.
somrtimes under stakeholder: sometimes
King. Who over thought OF saying that the
United Provinces OF the ,,ðerland, 'rds once
the north II US. composed of So eral provinces.
DO The ranatians write that their PROVINCES
mnionG Thcre is an n empire a 'eh't Of Germany
across til" water. consisting of not few sepa-
rated Htnios. 10 the Germans say that thoir
consolidated 10y the Franco German WARP 7 7,
do not affirm that snch !ana uage WAS never
used. but have never seen it written or heard
Then as to cuphony. which, is a matter Of
orally though Int to be- in forming the manners
and tastes of people, what American is there
he secs or reads such an ilI-sounding express
sion as the Emitted States is or ,ras or las
undertaken this enterpriss or that
write the United States IS or ,ras or has. you
M kc oH Of ot s the
from Mr.. Chase'e lam Gus nphorism that this 10
Gn Of
fancy that ali is we'll within ana without. They
ting il toward Federal anthorIty. 70 50 20 fur:
session. enacted and upheld upon the plea of
Federal sovereiRnty.it needs no prophet to tore.
Toll tnbt II tne IOuuuhtlOn OF tnat enRCtmt0G
be not dashed In pieces the incoming century
will see this nation either broken into frag-
ments or converted into Il consolidated repu6-
lic-nnotEer name for 4 despotism. which
would be but n prelude to anarchy. and that
but prelude to an empire. and that but au-
other name for an emperor and military do.
minion. But am not going into political
homily. and content myself with expressing
our history rast and present, in the strife Of
parties. in the conflict Of interests. why we
should 81 keen ever before US US. and repeat on al
mics and colleges. In our lectures and reviews,
that ours Is n nation composed Of autono-
nous States. whose existence in tho plenis
tude Of their reserved powers is as essential 40
In the Union ITSELF Faithfully yours.
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD.
ADAMS SHERMAN HILL. ESQ.,. Professor Has.
ward University.