New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12
III.
A DEVOTEE OF LAW.

A DEVOIEE Or Law"
Long afterward Hutchinson displayed the same
practical sense in his successful efforts to es-
tablish the boundary between Massachusetts ana
New-York. When the Acadans were turned out
of Nova Scotia 1t was Hutchinson who TOOK the
lead In efforts to relieve the distress OF those
who arrived in Boston. If it had not been Tor
their own unwillingness to impair their s'anuihs
with France he might have obtained Tor the"
the value Of the property from wh'ch they ia'
been evicted. In other ways he seems to have
shown his kindness Of heart. But In the hieh-
est positions of Colonial official life he was hard
man for the popular leaders to deal with. In
time when the ideas OF men were growing, his
thought continued to run In its ancient groove.
In the fifties and the sixties of the eighteenth
century he had the company Of the most strenu-
Gus patriots Mr. Hosmer paraphrases rather
than states accurately the political creed OF
Hutchinson In saying that "he believed SUI
premacy In Parliament must be recognized. once
recognized. however he believed II should be
kent in the background as much possible. the
Colonies being allowed to manage themselves"
II one goes 70 the bottom Of Hutchnson's theory
II will be found very simple. He only thought
it impossible that the power Of the English Gov
eminent could be defled There are certain
minds to which the thought Of obedience Is hate
full Such was the tremulous. adrot. determined
Samuel Adams There other minds to which
obedience in the very necessity OF things Such
was Hutchinson. There were also minds that
wavered James Otis. the most eloquent agitator
In Massachusetts, was at the outset more posi-
tive than Hutchinson himself as to the suprem-
acy OF Parliamen.- He called resistance to II
high treason. AS late as III, when Hutchinson
had recently come into the Governorship OF the
Colony, ne insisted that among all the men
OF consideration only the two Adamses. Hancock.
Phillips and a few others were against him.
But there was one element of the population
which was opposed T. Hutchinson and to the en-
croachments OF Parliament all the time. This
was what Mr.. Hosmer calls the mob In Boston
He gives an unovely picture Of this fighting
multitude. comparing 1t TO the mob OF London, and
Nkening Its exploits to those OF the Gordon
rioters. But there was a GOODNESS and foresight
about the Colonial disturbers OF the peace in
Boston that may be looked for in vain elsewhere.
The rude men from the waterside and the work
shops seem to have been able to think for them
selves They understood we'll the preference Of
men like Hutchinson for an aristocratic govern
ment. But they were used to freedom. and
meant to keep what liberty they had Mr.. Hos
mer goes over the whole history Of the contro-
tea He shows how legal and correct the position
Of the English Government and OF American
Royalsts was in regard to this matter and at
the same time how impractcable such legislation
was He does not need to go outside OF Hutchin-
sons writings TO- his material AS Chief Justice.
Lieutenant Governor and Governor. Hutchinson
opposed all the legislative schemes Of Parliament
until these became lew. Then he endeavored TO
enforce them He thus became the principal OBJ
ject Of patriotic hatred. His only regret after
ward was that he did no. use the forces at his
disposal with more energy and decision. But his
minute respect for law kept him In doubt to
his authority and when he consulted lawyers In
England afterward he found that they also
been in his place. He gained nothing by his
hesitancy and moderation. The people were az
much irritated by the presence o. British
soldiers as they would have been by an active
campaign. In addition to all this. letters which
he had written to various persons were secured
In England by Franklin. and sent back to the
| Colony. Mr. Hosmer analyses these letters In de-
| tall and maintains that any one In Hutchinson e
place would have written at least as earnestly as
| he But. at the time. the correspondence looked
| America. Finally, he was relieved by the mill
| tary Governor, Gage. and departed for England
thinking like other Royalists that the spirit OF
| revolt would soon be put down.