The times., 1899-07-09
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regard TO some of the evil influences pre-
vaiiing in the organization:
These influences would not have become para
mount and predominant on Manhattan Island i
IL had contained q city normally constituted a
to its pouation. or normally housed as 60 it.
dwellings For the first half century New lnrs
was such city, and Tammauy Hall, while pow
erful, not despotic. But between 1870 anc
$50, large portion of the middle class OF New
York was siphoned off by insular conditions %
territory into Brooklyn. which has often had iu
boss, always its political Independence, and nevei
a Tamuiany Hall. No insignificant share of thu
same general class was diverted to the suburban
settlements OF New Jersey and Connecticut. This
left New York city without that precise social
enclaye which might have saved it. and which
in all cities and all times is the salvation of thu
commonwealth. the class which filled the train
bands Of England in the fight with Charles, and
the Continental Army in the fight with George
Lastly, there existed the pressure Of
American life. quite rs much matter of nerv'
Gus imagination of actual exertion, and the
more serious social fact that a torrid summer
drove from the city for n long absence the class
which was most needed for daily personal inhu
ence, women OF character, cultivation, and we'll
to-do surroundings. This summer absence de-
priyed them Of the network of myriad contact
which insensibly diffuses social ideas. The tene-
ment-house system, due 10 the limited area OF
the city, aggravated and eXasperated all these
conditions by preventing among the great mass
that personal acquaintance which are only pos
sible where each family has its separate home.
New York for half century has been berthed,
not housed.
1t will thus be seen that New York is, in
its geographic and racial conditions, an
abnormal city, and though this abnormali-
ty will in time lessen. as the city takes
on a life and character of its own, it offer
ed an excellent field for the INSCRIPTIONS
boss. The conditions were, in fact, at one
time not dissimilar to those prevailing in
some parts of the South during the days
of reconstruction. There was an immense
mass of ignorant or partially informed
voters, led By more or less ignorant or de-
signing politicians, and through the drain
ing off of the conservative and conscien-
tious part of the population-the people
who are merely independent and well-to-
do-there was no way to outvote this state
of things. Hence the much-talked of cor
ruption of Tammany, which may perhaps
be said to have been more sinned against
than SHINING. The trouble was not in the
essential construction of the society, but
in the conditions which gave it into the
hands of rascals. Mr.. Williams has well
said that Tammany gains its power by a
combined hideous imitation and wise use
of important civil duties neglected by the
well-to-do, and what applies to Tammany
boss in almost any place.
The other essays are not analyses of any
thing, but more in the nature of reminis-
cences, and. are the work of various writ
ers who have been invited to contribute to
a volume of peculiar interest to historians
and students of the character of a people.
The paper on Breuckelen is by Harring-
ton Putnam, and contains a great guam
tity OF information about the early inhab-
and Of hot u
neighborhood. 1t was named for the many
centuries old village between Amsterdam
and Utrecht in old Holland. and there are
views of its Dutch namesake, and some
facts in the history Of the latter which are
not generally known.
The account of Slavery in New York"
contains a story of a great insurrection
scare in 174l, which, in its inception and
results, bears some resemblance to the ia
nous Salem witchcraft panic. though its
incidents were much more barbarous. The
evidence consisted of the revelations of one
Mary Barton, q woman OF doubtful reputa
tion, indentured servant at low tavern.
who, with her master and mistress. was
arrested on a charge of receiving stolen
goods
The astute Mary bethought herself of
way to turn states evidence and secure
her own pardon and a reward of a hun
dred pounds, and confessed all the de-
tails Of plot among the slaves to destroy
the city and the fort. This created a spe-
cies of hysteria among the people of New
York, and fourteen negroes were burned,
eighteen hanged, and seventy-one trans
ported. Then-and here the history of
the panic again approaches that Of the Sa-
lem affair-Mary grew bold and began TO
accuse persons of quality, and 1t was de-
cided that she must be stopped. The
whole matter appears to have ended sud-
denly, as the witchcraft delusion did, as
soon as people began to get control of
their senses. This was fifty years later
than the Salem panic. and probably grew.
as the latter did. out of rumor of a sim
liar excitement somewhere else.
There are numerous other interesting
things in this book, and 1t will be partic-
ularly useful volume to teachers, stu
dents. and others who for pleasure or use
are bent on becoming acquainted with our
country as it was in the making. 1t should
be owned by public Libraries, by school
libraries, and by those who delight in
beautiful books. CNew York: C. P. Put
nam's Sons. $3.50.