The sun., 1903-07-19

u. g.
leaven OF the well-to-do trading classes
Such being the case, il was TO be- expected
that, during England's civil war, there
would be nothing like unanimty OF sym
pathy among the settlers. and 10 IL
proved. Men differed, but they did not
hold their opinions with enough tenacity
TO endanger the peace of the colony. On
subsequent page. We read: ut II the
fashion to speak OF Cavalier Virginia and
republican New England: to regard the
one as representing the aristocratc, the
other the plebeian. element Ia English life.
That is but faint approximation TO the
truth. More correct would II 20 10 say
that both mainly represented the English
middle class, the class of woman and
the trader, neither being drawn exclu-
sively from one or the other; but ina
natural conditions developed in Virginia
landed aristocracy but in New England
a type OF community which might either
be called wide and modified olgarchy,
or restricted and severely conditioned
democracy" In Virginia, power insen-
sbly found its way into the hands of the
landowners The great bulk Of the popu-
lation. the servants and bondsln~n, whether
white or black, stood outside the body
polite In the various New England coi-
onies political rights were fenced III by
religious qualifications more or less severe
but by the close of the seventeenth cen
tury there existed nothing which could
be called class permanently excluded
from power, IL we except Indians ana
negroes. Mr.. Doyle "a probably right In
thinking that in 100 there were not 5000
slaves in the whole territory between
Kennebec and Long Island.
On page IS Mr.. Doyle asserts that in
respect of race, the New England settle
ments were by far the most homogeneous
portion Of the colonies. We do not see
how this assertion can be reconciled with
the subsequent admission that "in virginia
and Maryland We find no trace Of any foreign
element Curiously, too. in the pages
devoted 10 the measures taken by the
colonies for the promotion of education
Mr. Doyle mentions the founding Of William
and Mary College in 1898, but says not
a word about Harvard College, which
was founded in 1895. Yale College.
founded in i7Ol, is also overlooked. though
the author mentions that "between lHl
and 1854 colleges were founded in New
York in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania. ,"
We would not cavil at remark on page
80 that during the first half Of the eigh-
teenth century "the literature OF New
England becomes more and more con-
vent ional copy of contemporary English
models" because the author haste to
add that Jonathan Edwards stands out
above his fellows His work is marked by
a force and consecutiveness of thought,
an exactness of expression and wealth Of
illustrative learning which give him place
among great thinkers, But he is isolated
and in no sense typical representative OF a
contemporary school"
Mr. Doyle is disposed to minimize the
grounds Of that Colonial discomfort which
eventually eliminated in the demand for
political independence. Thus we read on
page 5S "Men have often written and
spoken as though the economical develop
ment OF the colonies had been stif,ed by the
narrow and selfish policy Of the mother
country. 1t Is no doubt true that English
statesmen for the most part thought OF a
Colony as a community which existed to
supplement the commerce and industry
of the mother country, to receive Its goods
and to furnish it with desirable imports.
In this respect the colonial administration
of England differed in no way from that
of any other country in the Old World.
II differed, however, in this, that although
the men who administered the English
colonies might be at times corrupt and
negligent, corruption and negligence never
undermined the colonial administration OF
England, as they did that OF France. Nor
Ia there any reason TO think that, under
a more liberal and enlightened system
the colonies would have advanced further
In manufacturing industries than they did
In New England repeated attempts were
made to encourage the production Of tex
tile fabrics by bounties and by importing
skilled workmen, but with small success
Only the coarser forms Of clothing worn
by the poor were made in the colony. Iron
too, was produced, but only Of inferior
quality, and all cutlery and farm imple-
ments of any importance came from Eng
land" We think that the author under
rates the effect Of the persistent determine
tion evinced in the mother country by
statutes and by regulations Of the Board OF
Trade TO stifie manufactures in the colonies
Mr.. Doyle admits that the acts of Parlia'
ment controlling expectation and importa'
tion in the colonies created friction and
begot a sense OF grievance. Thus, under
the Navigation act Of 1850, European goods
might not be imported into the colonies
except in ships either Of Britain or of the
British colonies sailing from British ports
The restriction was relaxed in the case
Of salt, and originally it did not apply
to trade with foreign colonies. In 1888
however, an act was passed which our author
ackno Wedges would, IL strictly enforced
have borne very hardly on the New Englanc
colonies. We refer to the duty imposed
by the British Government on all molasse'
imported from the French or Spanish Wes
Indian islands Undoubtedly says Mr.
Doyle, -the two restraints which bore mos
severely on the colonies were the Molassei
acts and the prohibition to export tobacco
to the Continent of Europe" No doub
both restraints were largely evaded, but
whatever may have been the extent o.
| the contraband trade, there can be bu
tile doubt that the commercial restrictions
beRat sense OF oppression" Anothe,
fruitful source of dispute between the Home
| Government and the Colonial assemblies
| is recognized The colonies. suffering from
| a lack OF specie and desiring to avert th'
payment Of taxes in kind, wanted to issue
paper money. This the Colonial Governors
! were instructed to prevent, In l720 an orde
| WAS issued by the King In Council forbiddinl