New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-17

show of reason for submitting that man of his
disa biliues such change was likely TO bring ABOUT
unless he hoped for some counterbalanclng adyan-
tage from such a change of creed in this world as
well as in the next: that possibly the aro1 l
shallying government of his brother. Charles II,
believed a Arm decided and straightforward policy,
supported by the Pope and the King OF t5anGe; 69
the throne of England than any pandeIng 70 1 me
senters of various descriptions. who did not know
their minds.
Whatever may have been the uncertainties of
the position Of James Duke of York at any
given time, the attitude of James II King of
England was never in dispute for moment.
He was q Catholic, and wanted everybody to
know it, and hoped they would follow his exam
pie. We see no reason to doubt that he was as
sincere as he was jealous. and can appreciate
the biographer's qualification at the long de-
ferred and much needed improvement that
marked his heros morals in his latter days.
But the effort to defend, to extenuate 20 put
gloss upon evil or questionable transactions that
took place after James's accession and CONVEX
sion is very apparent. Glance at the account OF
the Bloody Assizes Jeffreys, we are told was
an able but corrupt judge. whom Sunderland
had induced James to take into his confidence
In his severity he exceeded his commission.
a Major Holmes who had fought under Mon on
II, q
old man. and had lost son and an arm
in the brief campaign On hearing of his case,
courage even in an enemie" says the compiler of
the Memoirs "dscoUrsed freely with him, and no
Der. til It was thought fit TO send him down INTO
the West. one who could best inforHe the LORD
Chief Justice. who We're most criminal. and who
most deserved mercy; and that ne might doe some
service ere he received his pardon which was dlf-
but instead of that. the first news the King heard
Of him was that he had been hanged with the rest
Careless of Jeffreys, very. and doubtless his
master thought him very tiresome-but he re-
warded him all the same with the highest office
| in the gift Of the Crown. No amount Of white
wash alter the character of that transac-
ton. The same anirnus appears in sly little digs
at the perfdy of Anne, the inf3elities of Will
lam and the heartlessness of Mary-an Protes-
tant. This is not the place in which to prove
that James II did not lose his throne because
of his religion. Leopold Won Ranke declares
that James would have insured himself peace
full and perhaps a glorious reign if he could
have prevailed on himself TO treat his religion
private matter, as he had done before his
accession. The score against James is that he
opposed the current of English constitutional
and intellectual liberty, he took the pay of
France, aimed at absolCtsm. curtailed the free
dom of the press. tried to do without Parlia-
ment and to force his new religion down the
threats Of people against their will. To the
biographer these mon7entoEs charges make ap-
parently no appeal beside the fact that. owing
TO James IT'S terrible deficiencies in Judgment of
men and character. and his consequent lament
able choice of advisers, ministers and friends
he did more harm to the Catholic cause in Great
Britain than anyone else during the seventeenth
century with the sole exception of the conspra-
tors in the Gunpowder Plot"