New-York tribune., 1915-10-30

t-~Dos s,Ars". To GeorE, X Dorsn ComprnyJ
altogether. and IN some instances there
was no suffering, only material loss.
and that Of no great moment One can
feei for the Commissioners. They must
have had some tedious hours, trying 20
arrive st the perfect shade OF compen-
sation 10 which a given patriot was en-
titled
Professor Egerton tells once again
the familiar tale Of loyslist vicissitude.
To read Of the tarrings and gatherings
which the faithful were ever ready to
bestow upon any political backslider is
10 realize that the adherents OF the
King were indeed In sad case. But
when the Wings were not tarring the
Tories the Tories were tarring the
Wings. II was pull devil, pull baker
most Of the time, a fact which me
editor rightly emphasizes. Neither MS
sympathes nor the readers are, 10 be
sure, definitely engaged upon one side
or the other. The loyalists, we know,
were in the wrong, but, as has already
been indicated, their story IS very hu-
man. The rancors of that era are now
as dead as Pharaoh. and as we look
over the shoulder of the good Coke we
forget everything save the comedy OF
the case in hand. There Is, FOR eN-
ample, that Of Mr.. Harrison Gray, jry
native of Boston, son Of member OF
the Mandamus Council. when the trou-
bles broke out his father was treasurer
of the Province e. he was Deputy 70
his father. lie took the same part with
his father & was steadily attached 70
this Country England. he had no
Opportunity of distinguishing hlmseh
by his Exertions he never bore Arms.
He was never i'll treated by the Mob.
He left Boston in August, l175, came
home 10 England on account Of his
health" Delightful Is the affidavit OF
old John Chandler, sworn as witness
in this case. Yes. he had known Gray
from his infancy and believed him to be
a loyalist. But about that little matter
Of the claimants going TO England on
account Of his health-he was not so
sure. "DOes not know that he was
much out of order e. believes that
nothing aipd him. Says he believes
that he came away from fear OF beng
killed" Exit Master Gray, but we near
OF him in a footnote, leading "a grum-
bling existence" in London, down 10
1880. with a small pension. from the
government. That small pension IS
Characteristic Coke and the others
were severe in their scrutiny OF the
claims submitted 20 them, but they
were not ungenerous. The claims eX-
amined totalled something over eight
million pounds sterling. OF this amount
they allowed So ,033, ,09l, surely q far
proportion as such things go. q,
The loyalists, in short, we're wei
treated by the country 10 when they
elected TO cling. In Benjamin Vests >
allegorical picture Of "The Reception OF
the American Loyalists by Great brit-
ain in the Year 1888" reproduced as a
frontispiece to this volume, the mantle
of Britannia is supported by Religion
and Justice, and with her arm ana
shield she extends her protection TO
the refugees who had fled our shores.
The situation is not overdrawn. Coke :
pages confirm it in every detail and the
historian will appreciatively consult
him on the question Of England's policy
toward a notable group of her children.
But even more will this thoroughgoing
and kindly commentator be read by
both historian and laymsn for the
piouancies buried in his formal text.
Professor Egerton deftly guides US 10
the desirable plums. He detaches the
claims which illustrate the circum-
stances of doctors, lawyers and clergy
men. and which. through details OF pro-
fessional income, throw light on the
economic history Of the period. lie
brings out the sometimes cynical and
sometimes quaint divagations OF the OF
fceholding class. There was fixed at
Savannah when the troubles broke OUT
a Master Stephen Haven, who there ex-
ercised the functions OF naval officer OF
Georgia. lie was thus Fixed" at the
tender age OF ffteen, and was wont 10
hand over his emoluments 20 his
mother. The Commission baked at
giving him all he asked for, but the
clever youth nevertheless contriyed 70
extort bounty OF 500 year from the
authorities az Whitehall. And there
were some lion-hearted men IN the lot
like John Chandler, 70 whom we nave
already referred. They called MN
"the modest refugee" because his
claims were so reasonable. lie mad TINS
10 saw for himself: after suffering the
most cruel insults. being deprived OF
tis liberty and threatened in the most
alarming manner. unless he would sac
rifce his LOYALTY TO the King, renounce
the Worcester Protest, which he had
promoted and signed, and adopt in its
stead very reasonable league and
covenant. he was obliged, in
order 70 save himself from an igno--
minious death, to fly from his home
He was an old man. ieaving sixteen
children behind him, when he sought
asylum In London.
There is a touch OF drama in the
/ Chandler case and il is not the only
one 10 be in that way enlivened. Coke
makes his notes without emotion, sim
ply, tersely, with an eye 20 facts. But
/ he makes them face TO face with men
some Of whom have known high advent
ures. In spite OF himself ne gives us
on occasion, a poignant sense OF old
/ unhappy fsr-off things and battles Ions
ago.