Year: 1867

The North American Review and the New
York judiciary.


The last number of the North American Revie,o


has taken exception TO certain features in the ju-
dietary of the city of New York. No doubt there
is modcum of truth in lis animadversions, as
there was in those which it recently made upon
the press in the Same city and in subsequent
article upon the City Council of New York
But in its criticism upon the New York press,
and particularly upon the New YORK HERALD,
it was obvious from its random and hap hazard
remarks that it wrote with Q plentiful lack of
knowledge Of the subject under consideration.
We understand that its article on the New
York press, so far from being the result of its
own unbiased researches, was simply an out
burst Of spleen on the part of New York
Bohemian. who sold it for fifty dollars. A"
similarly unreliable account of the New York
City Council was afterwards furnished to the
same review, il we are not misinformed, by
brehcss lawyer of this city. for seventy-Rve
dollars. And now, for hundred dollars, the
North american Revie,c, we are told, has
secured violent diatribe against the judiciary
OF New York


Well, it is curious to watch the transforml-
tions in the external aspects Of the Puritan
element which always remains essentially the
same. Once 1t was rlgidly orthodox; now,
according to its own ancient standard, 1t must
be admitted to be az hetero iox as possible.
But cosmopolitan and philosophical and
catholic as it now claims 10 be, substituting
as it does German rationalsm for the old rigid
dogmas OF Hopkins and Jonathan Edwards,
il is as Pharisaical as ever. 81 thank God
that am not as other men," and g Holier than
thou" are still its notices.


Let us remind the North american Revie,o
of the numerous vacillations in New England
views during the last half century. Every
doubtful question which has disturbed the pub
lie mind has originated there. To cite no other
examples. look at the sudden and extraordi-
nary changes which have been exhibited on
the tariff question and the slavery question.
New England vessels were among the first to
introduce slaves into the Southern States.
New England delegates opposed and retarded
the abolition of the slave trade New England
merchants, in 1912, made fierce and resolute
opposition to President Madison for carrying
on a war with England. which interfered with
their not ons of free trade. Webster and Harri.
son Gray Otis were their eloquent mouth
pieces in 1925 in favor Of free trade; but,
prestol in 1927, whas changel Webster
and his brother orators in New England were
their no less eloquent mouthpieces in support
Of diam atricaly opposite views.


Daring the rebellion the New England policy
was persistently in favor of raising the revenue
to The highes. and most impracticable figure.
The fearful results Of this policy begin 10 be
apparent


Taking all thase facts, which illus'ra the
vacillating policy of New England, into consid-
GRAFTON. who shall blame us if we counsel the
North american Revie,o 10 strive 10 correct the
errors of its own section before administering
reproof to New York? Let New England re-
move the beam from its own eye before il
troubles itself about the mote in that OF its
neighbor's.