I thought I posted a report on this book last year but if I did I can’t find it. Here is the first excerpt. We will be seeing a lot more of it when we get to 1858.
Allen C. Guelzo, Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America
Posted on 06/01/2017 5:15:26 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
I thought I posted a report on this book last year but if I did I can’t find it. Here is the first excerpt. We will be seeing a lot more of it when we get to 1858.
Allen C. Guelzo, Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America
June 14, SUNDAY. Today at Church; Higby. Professor Agassiz dined here. Made himself fascinating as I believe he always does, but he’s much pulled down by hard work on his forthcoming Opus Magnum, Vol. I, and depressed by the ill health of a daughter whom he’s sending off to Euorpe.*
* Louis Agassiz had projected a ten-volume work, Contributions to the Natural History of the United States, to which he had obtained subscriptions at twelve dollars a volume. Only four volumes were ever completed.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
In this passage, Douglas appears to come off as some sort of “moderate” trying to find a middle ground on the slavery question. Maybe it’s a conundrum for all northern democrats; considering that the democrat party is beholden to its solid south slavery constituency, how can you be a democrat, northern or southern, and not by definition be pro-slavery?
At the risk of drawing ire from some quarter for jumping a whole year and two days ahead, I feel compelled to post a link to Lincoln’s House Divided speech, the best light ever shone on the hypocrisies of Douglass and on the political machinations of the slavers.
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/house.htm
June 15. I dined downtown on six clams, and then went to College meeting. Met as usual in the subterranean crypt of the Lafayette Place Dutch Conventicle with a score of grim departed dominies looking down on us from the walls. . . . Tuition fees were reduced from $90 to $50. I expect no practical good, no increase of students from the reduction, but the board was nearly unanimous in its favor. Reference to the president, with the advice of the faculty, to settle practical details of the course of instruction; a very judicious move.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
It’ll cost you a lot more than six clams to dine in downtown New York today....
It's not a month with an R. You'll get food poisoning.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
In this passage we see what sets the United States apart from the rest of the world, and was one of the most important ingredients in its success. That is the adherence to the Rule of Law and the responsibility of the Judiciary to uphold it. The situation in New York, as described (and perhaps over-hyped somewhat) was akin to a local civil war between elements of local and state government. Yet, it was not resolved by force, it was resolved by going to Court. That has historically been how Americans resolve disputes. Of course, there are plenty of examples of race riots and strikebreaking and other acts, but for the most part those examples involved private actors. This example involves units of the government in open hostility to each other. It well could have spiraled into the outbreak of violent hostilities, with the 7th New York responsible to the Governor fighting the police who answered to the Mayor.
The point is that it didn’t happen. In the end, it was a Court order, duly executed in adherence to the law, that was honored by the potential belligerents, and the crisis was resolved.
I know that people look at America as over-lawyered, and we probably are. Many people, including those on this forum, do not like “activist” judges, and there are a number of cases of judicial abuse. But lest we get wrapped up in statistics, such as “It’s 99% of lawyers who give the rest of them a bad name,” think about any other country where it was a Court Order that was honored in a situation like this. It’s common in America, but rare elsewhere.
It is this adherence to the Rule of Law and established legal precedent that gave America an open society, stability and certainty of outcome that is essential for the conduct of profitable business and general prosperity.
So there.
June 18. No material progress in the history of the coup d’état. Crowd in the park is much smaller today, and the uniform companies are understood to be no longer congregated in their drill rooms awaiting General Sandford’s summons. Wood has been before his ally, Judge Russell, on habeas corpus. Dean, his counsel, claims that he is not liable to arrest for any wrongful act, being protected by his official character; a tolerably startling proposition, which Russell will very probably affirm. A score of suits commercial against him and an order made by Judge Hoffman against him for resisting service of the order of arrest. Returnable next Monday. From Murray Hoffman, Jr.’s, talk I infer that his judicial papa is not unwilling to give the Mayor his deserts. This may, therefore, be a very decisive move.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Interesting times in New York, interesting times. It’s a reminder that there’s much more going on and many more causes of excitement, in addition to the great national dispute over slavery.
June 19. Our municipal civil war is suspended; decision of the Court of Appeals looked for next week. I predict they will affirm the validity of the New Police Bill, but it is a doubtful matter. Six of the eight judges are Democrats.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Mr. Strong really puts the joy into the jaundiced view of life ... as it were.
We walked in, my lawyer showed his order and about 50 people packed their boxes and walked away from their jobs. No law enforcement was present. The power of the rule of law made an impression I've never forgotten, right at the beginning of my career.
Regretfully, I should have added to my post the caveat of “until now.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3562347/posts
June 22. Today scalding hot. Columbia College meeting. When we went into ballot for professor of objectives and subjectives, but thirteen were present; four or five (including the Bishop!) having walked off on various pretexts. We took but one ballot, resulting thus: Nairne 2, J.H.M. Knox 2 (to wit his papa and Beadle, his papa’s jackal), Lord 1 (King), Morgan Dix 5, Tappan 2, G. C. Verplanck(!) 1. Election thereupon postponed to fall. Little Knox was nominated by his father just before going into ballot. No testimonials produced in his favor, except a paternal eulogy. Old Knox’s proceeding about this chair and that of literature have been indecent, and strangely shortsighted for a man reputed sensible. . . .
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
Wow, global warming in 1857. Who knew?
All those horses not worried about their methane hoof prints.
June 24. There are positive reports that Court of Appeals has made up its mind to affirm the judgment of the Supreme Court that declares the “New Police Bill” constitutional, but I suppose them to be lying rumors, for the members of that Court are generally close-mouthed. Such will be their decision, however, I’ve little doubt, and it will be a sore blow to that King of Scoundrels, Wood – the arch-knave of our civic structure (!). It seems an extravagant, impossible suggestion, but I’m not sure that Wood has not been indulging a little in some vague dream of a coup d’état, and a “free city” with himself Doge or Protector or some sort of tyrant for life. He is profligate, ambitious, and energetic enough to entertain such projects, and though they are preposterous, there could be a plausible statement made out to prove them feasible. We shall soon be ripe for a bold effort to accomplish some such result, though it may be a little premature just now.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
I love the way he talks about the mayor. Who would say “arch-knave” these days? It reminds me that the fatal duel involving Philip Hamilton and Mr. Eaker was triggered by the word “rascal.”
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