and the lords, having considered these things and seek. If the bishop of Soissons sends inadvertently into the ing an opportunity to wring money from the people, city a man who has injured a member of this comsent messengers to them offering to consent to the for- mune, he may recall him this time, after being admation of a commune, if they would give sufficient vised that the man is an enemy of the commune, but money for the license. But a commune (new and ex- he shall not send him again in any capacity, except ecrable word!) consists in this: that the tributaries with the consent of those who are given the authority shall be obliged to pay only once a year to their masters of the commune. the accustomed debt of servitude; if they commit an All forfeiture except offenses against the commune, offense they shall be punished for it by a fine fixed by shall be punished by a fine of 5 sols. (Z. et L., p. 141, law, and they are exempted entirely from all the other from Recueil des ordonnances des rois de France, t. XI., tributary exactions customarily demanded of serfs. p. 219.) When this opportunity to purchase their freedom oc

QUESTIONS curred, the people sacrificed all the heaps of money

1. Had the commune a government of its own? 2. which they had in reserve for the purpose of closing

How was it organized? 3. Is there any mention of a

royal officer residing in the city? 4. Is it clear how these insatiable mouths, and these mouths, satisfied by the magistrates were chosen ? 5. Had the commune an such a rich feast, took oath to keep faith in this trans- esprit de corps? 6. Did the commune include every action. (Z. et L., p. 140, from Guibert de Nogent, t.

one living within its limits? 7. Why should a lord XII., p. 250.)

object to one of his serfs marrying a man of the comQUESTIONS

mune? 8. Were strangers encouraged to carry on

their business in the city? 1. Compare the motives of these lords and clergy 5. LOUIS VII. CONFIRMS AND GUARANTEES THE CHARwith the motives of the Court of Troyes and Louis VII. above. 2. Compare the method of collecting money

TER TO THE COMMUNE OF BEAUVAIS. 1144 A.D. from the townsmen. 3. Did the lords and clergy wel. In the name of the Holy and Invisible Trinity, we, come the formation of this commune? 4. Why were

Louis, by the Grace of God King of the Franks and the townsmen willing to pay dearly for their charter? What advantages had they over the neighboring peas

Duke of the Aquitanians, make known to all, present ants ?

and future, that we grant and confirm, saving the

fealty due us, in the same manner as has been insti4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMUNE OF SOISSONS

tuted and sworn, and with the same customs, the BY LOUIS VI. 1126 A.D.

charter given a long time before by our father Louis All the men living within the walls of the city of to the men of Beauvais. These customs are as follows:Soissons and without the walls in the suburb, to what. All the men living within the walls of the city and ever manor they may belong, shall take oath to the in the suburbs, to what ever lord the land upon which commune; and if any one of them refuse, those who they dwell may belong, shall take oath to the com shall have taken the oath shall exercise justice over his

mune, unless some of them abstain by the advice of house and his money.

the peers! and of those who have taken oath to the All the men living within the boundaries of the com

commune. mune shall render mutual aid to each other to the ex

In all the extent of the city, each shall succor the tent of their ability, and not permit anyone to carry others loyally according to his power. anything away or to collect taxes from any one of them.

If any one shall do injury to a man who has taken When the clock shall summon the commune to as- oath to this cominune, the peers of the commune, if sembly, ony one who fails to appear shall pay a fine of complaint is made to them, shall according to their twelve deniers.

judgment do justice to his body and his goods, unless If any one of the commune has committed an offense he shall make good 'the injury according to their in anything and refuses to give satisfaction before the judgment. aldermen, the men of the commune shall do justice in If he who has committed the injury shall take refuge the case.

in some strong castle, the peers of the commune shall The men of this commune shall take to wife the confer with the lord of the castle, or whoever may be women whom they desire, after having demanded per- in his place, concerning the matter, and if satisfaction mission of the lords to whom the women belong; but

is made to them by the enemy of the commune, accordif the lords refuse, and if without the consent of the ing to their judgment this shall be sufficient. But if lord some one marries a woman belonging to another the lord refuses satisfaction, they shall seize his goods manor, the fine which he shall pay in this case on the

or his men according to their judgment. complaint of her lord, shall be five sols only.

If some stranger merchant comes to Beauvais for the If a stranger brings his bread and his wine into the

market, and some one does him an injury within the city as a place of security and afterwards a difference limits of the banlieu, and complaint is made before arises between his lord and the men of this commune,

the peers, and the merchant is able to find the guilty he shall have fifteen days in which to sell his bread

party in the city, the peers shall give him assistance acand his wine in the city and take away the money,

cording to their judgment, unless, however, this mer. unless he has committed some crime or has been ac- chant should be an enemy of the commune. complice in some crime.

1. Those who administer the commune.

no

And if the guilty party retires to some strong castle, Done publicly at Paris, in the year 1144 of the Incar and the merchant or the peers send to him, if he nation of the Virgin, of our reign the eighteenth, being makes amends to the merchant or proves that he did present in our palace those whose names and seals are not do him the injury, the commune shall be content inscribed below: Raoul, Count of Vermandois, our in the matter; but if he does neither the one nor the Seneschal; Mathieu, Chamberlain; Mathieu, Constable; other, justice shall be done to him according to the William, Cup-bearer. Done by the hand of Caduro, judgment of the peers if he is captured in the city. Chancellor. (Z. et L., p. 144.) No one except us or our senechal shall have power to

QUESTIONS send into the city a man who has done injury to any

done injury to any. 1. How was Beauvais governed? 2. Did the comone of the commune without having made amends ac- mune include every one living within its limits? 3. cording to the judgment of the peers. And if the could the commune make war? 4. What are the evibishop of Beauvais himself shall send by mistake into

dences of a strong esprit de corps ? 5. Were strangers the city a man who has done injury to some one of the

protected in the city and encouraged to do business

there? 6. What were the territorial limits of the commune, he shall not send him here again after this criminal jurisdiction of the coinmune? 7. What prohas been made known to him, unless by the consent of visions are common in the charters of Beauvais and the peers; but for this time he shall have power to re

of Soissons? 8. Have both communes made them. call him, safe and sound.

selves nearly independent of their bishops? If the bishop of Beauvais is on the point of going to 6. LOUIS VII. REPROACHES THE CITIZENS OF REIMS our three courts' or to the army, he shall take each

FOR THEIR USURPATIONS. 1139 A.D. time only three horses, and shall not demand them of To the mayor and to the commune of Reims, Louis, strangers in the commune; and if he wishes to send us by the grace of God King of the Franks and Duke of some fish from time to time, he shall take only one the Aquitanians, grace and favor: horse for this purpose.

It is very painful to us to see that you do what no No member of the commune shall give or lend his other commune has dared to do. You overstep in all money to enemies of the commune while it is at war points the limitations of the commune of Laon, which with them, because if he does this, he shall be guilty of has been given to you as model, and have done that perjury, and if someone is convicted of having given or which we have expressly prohibited you to do, that is, lent anything whatever to them, justice shall be done to incorporate into your commune outside districts or in the manner according to the judgment of the peers. villages. You have done this with audacity and bold

And if it comes to pass that the commune marches ness. The customary revenues of the Church, posoutside the city against its enemies, no one shall speak sessed by her since several centuries, you either collect with them except by permission of the peers.

yourselves, or by the authority of your commune have The men of the commune shall have a care to place prohibited the subjects to pay. You either destroy their provisions under a faithful guard within the lim- entirely or you diminish the liberties, the customs its of the city; because if the provisions are seized and jurisdictions belonging to the churches of Reins, without the city, the commune cannot reclaim them and especially those of the canons of the church of St. unless the thief is captured in the city.'

Mary, which is now in our hands and has no other deConcerning the exposure of cloth for sale: The fenders than us. Besides, you have forced the serstakes for suspending it shall be fastened to the ground geants of the canons, who are under the same privat equal heights, and if any one makes complaint con. ileges as their masters, to pay ransoms. You have cerning this subject, justice shall be done according to imprisoned several of them, and some do not even dare the judgment of the peers.

to leave the church from fear of you. In view of these Every member of the commune is to be very sure of excesses, we have already commanded you and we now himself when he lends money to a stranger; because no command and order you to keep the peace towards them, one can be arrested for this, unless the debtor has bail and to restore what you have taken from them, and to in the city.

respect in their entirety, the jurisdictions, laws and The peers of the commune shall swear to favor no

franchises of the churches and of the canons. Farewell.

(Z. et L., p. 142, from Histor. de France, t. XVI. p. 5.) one on account of friendship, and to condemn no one

QUESTIONS on account of enmity, and to do equal justice in all things according to their best judgment. All others

1. Of what usurpation were the citizens of Reims acshall swear to observe the decisions of the peers and

cused? 2. Why was it natural for the city to come

into conflict with the clergy? execute them.

GENERAL EXERCISES As for us, we grant and confirm the jurisdiction and

1. Cite as many passages as you can to illustrate the decisions which the peers shall make, and in order that

old proverb, “ City air makes free.” these things may be fixed in the future, we have per 2. Explain why some lords favored the growth of mitted them to be put in writing, and have furnished towns on their domains, while others opposed them them with the authority of our seals and to corrobo

bitterly. rate them by writing below our name.

3. Make a very careful comparison of the charters of Lorris and Beauvais, showing what they have in com

mon and wherein they differ. 1. General assemblies usually held at Christmas, Easter, and Pen

GUERNSEY JONES. tecost.-Z. et L.

American History Studies *

H. W. CALDWELL, Editor
VOL. II. SOME GREAT LEGISLATORS

C

Salmon Portland Chase (1808-1873) hope that the student may work out from them "HASE had been considered the chief rival something of an independent judgment in regard of Seward for leadership in the new Re

to the character and work of one of our great publican party to the time of Lincoln's statesmen. nomination for president in 1860. He was a

The following brief extracts give us someman of large mould both in mind and body. Of thing of an insight into the early life of Chase, New England ancestry he early came to Ohio,

and the forces which were tending to form his and became identified with the West. His ed

character. ucation was broad and general rather than deep.

One day I and two or three more were rolling nine

pins. There was an alley on our premises. My father In some respects it was perhaps superficial, if we

came and said: “Salmon, come and go with me to the may judge from his own statements in regard field. I lingered, hating to leave the game. “Won't to his college course, and his previous prepara- you come and help your father?' Only a look with tion. In the main his preparation was received that. All my reluctance vanished, and I went with a from private instructors. His college course

right good will. He ruled by kind words and kind

looks.. was taken partly at Cincinnati, and finished

For several months-at least weeks-before going, I at Dartmouth. After his graduation, at the

knew that my uncle had proposed to take me and that age of twenty, he went to Washington and be- I was to go to him in Ohio. I tried to find out where I came a tutor in private families, and especially was going and got some queer information. “The in that of Mr. Wirt. He pursued his law stud

Ohio," as the country was then called, was a great way

off-it was very fertile-cucumbers grew on treesies at the same time, and after admission to

there were wonderful springs whose waters were like the bar he returned to Ohio, and located at

New England rum-deer and wolves were plenty-peoCincinnati, where he soon became one of its ple few. A copy of Morse's Gazetteer gave me somerecognized leaders.

what better but still scanty information... Chase was not a party man in the usual

I entered college at Cincinnati, Ohio, as a freshman,

but soon conceived the idea, that, by extra study, I sense of the term; at least he was always very

could be advanced to the next higher class, and, having independent, and either voted independently, obtained the consent of Mr. Sparrow, then in college or changed his party ties frequently. He began as Junior or Senior, to hear my lessons, began to read life as a Whig; later he became an Independ- up with that view. It was not very difficult to accoment Democrat; a Liberty party man; a Free- plish the object; for the requirements of scholarship

were by no means exacting. In a short time, I offered Soiler; a Republican; and ended his life as a

myself to be examined for advanced standing, and was Democrat, if he could be said to have any party advanced to be sophomore... ties after he became Chief Justice.

“Salmon" said he, "I once obtained an office for a He was accused of inordinate ambition to be- nephew of mine, and he was ruined by it. I then decome president. That he would have accepted

termined never to ask one for another. I will give you the place is undoubted; however, if his private get you a clerkship.

fifty cents to buy a spade with, but I will not help to letters are to be the standard from which we

Mr. Clay gave a party this evening, and I attended, may judge his aspirations, the charge is not as I had neglected several previous evenings. When I sustained.

arrived I found that the company had not yet assembled, Chase was a man of deep convictions, pro

and, after paying my respects to Mr. and Mrs. Clay, I found views, and solid judgment rather than of

took my station near the door to observe the various

manners of the entering visitants. I soon tired of this brilliant parts. He was not as quick as Doug- employment and went into the next room and looked las; not as keen a politician as Seward; and had at the clock and the company alternately until half an not the self-restraint and self-command of hour had elapsed, when I took my leave, glad to escape Lincoln.

from the scene of ceremonious frivolity.

Dec. 14, 1830. Attended the Court, and, with sevThe following quotations are made in the

eral others, was examined for admission to the bar. • Reprioted each month in leaflet form, See advertisement. One was rejected, two were deferred; three, of whom

.

I was one, were admitted. So I am now an attorney-at- servative in its character. Its watchwords are, "a law. I have a profession. Let me not dishonor it. . . tariff," "a banking system,” “the Union as it is.”

After breakfast, we went to the hotel, where I ob- Among its members, also, are many sincere opponents tained a room much larger than I needed, indeed, for I of slavery. ... Like the Democratic party, howam but six feet by one or two, and the chamber was at ever, the Whig party maintains alliances with the least ten by six (At Cincinnati, his future home). - slaveholder. It proposes, in its national conventions, Cited in Warden's Life of Chase, pp. 25, 65, 93, 121, no action against slavery. It has no anti-slavery arti153, 175, 187.

cle in its national creed. In 1845 he writes the following in his diary:

No question half so important as that of slavery en

gages the attention of the American people. All Have not attended church to-day, chiefly because of in- others, in fact, dwindle into insignificance in comconvenience of getting to town, having no place there parison with it. The question of slavery is, and until for my horses; but partly, also, because I feel doubtful it shall be settled, must be, the paramount moral and as to my duty arising from the relation of the church to

political question of the day. We, at least, so regard slavery. On one side, I cannot doubt that it is wrong for

it, and, so regarding it, must subordinate every other the church to maintain an indifferent if not an host le at

question to it. titude to the cause of the enslaved ; on the other, I feel

It follows, as a necessary consequence, that we can quite sure that other members of the church, who do not

not yield our political support to any party which does feel as I do in reference to the slaves, are far more zealous

not take our ground upon the question.- Warder, pp. in other good works, and live much nearer to Christ. I

300, 304, 305, 308. am anxious to see the path of duty in reference to the subject of church connection more clearly than I do.

August 6, 1849, he wrote to Lyman W. Hall Warden, p.

as follows: In 1841, when a member of the city council,

I am sure I had no idea that I was so bad a man as I

have discovered myself to be since my election to the he took a stand which he records in the follow

Senate. I always tried to pursue a straight-forward, ing words in his diary:

frank course, conciliating always wheresoever conciliOn Wednesday evening, at the Council, I openly de- ation did not involve a sacrifice of principle; but alclared my resolution to vote for no more licenses to sell ways ready to avow and maintain whatever principles intoxicating drinks, whether to taverns or other houses, I really held and to abide by them no matter how and I took some pains to prevent the grant of a license small the minority. to a new house proposed to be established on Main I was educated in the Whig school, and as a lawyer Street, in which I succeeded. I don't know what the ruther than as a politician. In my latter capacity I was effect may be on me personally, but I believe that I always tolerably independent; but I held in the main the have done right..

views which are now generally denominated Whig (though, The following extracts are made from three at the time, they were almost equally shared by both parpolitical addresses prepared by Chase during though an advocate myself of the sub-treasury system.

ties) up till 1840. In that year I supported Harrison, the years 1843, 1814, and 1845:

Convinced now that the question of slavery was the I have only to say, I never proposed the resolution; I paramount one, and satisfied that the great principle of never would propose or vote for such a resolution. I equal rights was correct, I began to test opinions by this hold no doctrine of mental reservation. Every man, standard. I was thus led to quite different views on the in my judgment, should say precisely what he means - questions of bank, tariff and government, from those I keeping nothing back, here or elsewhere..

had taken up, in trust without examination, and became What, then, is the position of the political parties of unreservedly a Democrat-with Democratic principles too the country in relation to this subject? One of these strong to allow of any compromise with slavery. Holdparties professes to be guided by the most liberal prin- ing these principles, 1 wus content to go into the minority ciples. “Equal and exact justice to all men;" “equal of the liberty party and labor in it, when men counted me rights for all men;" "inflexible opposition to oppres- mad for so doing. sion,” are its favorite mottoes. It claims to be the true

These principles, however, led the Democrats to consent friend of popular government, and assumes the name

to my support last winter, and I now hold them as unreof Democratic...

servedly, and as absolutely, without compromise, as ever. They declaim loudly against all monopolies, all spe

All I desire is to see the old Democracy follow out their cial privileges, all encroachments on personal rights,

principles to the same conclusions. Then we can all all distinctions founded upon birth; and compensate

stand together.- Warden, p. 331. themselves for these efforts of virtue, by practicing the vilest oppression upon all their countrymen, in

August 7, 1849, he wrote: whose complexion the slightest trace of African For myself, I have no love for political life; I am in it: derivation can be detected...

from necessity, not choice or advantage. Cheerfully There is another party which boasts that it is con- would I resign my position to any man who would do my