The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-01-26
MISC ELL A N E % u S.
From the Family Newspaper.
Character of Cromwell.

arch and the aristocrat become habitually the en-
emes of their species. Jealous of the artificial or
adventurous advantages which they possess, and
the more so in proportion as they know and feel
the injustice Of their pretensions they cannot
bear the least investigation of their conduct, the
least inquiry into the foundation of their exclusive
right to govern, or the least movement on the part
OF the people, or of any brave and patriotic ind-
viduals, to throw off their yoke, and establish a
more just and equal order of men and things
Hence they have in all past times, entrenched
themselvs in power by standing armies, composed
ignorant and brutal rufians, or mercenary hire
llngs, and by codes or laws of treason, conceived
in arrogance and iniquity and written in blood :
And hence also they have made it part of their
policy to prosecute and hunt down every brave
and noble spirited man, who has dared to oppose
them, by every species of calumny and deteac
ton and finally whenever, by arts or by arms,
they have had such men in their power, to cons ign
them to the gaows or scafod, as traitors to their
country when their only crime was just and ra-
tional opposition to arbitrary power, persecution
and oppression. In all history, perhaps there has
not been more illustrious, or more prosecuted
victim of this mean and malicious spirit of mon
archy and arstocracy, than Oliver Cromwell not
victim, it is true on the gallows or scafold for
they never, thanks be to righteous God, had it
in their power to take off his head or to lead the
sage and the hero, with a rope about his neck to
still more ignomnious death. In spite Of all their
malice, he closed his glorious career on peaceful
death-bed; conscious of having nobly performed
his duty; and calmly and cheerfully resigned to
the will of heaven having within his breast the
immortal hope which springs from the Christians
faith, and from that alone. 1t is indeed grand
illustration of the democratic spirit that one great
and good man possessing it in its genuine purity
was able to redeem the glory of his country and
set at defiance all the crowned heads of his day.
"As to his ambition, he probably had sufficient
OF it but he refused the crown when it was urg-
ed on him, with many plausible arguments, by
Parliament and when as Hume intimates large
part of the nation would have acquiesced. His
personal and domestic habits are acknowledged by
all parties, to have been pure and amable. His
court was perhaps the most moral and decorus
that England has ever seen.
The Protector was friend of liberation, and
this single trait in his character is sufficient to en-
title his memory to respect. He was not entirely
consistent it is true, but public man, at that day,
except Roger Williams, was so. Cromwell was
surrounded with difficulties and the Instruments
of Government under which he held the Protect
orship, excluded the Episcopaians and Catholics
from the enjoyment of that religious liberty which
it granted to all others. But the spirit of the Pro-
tector was more tolerant than the laws and he Of
ten connived at the meetings of the Epscopalians.
A man, who, at that time, and in his post, could
act so far as he did, on the principle of an equi-
table liberation of all religious opinions, could not
nave been either a fanatic or despot
Roger Williams was friend of Cromwell 1t
has been supposed, that he was allied to him by
birth. He was certainly drawn to him by com
munion of spirit on the subject of religious liberty.
In his letters, he repeatedly alludes to familiar
conversations with Cromwell. The friendship of
Milton and Roger Williams may be viewed as an
honorable testimony to the character of the Pro-
tector. 1t is difficult to believe, that these men
would have yielded their confidence and esteem
to hypocrite, either in religion or politics. Is it
more easy to believe, that such man as Crom-
we'll has been described, would have admitted men
so sagacious and upright as Milton and Williams,
to close scrutiny of his actions, or that by all the
cunning which has been ascrbed to him, he could
have deceived them?
These three men, in fact, resembled each other,
m their character in their opinions, and in the
treatment which they received. Each was mis-
understood each has suffered obloquy and each
is receiving, from the calm and enlightened udg-
ment of the present age, the just sentence, which,
sooner or later, will reward him, who aims to ad-
vance the happiness of men, and who perseveres,
through evil and good report in unfolding the per-
secuted cause of truth and freedom.
The Protectors exertions to relieve and protect
the unhappy Waldenses, who were at that time
suffering merciess persecution, claim for him
the gratitude of every friend religion and liberty.
He appointed day of national humiliation and
prayer throughout all England and Wales, and
ordered that collection should be made in all the
houses of worship, for the relief of the sufferers
He himself headed subscription, with the liberal
donation Of two thousand pounds and in short
time the large sum Of nearly forty thousand pounds
was raised and transmitted. Not contented with
this measure, he sent letters to the Duke of Sa-
voy the inhuman prosecutor, and to several of the
princes of Europe, for the purpose of procuring
deverance for the miserable remnants of the Wal
denses. The potent voice of the formidable Pro-
tector, which none Of the monarchs of that day
ventured to despise, uttered as it was, by the pow
erful pen of Milton, the Latin Secretary, had some
effect, though less than he hoped to soften the
rage Of bigotry and persecution. The following
sonnet was written by Milton on this occasion:
ON THE LATE MESSAGE IN PIEDMONT.
Avenge, Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains, cold
Fen them, who kept thy truth SO pure of old,
When all our fathers worshipped sticks and stones,
;nt b,h ooL tha;r0