The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-27
From the ". Y. Courier and Enquirer
THE NEW ENGLAND FESTIVAL.

IHE NEW ENGLhND L "A l..
Celebration Of the Landing Of the Pilgrim
Fathers
The New England Society," Of the city Of New
York, celebrated yesterday the two hundred and
twenty fourth anniyersa of the Landing of the Pill
grim Fathers, IN manner and spirit worthy OF that
simple, but momentous event. The exercises were
held at the Broadway Tabernacle, under the direc-
ton Of the Hon. Moses IL. Grinnel the President of
the New England Society. The opening prayer was
made, and the benediction pronounced, by the Rev
William Adams, ID. d. and the New York Sacred
Music Society lent their valuable and effective aid IN
the execution of several hymns and musical pieces
prepared for the occasion.
OF the Grafton by Hon. Rufus Choate, we have
no words to express sincere and profound adml-
ration. II was the most eloquent and beautiful DIS
course to which we have listened. But better,
even, than the ability and genius which, as work OF
art it exhibited, the lofty spirit, the noble, Pari'
Otto and heroic feeling of which II was the worthy
uttcrance. The character Of the Pilgrim Fathers, as
true heroes in the nobes sense of that noble word,
and that Of the Age in which they lived as that Hero
ic Age Of history to which it good that IN all
time to come, the American people should reverenty
and emulousy turn the only subject proper TO the
occasion, the one upon which Mr.. Choate, Tor
above an hour enchanted the attention of the crowd
ed assembly The rapidity of Mr.. Choae's delivery,
and still more the brilliant flashes of imagination
which make his speech glow with the splendid beauty
of a thunder storm, forbid any attempt at reporting
his words nor, indeed is this necessary, az his ora
ton will without doubt be Immediately published un-
der his direction. He presented, in his own
burning and beautiful language, the history OF the
birth and growth Of the Puritan stock-of their ban
shment by tyranny, from England to the freedom OF
the European continent and of the education which
large portion Of them received in the principles and
love Of religious and civil liberty in the small pros
pc, Gus, law Obeying and law-ovlng Protestant Re-
public of Alpine Switzerland. The two great mo-
tves which led the Pilgrim Fathers to plant Colony
in this Western world, Mr.. Choate described as
conscientious feeling of religious duty and ardent,
unquenchable love of political liberty: These two
principles, he commended, sufficient Of them
selves to move the world and formed a foundation
upon which, "lyng far beneath the power of frost
and the earthquake, States and Institutions which
should endure with time itself, might well be built
He dwelt in tones Of the most stirring eoquence
upon the inherent power the true sublimity, of those
great motives to human action, and the lofty herolsm
to which they must give birth when they had out
ward expression in the glorious and immortal deeds
of the men in whose hearts they have taken deep and
mmovabe root. He sketched, in mastery man.
ner the terrible suerngs of the Pilgrims during the
first year of their residence in the new world, the
sublimity Of their endurance-no upon the decorated
theatre of human glory, but far away from the eye of
man, and in a land whittier memory had not followed
them-of trials, and agonies, Of starvation and of
DEATH such have seldom if ever before, been wit
messed in the history of the race. The comparison
he made between the herolsm of the three hundred
Spartans who defended the gates of Greece against
the Persian hosts, and that greater valor which van
pushed all the tempess of human passion, and all
the adverse powers Of the tempest the ocean and the
stars, was most beautiful and eloquent.
But we cannot undertake sketch Of this
magnificent grafton. Those who did not hear it de-
MED themselves pleasure which will not soon re.
turn. If there a heart there that did not beat
with quicker pulse of pride in the glory of the New
England Fathers, did not swell with thankfulness
to God for giving us their heroic example, it must
have been who could not boast drop of Ameri-
can Blood and in which no spark Of liberty civil
religious, had been kndled.
1t is needless TO say that the Grafton was received
with the most hearty and repeated welcome; and
when at its conclusion Daniel Webster stepped for
ward to tie der, in his grand and impressive
manner his congratulations and thanks to Mr. Choate
the very building shaken with the most tempes-
tuous and enthusiastic applause.