New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-12-30

which would make every ray OF our political light
emanste, IN the first instance, from Plymouth
| Rock and Bunker Hill, writers have ascribed the
revolution in New York, under Lelsler, 10 Pan
tan Influence among It's people, and thus linked
this local convulsion for popular rights 10 The
series of historical events, which they yuld bring
together in the same metaphysical chain. But
Notwithstanding the all.important part enacted by
those who inherited the principles of e the PHI
grim fathers in establishing our present institu-
tlona, the idea of tracing all modern liberty 10
this same Influence is TOO great an assumption to
take permanent root in minds of a liberal cast
The reformation begun by Luther has bsen well
! termed ian insurrection of the human mind
| against the absolute power OF spiritual order"
The vigorous but narrow creed of PurltanlsIn,
which was among its earlies! fruits, was but anc-
ther form Of the same spiritual despotism. II
proved, not the disenthralment, but only the
energetic action, vi the human MAD, Ii
taught, that Inc pendulum was in motion, by the
very wilderness of its oscillations; but 1t was itself
only an oscllation and not the moving principle
OF the machine. 1t was, indeed, the spiritual
cordial which neryed The so1l of the New Eng
lander, gave him his muscular intelligence, and
stern, 6brous love OF liberty. Ii was the main
element Of his might in wrestnghis franchises, as
a citizen, from the hands Of power; but, out Of
New England, the spirit of Puritanism is nowhere
recognized as liberty itself nor have even It's
numerous brave and desperate struggles with
other forms of despoism commended it to the
world, as either originating or conserving the
seminal principles of true freedom.
The revolution in New York, under Leisler,
had no further connection with Anglo.Sa1on Pu-
ritanism than what is now quantity called The
Cor p,13 hao rY,fl,
ism; though abstaniDg from wine is a leading
article of both creeds. 1t was wholly local, both
in its development and its termination; born Of,
and returning to, the People from whom it
sp,ang-a people not intelligent enough to OIL
ginate, nor Sufficiently quick minded TO adopt,
the far.rcaching dogmas Of their ingenious and
better educated nelghbors; but, withal, a sturdy
hearted and liberty-oving people; people nflu-
cnced more by customs than by laws; more re-
markable for habitudes OF conduc! than trains of
thinking i'll vcrsed in speculatlons about public
liberty, tut vehement assertols of individual free
dom, when suspecting an ATTEMPT to oncroach
upon it, by virtue OF that mystical nquisitioD, so
well known, in our day, under the name Of pub
lie opinion; finally, a people snguarly tenacious
Of both personal and local pgrtialiiies; and,
though hospitabic, and even sffectionate towards
strangers yet SO intrcnched in prejudice or sto-
lidity as TO reco with suspicion and alarm, from
| the interfering phan,hropc zeal Of others, even
when it appeared under the form Of well meant
| efforts to enlighten them.
These strong and therefore not undressing
traits of the colonial population OF New. York are
so rapidly passing into oblivion that no apology
will be required, either for recalling tiem this
occasion, or for hastily ttaciMg the sources whence
they sprang.
The resident planters of the colony of New
York consisted ;,jmost equally Of Dutch, French,
German and British cmieranls; or rather, Of
people who traced their origin 10 these fouLdif-
ferent stocks. The partial fusion of these dis
tiHet races commenced previously to their migra-
ton across the Atlantic for Holland still con-
tinued TO be the nursery of the colony, long after
the conquest of New Amsterdam by the English
and Dutch, even among the new. corners, was
the prevalent language of the province down to
the Revelation of l776. Now, as we well know,
while Holland was strong iii hard won political
freedom, and 50 liberalized socially by her wide.
spread commercial connections, as to be tolerant
of every religious denomination, 1t was, at the
period of the settlement OF this country, the asy-
um alike of the English, the Scotch, The French
and the German sufferers for religions sake.
Many of these eSiles were resident Tor a full
generator upon her fenny but hospitable shores,
before they migrated TO form new tics of country
in the valley of the Hudson. When they did
migrate, they came to found home, not "a
temple OF dotrine; 10 lay an humble hearth.stone
for the affections, not 10 raise an altar for any
poitico religious system; and while The veritable
Pilgrim fathers ayow, as one cause OF their leav-
ing Holland, that otherwise "their posterity
would, in few generations, become Dutch,"*
a Ill
the Puritan Anglo stock" among the
coouists of New York, that the settlers of Eng.
lish descent, with the exception of handful of
emil rants, who crossed from Connecticut to the
East end of Long Island, were either members
of the Epglish Episcopal Church, or Preshyter.
ans, who, eschewing the narrow spirit and seve 9
discipline OF the Puritan conventicle, sought a
more genial worship, and a less despctic tone of
religious association, in the Dutch Reformed and
Lutheran Churches of New.York.
Moreover, the prominent English families scat
tered along the South side of Long Island
through Weschester County, and on the banks
of the Hudson, were either of Cavalier origin, or
spruUg from men, who, after sharing for while
in the Republican movements, which preceded
the rise of CromSell in Englsn6, had recalled
from the religious fanaticism, which there imbit-
tered political feeling, and proved the meddling
spirit of Puriausm to be scarcely less intolerant
than the Popery which called it into being. Some
of these originally jealous sec,ares were long re-
s;dent in Holland; where, when We read of their
compatrots assigning, as the very first cause of
their leaving the country, "insomuch as in ten
years' time whilst their church sojolrned amongst
the Dutch, they could not bring them TO reform
any thing amiss among them," We can readily
imagine them, if not alarmed for their own per-
sonal privileges at the indications of this usarp-
ing spirit of interference thus displayed towards
their Dutch entertainers, yet TO have been de-
tached from their especial communion by q libe-
raj interchange of opinions with the refugees
from every corner of Christendom there congre-
gated.
The early emigrants to New.Ycik, then, OF ev-
cry nation, came thither, as We have seen, chiefly
through the ports of Holland. They spoke her
language; they intermarriod with her children !;
and they brought with them associations spring
ING from these hes of blood and lanruaqe which