Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-02-18
Whole No, $40
The New England Character.

ne IoIioWinK eIoYuent ono B'"P"S
tribute to the New England Character,
we extract from an Grafton delivered
by Rev. CHARLES w. UPBAM, Of Sa-
lem, before The New England Society
Of New York at their last Anniversary
The first settlers OF America, by the
very act Of their emigration. ProclaImes
their sense Of the supreme Importance
oi man as an individual-oi his superior
iiy IN that aspect 10 all the properties he
possessrs ms member of political soci-
ETY., as the subject and citizen ol n state.
They had long lelt government only m
It's pressure, aud had cherished the idea
oi II removal beyond It's reach, whatever
amount OF suffering that removal IN other
respects might occasion, as The greatest
oi blessings, Open to us.' they exclaim-
ed. "a refuge from evil and ecclesiasti-
cal oppression aud we will fly TO il, no
matter how iiercely the wide ocean opens
its mouth To swallow Us, or with what
teirors the winiry wilderness may threat
en- US And when, on arranging their
condition in America, they found II nee
essary To construct "A government ioI The
reservation Of order aud justice, and
for the regular administration oi the OF
dinances and public services oi religion,
,hey carefully sought 10 reserve tothem-
selves as much power as possible, de-
posting as large proportion a. lh"y
could of what II was absolutely neCessa-
a al atl
ted as TO be under their own eyes, IN the
parish and the town, and uansaciing IN
primary assemblies as far as practIcabIo
their own public business.
1t is true, that, misled by the spirit
still dsastrously ly prevalent, they soon be-
gan to employ the enginery OF State and
Church 10 work Out Utopian schemes of
reiorm-by legislation and discipline,
encroaching upon private rights, aud in
vading personal freedom at every point
where the slightest evil was supposed To
lurk. But those attempts TO subdue the
individual character'into conformity with
standards set up by authority, were ulli-
matcly found 10 be vain and irui,less.
/ The circumstances Of their situation, ab-
ready skeiched, the ideas at the ounda-
ton Of their religious faith and expert
ence, and the systems Of educ cairoo they
established prevailed over all counter
acting influences, and gave develop
ment and force TO individual intellect and
will, to every original peculiarly aud
tendency of genius Of which the results
are seen in the wonderful progress and
present prosperity Of the States shey
founded, and in The enterprise, energy,
Ingenuity, and success Of their descend
ants wherever scattered. The power oG
character, growing out OF this free deves-
opment of the turn of mind OF every m
divIdual, and the feeling connected with
il, that each one may and must choose
his own course, open his own path, and
determine his own con ndhnn, has made
New England imprcgnable, and covey-
ed her comparatively stubborn and srer-
lie soil with abundance. This is the So
cret magic by which her sons command
succe and wealth wherever they war;
der. The States included under that
name have contacted limits, and are
subject to many disadvantages-ob 'he
expanding map, or IN the multiplying
census of the Union, they may appear
feeble and insignificant, but their pros
periiy is sure and will be perPeluaf-nU
power Of party sectional prejudice
no error Of policy injustice Of
government can permanently or esseN-
tially check the career of progress in
wealth and civilization, along which tho
energies of individual ingenuity, enter
prise, intelligence, and industry lave
from the beginning impelled them.
When this force Of individual charac-
ter, this consciousness Of inheren, power,
is once brought into exercise, and be-
comes habnual, entering into the frame
of the mind, then ~ man clothed with
his true strength. Obstacles. peril and
suffering, serve only to reveaf m tho
heart, snurcos of energy, hidden and un-
dreamed ofbeio,e. The great master of
the drama aud of human nature ex-
pounds the principle.
-" The fire i the flint
Shows not till it be- struck