Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-01-07
A Sign of the Times.

LdhuiilS vi tne l'llSrlmS In Ib2O, Bishop IN
the Roman Church was an invited and honored
guest! That this is proceeding that the old
Mathers would not cotton" to- it is very easy
to imagine-but who cares 1t marks the OPEN
ing of better era-an era of Christian Tolera.
ton and Charity, of true Republicanism. The
bitter intolerance that has long prevailed (and
still prevails thanks TO the persecuting spirit of
such papers as the N. Y Journsief Commerce.
in this Republic against the Roman Catholic
religion and its followers, has always struck us
as one of the most glarng of practical inconsis-
tencies-an we notice with great pleasure
this dawning of brighter day. liberation
religious liberation especially--is one of the
cardinal and fundamental principles recognized
and declared in every Stale Constitution, we
presume, in this1Unon, (ercepting only New
Hampshire as well as in the Constitution of
the United States. 1t underlies the very idea
of Free Republic. A republican constitution
that should repudate this principle would be an
absurdty-a contradiction in terms. 1t was to
escape the prosecutions of Intolerance that our
rough and ready" old Pilgrim Fathers sacri-
feed the pleasures, the enjoyments and the com.
forts Of Home and civilized life, and became tire
self-banished founders of new Freedom in
New England. But, after all, it was sort Of
half freedom-perfect for Cotton Mather, but
not quite the thing for Roger Williams These
same Pilgrims found the will following the
power, and practised the very intolerance from
which they fled - thus furnishing one Of the
most instructive lessons on record of the weak
ness Of poor human nature. Mrs. lIemans' no.
BILE Hymn of " the Pilgrim Fathers" familiar to
all our readers 8" as household Words" asserts
with truth that the Puritans sought, in our for
est wilds. "Free!om to worship God but the
same Hymn also asserts, what is not so undenia-
bly, true, that
They left uastained ,rhat there they found;
| Freedom to worship Cod"
all very well in poetry, and tending to feed
fat our pride Of ancestry; but after ALL we
think it just about as well to own up" about
the sober prose part of the matter. 1t has al.
ways occurred to us that plain matter Of fact
Grafton, on the times of the Blue Laws, and of
Roger Williams, and of the Essex Witchcraft
followed by sounding chorus of Mrs. Hemans
''Pilgrim Fathers would be a juxtaposition of
incongruitcs decidedly funny !--sometling like
the good merchants daily interview with his
doce clerk John, have you put the sand in
to the brown sugar? Yes, sir.-Watered the
rum? Yes, sir.--Put the pounded chalk into
the white lead q Yes, sir.-Well then, you
may come in to prayers
The old Puritan Fathers were, beyond a
doubt, noble band Of men - rich in all the
qualities of true manhood, stern haters of op.
preston, glorious missionaries after all, of Free.
dom and Humanity! But they were a good
deal like other men, not in their strengths, to be
sure, but-in their ueaknesses. They did MOI
like Rome, nor mother England's Church, MOI
did they inculcate any special fondness for them
in their Chdren-and il is reserved for theil
childrens children to make the rapidest adj
vancement from what was really Objectionable
in their teaching
As we said in the outset, (and this is about
all we set out to say,) we are glad to notice the
indication of the prevalence of larger spirit o
Freedom displayed in the attendance of a Roman
p'silOP III IcSt'di P"'e'y VI I've" ihS""'
origin. We are right glad the Society nvte'
the learned and eloquent Bishop Hughes to b
present, and say grace" among the Puritans
md right glad that the Reverend gentlemen "a
might have been expected, TO be sure, from hi
known good sense,) accepted the invitation
And we are sure our readers will be intereste
to see the speech in which the eminent Prelat
replied to the following toast Here they are
toast and speech - both welcome as tokens c
, the Progress which is Improvement -
18th. The Present Sovereign PontiT o
Rome, Plus TX.
/ Mr.. V. L. Fessenden, in repeating it, added
e 1--WE are glad to find any thing OF New Englan
d about him.
J, The Right Rev. Bishop Hughes responded t
G this sentiment as follows:-
Mr.. president and Gentlemen - Unaccu:
toned as am to take part in festivities of thi
kind, may not cores pond with the usages wit
which gentlemen are here familiar | rls,
IF therefore, under some embarrassment and wer
~ to give way to my feelings | should almo
doubt the reality of what behold around me, {
. else question my personal identity. | have
~ return to yoa,-Mr. President and Gentleme
10 sincere thanks, SO far as ! am worthy to off
70 them, in the name of Plus TX. 1t is gralifyin
- to know that the promise of his elevation to Il
Or Pontiiical chair is full of hope; that though |
r commences his administration under circun
* stances of great embarrassment, yet from all
4 have been able to learn, and that from persol
: intimately acquainted with him, believe tn
= God has prepared him for his task with cle
$, head and strong heart. Indeed, SO highly
ID | appreciate the compliment which has bee
paid to him by this Society, that it seems to II
that it can be responded to appropriately by MOI
" except son of New England, which ha
lg not the honor to be; and yet feel that ha
of some claim to the honor, for am at least also
- dozen easter. (Cheers.) To recover from Il
~ embarrassment which have felt, and which
H. still feel, allow me to tell you something in I
r. nature of story recorded among old Engli
Ie legends, which may not be, after all, quite
no applicable to my position, For when reme
~ Der how you may have appeared to Inc in pf
ny times, and how |, no doubt, must have appear
lis to you-ior | presume some OF you may ha
TX, seen my name in the newspapers-and when
If remember that Plus TX. is the Pope of Rome,
all these circumstances this English legend
''u called TO mind at the present time. 1t appei
ir- there was in England a person named Iii
nd Observation-Disclosures he was the same gent
IA, man who. furnished the ghost for the song 10
ar after, | do not know--but it appears that Us
=" was Jogging home from town, where he i
se been transacting business, he felt heavy, a
Ial slaen overtook him auJ made him captyc wi