The republic., 1850-12-30
From the ~. Y. Journal If Commerce.
HfstOrfcnl Fact

The speech of Mr.. Webster, at the New England
festival, has reminded me of memorable fact in
the early history OF Georgia. IL is intimately and
honoraby connected with that of the Pilgrim
fathers and desire to publish it for the benefit
of those members Of the New England society who
may have forgotten, or never known 1t.
In the year 1895 colony of Pilgrim descendants
sailed from Dorchester by Boston, and settled
Charleston, South Carolina, on the Ashley river.
They remained there until 1852, when the whole
colony, the pastor and his church, removed to what
was then called st. Johns parish, in Georgia, but
whose name has since been changed to Liberty
county. This name of Liberty ia connected with an
historical fact emnently honorable to the Puritan
character. c
The historian OF Georgia says that the spectacle
of the departure OF these Puritans from Dorchester
was morally sublime. II was the mission of a
whole church. The distance from Boston to
Charleston was not geographically great; but this
enterprise, a century and half ago, was attended
with as much peril as a voyage to India at this
day. On the eighth day of the voyage, true to
their religious sentiments, they kept fast. On
the fifteenth day they landed in Carolina, and
celebrated the holy sacrament of the Lords sup
per. To their new home they gave the name Of
their former settlement, Dorchester.
In 1852 they guessed that they could q do bet
ter" and the whole church removed to a district
in Georgia, between the Ogeechee and Altamaha
rivers, its equal distance from which suggested the
name OF Midway.
Their first to provide for the services of
religion, add a log hut was erected into a church.
Acting upon their early principles, these Purians
convened at the log meeting house in 754 for the
purpose OF entering into mutual compact, and
framing articles for the civil and religious govern
ment Of their territory. This proceeding was SINH
lar to the articles of civil aud reli gous
mutually agreed. to by the Pilgrims Of the May
flower, which was so beautifully introduced in the
speech of Mr.. Webster.
The substance Of this mutual compact was the
erection of meeting house; the support of min
istry and its ordinances the settlement Of disputes
by arbitration; the commitment ofpublic affairs 10
1lty OH
to be decided by majority, and in church matters
a double vote to be given to church members. This
was. at once, an example of self government and
the germ of rcpublicanism, which was afterwards
80 strikingly and vigorously developed.
At early period of our revolutionary move
ment a meeting held in Savannah, TO decide
whether deputies should be sent to the Provincial
General Congress, to be held at Philadelphia II
decided in the negative; but the deputies from
st. Johns parish dissented and resolved to send
delegates, and faithfully to abide by any resolu-
tions adopted by the General Congress. The arti-
cles OF continental association adopted by that body
were accepted by the people Of St Johns. DR.. Ly-
man Hall, who subsequently signed the " Declara-
ton Of Independence" !" was their delegate. This
prompt patriotism induced the Legislature of Geor-
gia, at a later PERIOD to commemorate the act, by
changing St Johns parish into Liberty county In
the chronicles Of the time, this Puritan settlement
was called Pharos Of Liberty, in Eng lands most
loyal province of Georgia, renouncing every fellow
ship that savored not OF freedom and refusing every
luxury which contributed to ministerial Golfers "
Among the names of the settlers in Liberty coun-
ty are found the New England names OF Osgood,
Bacon, Baker, Quartermann, and Sumner. The
descendants Of these patriots were found in the late
convention Of the State at Mllodgeville. They
said, with the convention, to their New England
brethren and the world, that the 'Union Of these
States was second only in importance to the rights
and principles which it was designed to perpetuate;
and that they would adhere to il long 1t con-
tinued to be the safeguard OF those rights and prin-
ciplcs." GEORGIAN.