Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-01-23

which led 10 the carry settlement o. we"
England" II was the ahlcsi lecture
which has yet been delivered this win
ter, and We do not remember ever 10
have listened 10 iis superior, in this
town. The audience was the largest
which has been gathered there this sea-
son, and the frequent bursts Of applause
gave ample evidence Of the faiislacl ton
ef,hose present, with the remarks Of
Judge Staples. This lecture was eS-
cecdingly well.iincd, coming 30 close
Iy upon those of Mr.. Lord, and taking,
as the author does, an entirely differ
~ ent view from Mr.. Lord, Of the causes
which led 10 The settlement Of New
r Eogland. .....s
In these days, when il is 30 fashion,
able 10 shower such wholesale lauduton
and ex,ravagant pnncgyric upon the
Purituns, and TO give them the credit
s'most OF mar.yrdom for brasing the
dangers Of the Atlantic, and seeking
the wild shores OF America, all for the
glory Of God we Say that il requires
no small degree Of moral courage, to e.-
p-oss an opinion as to tie true causes
which led 10 the setIlemen, OF Plymouth
and Massachusetts Bay, and us TO the
motives which impelled the Puritans TO
this step. Judge Staples takes sound
and sensible view Of the subject and his
opinions, AS advanced in hs lecture, are
logical and manly, and eminently wov-
thy ofa true Rhode Island heal and
heart.
The idea that the early Pilgrims
were actuated BY religious mo ives in
settling in this country and that they
sought these shores for the main par
pose Of worshipring God according TO
The dictates Of their own consciences,
and TO escape The prosecutions of the
Mother Church Of England, is not COR
rect. II is true that after the Reform
uiion, when Martin Luther had bOltcd
from the Church Of Rome, because he
saw no possible chance for him 10 occu.
py the chair of SAINT Peter, and there
fore was willing 10 become hero, il he
rluld not DO saint, when Henry VIII
h n established the Church Of England
by making hinself its head and thus
uniting civil aud ecclesiastical afiairs,--
that Church became as oppressive ae it
Nus pretended the Roman Church had
been, in proportion to the time its cx-
istencs, ard It's power 10 orPress.
Judge Staples clearly slowed that the
Purtans were nothing, more or less,
than n party Of traders and commercial
SPECTATORS and that they came to these
shores for tie rurporc ofpec uniary gain,
ard not Ia compliance with requs,ion
ot conscience, or because lh"y were so
severely oppressed in religions matters,
in the old world. He believes the Puri-
tans 10 have been the true germ Of the
real i've Yankee Of the present day ;
and thin is unquestionably their actual
character. In matters Of religion they
enjoyed as much liberty in Holland as
they could desire 10 enjoy anywhere,
arI consequently they had no cause TO
seek home anywhere else, on this ac-
count Consequently, hen they arriv.
ed here, 80 little did they actually care
about religious matters, that they neg
lccied for more than 80 years, as tar al
spiritual matters were concerned, the
sJtablishr ent ot Churches and the cleo
run OF Pastors, - but when they did do
tais. they became as tyranical as ever
the Roman Church had been. What
more horrible was ever done during the
days Of the Spanish Inquisi,ion, than
the hanging and burning and torment
s,lg OF the Quakers and Baptists by
these Godiy Puruons, who prctended d
to be carrying out the great princir irles
which Jesus Chris inculcatcd, when on
earth.
They did not honestly purchase the
lands of the indians, bu' they compelled
the Indians to sell on such terms as they
dictated and had the latter refused,
they were ready, by military power, to
enforce them 10 yield TO their require
monts. Their course was 80 reckless
tha, their associates, over the water, rep
rlrnanded them for not having converted
soaie Of the Indians before they killed
any.
The Puri,ans established d Church
according 10 'heis peculiar views, and
they intended to propagate :her notions
and they were determined that none
others should bc IronulgateJ.
The furildns, during their lives. new
er p.otenIed to be the pioneers Of reIg-
ious liberty, lie all their early records
show snj all the eKfravagant euogy
which we hear of in these days, is Of
modern origin. Could the ghosts Of the
old Purtans come back 10 earth. and
read the stuff that 10 now showered up.
on them, they would weep as the Irish.
man did when his lawyrr patheticalIy
argued HE case to the Jury, and he huh.
bered out that he did not know that he
had st,4sred half ae rnpch until h, Lo 4