The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-13

which shall it bar
The report of the COMMITTEES was unanimously adopt.
cd, and ths conyestion sd ourned sine die.
The Pilgrim Fathers In Hoiia"d-Tribute to
the Swiss Nation.
The following eloquent and spirited letter-writen
by George Sumner to the President of the Pilgrim
Society," in reply to invitation to attend the recent
Plymouth celebration-w be read with an interest
unaffected by the complete report we have already
given Of that. ceremony:-
MADISON CITY, Wisconsin,
July 81, 1853
Dear Sir-I have just received the letter by which,
on behalf Of the Committee of Arrangements Of the
Pilgrim Society, you invite me to take part in the
ceremonies commemorative of the embark alton at
Delft Haven Of the founders Of Plymouth colony; and
In which, while abiding to my researches in regard
to the Pilgrims in Holland you do me the honor to
say that the society is DESTROYS to hear more of those
men from me.
l regret tnat cannot be in Plymouth on the first
Of August; it would be most grateful to my feelings
to meet those assembled to do honor to men who
gave up the comforts of home rather than sacrifice
principle It would bel pleasant with them to retrace
the wanderings of the Pilgrims and, from the rock
of Plymouth, 60 back in Imagination to the little
church of Austerfeld, under the shadow of which
the first governor Of Plymouth was born and before
the unchanged altar table ct which he was baptized.
Since the publication to which you refer, 1 have
twice revisited Leyden and Delft Haven, an added
to the small stock of facts before cleaned. Among
other new documents / have in my posse ssion
letter written by John Robinson to the magistrates
of Leyden, dated amsterdam, February IL, 1909,
asking permission to come, during the ensuing
month Of May with his congregation Of one hundred
English, to reside ia that city This letter gives US
light upon two points heretofore unsettled-First,
the time Of Robinsons migration to Leyden, sup
posed by some to have been in ZOOS; and second,
the number Of his congregation. Other DOCUMENTS
throw light upon other Matters but nothing changes
the conviction heretofore expressed that the posi-
ton Of the Pilgrims in Holland was one Of suffering
and privaton-of continued persecution the part
o. the English government, unallevated by any
sympathy from those more favored English VINO, ia
Amsterdam and Leydeu, had received churches
from the magistrates.
The records of the English Reformed church of
Amsterdam-in which the forerunners Of Robinson,
and some of his own congregation, became in the
end mergedthe records Of this church, as far back
as l6Os, speak Of the Brownists, who were then
coming there, as +" Writers Of libels aud of scan
daous articles" and as deserving to be banished
for they're wicked deeds.' And again, travelling
out of their record they chronicle with unconcealed
pleasure, o mishap which befel the unfortunate
exes. It seems that these forerunness Of Robinson
had raised money t. build church in Amsterdam;
and the English record, after mentioning the fact,
continues:-" The before said Brownists' preaching
house Gas they call it) being half reddy, God sent
His strong messengers from Heaven and cast it fiat
down unto the ground; which to many was a saying
and teaching that they did not build upon the
rock, the sure and right foundation 7c., 24v.
First coun &c., 14v."
Retrospection" says an old writer, f" is precious,
inasmuch as it gveth us wise teachings for the pre-
sent, and when we look upon the lowiy and humble
position OF the fathers of our repubc-persecuted
for opinions sake, arrested in England, imperfectly
protected abroad, spumed by their fellow-country-
men there whom fortune favored, are we not taught
lessons of charity towards those who differ from US
ARE we not also taught that we dshonor the Pill
grims when we forget to honor either labor or devo
tiOn tn nriDcnIp
kThe Pilgrims, have said, were imperfectly pro-
tected in Holland. No government has been more
INSCRIPTIONS than the English in violating the
raty of other countries and in seeking to carry its
own prosecutions into other lands. 1t was in vain
that one Of the brightest luminaries Of English sci
ence, John Locke, sought refuge in Holland. He
was hunted down by English spies and dplomatists,
and compelled to fly so was it with our own Elder
Brewster. Let US not, however, cavil with tine
Dutch. They did more than any other nation had
then done to protect freedom of opinion. Holland
and Switzerland were the two asylums Of those who
were prosecuted for their convictions and, without
the rallying point Of Holland, 1t Is probable that
Robinson's congregation would have been dispersed,
and Miles Standish and Winslow, and Winthrop,
and the other bright names of Plymouth colony
and of Massachusetts, history be known only as act
ors Of more or less heroism in the drama Of the Eng
lish commonwealth.
We cannot fix limits to our debt Of grattudcao
the Dutch republic, for the asylum and protection
she afforded. How can we better show that graft
tide than oy expressing, on the rock of Plymouth,
the sympathy of the sons of the Pilgrims for that
other republic Switzerland, now prosecuted
even unto death, menaced with the extinction of
her nationality for extending the same hospitality
for fulfilling the same duty towards Others who, for
conscience sake have become pilgrims and exiles
Mindful Of the parallel between Switzerland in
1853, and Holland, while giving shelter to the Pill
grim fathers, permit me to propose sentiment
THE Swiss REpUBLTc-Menaced by despots for
having exercised q right, fulfilled duty and prac
tsed virtue to be sustained by all for whom right,
duty, and virtue, are not empty Names
i have the honor to be, dear sir, your obedlent
servant, GEORGE SUMNER.
More Negroes Barncd nc tho Stake.