The Davenport gazette., 1854-04-13
iFgr tAs Gazette.


s.'N WV '''N = -
speech recently made by Senator Dodge OF
this State, in which he lus,ites the treat
ment of the Indians by our government by
the example ofthe Pilgrim Fathers
In our award course, he says, we are
but pursuing the example set before Us BY
the Pilgrim Fathers. Those pious and
most cxcelien; old gentlemen resolved, II
have read aright some portion Of their his
tory. that Massachusetts was Gods eoun-
try, that his country was the inheritance OF
HIS children, and that they were the Lord
children; and acting upon these principles
our nation has been peopled, :
am not surprised tha, Senator Dodge
should so read the history Of the Pilgrim
Fathers, but am surprised that the Ga
zet,e should endorse his reading as correct,
and put them, in this particular. upon an
equality with 10, Smith and his dclndcd
fol.owers" have not at hand the origin
al authorities, bu, the following extract
from an address Of John Quincy Adams will
be sufficient sindica,ion Of the Pilgrim
Fathers:
The whole territory OF New England
was thus purchased, for valuable consider
etion, By the new Corners, aud the Indian
title was extingushed By compac, fulfill
ing the law Of justice between man and
man The most eminen, writer on the
j law OF nations, Of modern times. lNatteD
has paid worthy tribute Of respect 70 cur
torctathers for their rigid observance, in
this respect. OF the natural right Of the in
digenous natives Of the country. II is from
j the example of the New England Puritans
i ,ha, he draws the precep,ive rule, and he
awards TO them meri,ed honor for having
+ established it," ]. A. K.
Davenport, April sth, 1851.
Our friend does US too much honor in
! cedins to Us what he will not grant to SEN
ator Dodge, even though backed by the 81
lent assent Of tho collected wisdom of the
nation I, may be that, like the Blue
Laws of Connecticut, the saying quoted by
Senator Dodge may have been so often re-
peated, that men have come to consider it
bona tiie. And il may be that our western
Quaker education may have induced but
slight acquaintance with the history OF the
Pilgrim Fathers and prejudiced US IN favor
of Wm. Penn. Certain il is we early learn
ed to admire the latter porty old gentleman,
with his broad brimmed hat and plain-cut
coat, as he was always represented, sur
rounded BY the rude denizens Of the forest,
doing out to them presents and receiving
their lands and love in exchange. While
the landing Of the Pilgrim Fathers, their de
yout appearance and pious attitude, the
erecting OF their standard on New England
SOIL the savage faces Of the Indians peering
from behind trees at the intruders, and then
the ever the same horrible representation Of
our Pilgrim Mothers, fleeing from the mer-
ciless savage as he buried his tomahawk in
! their brains, all, while they challenged eur
pity, filed Us with wonGer. Why those Pu-
ritans did not pursue the same mild and
peaceable course as good old VIM. Penn,
who was so mu n loved by the red man.
Well, our correspondent may be right,
and his authority cannot be questioned
We have no history of the Puritans to
which to refer, but we find in S. &. Good
richs History of All Nations, Il work recent
ly published the following sentence. The
expedition referred to is that of Lori Balt.
more and the language, it will be observed,
is almost precisely the same as that we con-
demned as applied BY our honorable Senator
- Massachusetts,: The expedition ar
rived at the Potomac early in 1854, and
came to an anchor under an island, which
was named st. Clement Here cross
was erected, and possession taken in the
name Of the Savior Of the world, and the
king Of England