New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

locsl bi,tory which mas Lot been fully treated By
any preyious writer. TrUDballs well known
volumes were the brs: to break ground IN tnu
field of research; they ernbcdy great amount oil
sIesnipss from the early records Of the State, az
well a. from fsmiIy papers, and personal tradi-
ton; but they 90 not come down 70 the period ct
the Revelations and from that date the present
author bas been obliged 10 trust TO bis own In
quiIies, rather than to any general gaioe. Ills
undertaking extends from the fret settlement of
The colony 10 the adoption OF the present Constl-
tutiop. ard ip this volume the narrative reaches
10 the capture of Louisburg 10 l745 Tbssucces
sive steps in the settlement of Connecticut me
syfefincs If the colobi.is in toeir conflicts with
the Indians, AID the development of the priocl'
pies Of political freedom, are relsted 10 style oi
considerable animation but damaged IN its ehsct
by a superauity Of ambitious rhetoric.
I'm the t~o closing chapters OF The volame,
pnmber Of interesting details are given with re-
uard TO the established religion Of the colony aud
the msnners ADD customs of she esrly inhabitants.
The original planters Of Come ;ticut we're in
many cases persons of distinguished lineage ADD
not, a. bas been often supposed, tne descendants
of the English peasants, whose fathers had been
the lowest sybjects OF feudal tyranny. Many
OF them, Indeed, were poor; many, wnen they
started for America, were 10 the humber walks
of life; but she bulk OF the lspdboldsrs, VINO de-
voted then selves to toe cultivation Of the wilder
ne,s were men Of good family, and large proper
tion of them spraDg from the lsnied gentry OF
England. Still, they did not affect aoy great
generation for arstocrauc traditions. The rage
for titles, which lie said TO siguslize the modern
Yankee, bad not broken out az that day. The
prefix Of Honorable" for instance was entirely
unknown in the colonial records until 1875, and
after that period, for many years was spple only
10 the Governor, and seldOm 10 rim. The term
Esquire was applied as d tide of bonn no less
charity. For the first centary alter the emgra
ton twas little used, and until 1868 was conh0ed
almost exclusively to the Governor and Deputy
Governor. "Gentiemsn," or as usually ab5re
waited Gent, was occasionally employed, but
soon discarded. Tue records sometimes show
such titles ss the following, "tbe Hcncred Major
Tacot,, "tbe WOrsbpful Captain John Allyn"
"tbe Worshipful aud much Honored John WIN
throp." The word Master" (Mr.) was not, by
any means, the universal haudle ~ anime bus was
given OILY to favored individuals, IL belonged TO
clereymeD, planters of goot family who were
members If the General Court persons bred at
a Uniyer.ity, and those OF sufficient education to
manage the general sfsirs of tho colony, eithsr
in civil or ecclesiastical office. Comparatively
few of the representatives from the several
towns, though old stSgers In the Legislature,
were honored with the title. There we're scores
Of men in honorable stations who aid not possess
the requisite qualifications TO be called M"
Young men, Of whatever rank, were seldom, IL
ever, allowed TO rejoice In the title. Tne sp-
pelIation "Sir was applied to yoong gentlemen
who were undergraduates in college. Thus,
con OF Governor Winthrop, Mr.. Snermsn or
Governor TIest, returning home ffom Yale or
Cambridge, would De greeted by his old
comrades, as Sir Wotorop, Sir Sherman, or
Sir Treat Goodman" was also q term OF
cisiity, applied to the better sort of yeonen,
laboreIs tenants, aud other dependents above the
grade of servants, vino owned small estate, aud
who sustained q good moral character. Military
titles were regIdedss of a very high order, and
abound in the early colonial records, from captain
TO corporal, usuliy taking precedence Of toe or
binary modes of address. Prior so 1904, tue
highest military oflce In the Colony was ,ns' Of
Captain, and, until 1862, the only Captain was
John Mason whose Jurisdiction extended through
out Connecticut Capt Mason, therefore-and
especially, in later yeArs Major Mason, when he
made bis stated rounds TO visit the militia Of the
different towns--w&s gszed at By the astonishei
urchins of the settlement wish ssucerlike eyes, as
nan not to be approached but on the tiptOe Of
reverence.
The fret dwellings of the colony Were mostly
constructed Of logs Daring the 6rst winter in
Hartford, Wetbersfeld, and Windsor, tie plsn.-
eIs had no better houses than the hats now used
by the GOLFERS while tending their coal P'ts.
After she arrival Of new Corners, in the valley
of the Connecticut, better dwellings were
erected, and in all tie old towns, few frame
houses were built for the Weather citizens.
The domcils of the clergy were frequently not only
convenient but elegant. The Governor, and
some Of the rich magistrates aud gentlemes, often
INDUCED in costly residences. house, buils in
1910 by the Rev. Henry Whitfield, the foauder
Of Gulford, is still standing, and is tie Oldest
house 10 the United States. Ii is constructed of
stene, with solid massive walls, and is able 20
last for centuries more. The outer doors OF the
Conueclieut mansion we're Of double oaken
plsnbs msde as solid ss tingle piece Of timber,
BY heavy nails driven into them at regular inter-
vsls These doors were secured at night by
stout wooden bars that through the day bad