Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-01-02


tianize society, and nearest to religion, before all
other women ought we, as New Englanders, to
place the founders of New England homes. Their
excelencies were many and great. Educated to
deal with the realities of life rather than its fan
cics, they peculiarly fitted for the mission to
which they were called. They knew what it was
to love, and what it was to suffer, but love did
not make them weak, or suffering appal them
They were not however what few of their mod
ern representatives profess to be, strong minded,
or as they should be termed, strong-headed. They
were not dissatisfied with their lot but were per-
fectly contented to walk on in their narrow path
of Gods experimentation is there tho slightest
intimation throughout their entire history that
they ever sighed for that broad arena in which
all that is beautiful in the nature of women,
and all that is rcvercntial in her soul, so speedily
and surely find grave. They were not strong
minded in the above sense, but they were true and
strong hearted, strong in home attachments,
strong in obedient and trustful affection to those
whom God and their own choice had given them
in lifelong union. SUCH were the founders of
the New England homes. ,r
The speaker described the homes and their in
auence, and concluded after happy allusion to
evening cheer and cider ere it was a sin to drink
Titus :-''Let us honor and reverence the pill
grim mothers, as We do our own, and from this
time forward, whenever we meet to celebrate such
events, let thepilgrm fathers and pilgrim mothers
receive an equal recognition and an equal relnen-
brance.
3D.. New England, the land of our nativity in
the East Minnesota the home of our adoption in
the West-NIav bands of iron soon bin to-
gether, and the tics of brotherhood that exist ever
grow stronger and indissoluablc.
NJ. E. Ames, ESQ.,, responded. In being called
upon to respond to this toast, have not the van
ity to suppose that am named from any supposed
eloquence on my part-for sir possess none.-
But presume that the compliment arises from
the facts of my New England birth and Mime
sotian citizenship. 1 am not used to speak on
festive occasions or at convivial gatherings, yet
cannot but express my qualification in thus ming
ling with the sons Of New England, and with New
England's friends. Why are we here sir, on this
the 22d day of December, 1854 !? To commence
rate the landing Of the Pilgrims 234 years ago {?
Is it that they were Pilgrims? that they were
driven by persecution from Europe? no sir! they
were to establish institutions that stand proudly
forth upon the annals of our history. Why did
they thus seek an asylum among savages? Why
incur the peris and necessary sufferings of voy-
age upon the treacherous bosom of the broad At
lantc? 1t was for the maintenance of religious
freedom-it was for conscience sake. They left
they had higher motive--thc gaining which has
secured to the sons and daughters of New Eng
land all over the world the right to meet thus on
the 22d of Dec, to record the virtues Of New
England's founders. Mr.. Ames dwelt happily
upon the schools. colleges and institutions of New
England, and noted with much force the contrast
between the first settlement of Minnesota and the
present between 1919 and 1S54-at the former
date there were about 5000 people, now nearly
$4,000 in the Territory. ..s.-s.
Music-Hail Columbia.
18th. The Old Folks at Homc--They are re-
membered tonight with love, veneration and re-
spect.
Mr.. M. Ncwson rose to reply: am not I'M
mindful of the honor done me, but the late hour
at which was notified of my having been select
ed, and the extreme nervous state Of my system,
owing to my late severe indisposition, will fear
prevent my doing the sentiment full justice, will
however say with the juvenile asprant for rhetori-
You'd expect one Of my age f
T" speak in public on the stage,
And if chanc. to fail below
DON'T pick up but let
Sir, those Pilgrims who left their childhood's
home, endeared to them by associations, the men,
ory of which death alone could efface, have given
their impress to the world. They left fathers
whose whitening hairs and tottering steps, marked
too surely the decline Of life-mothers, adown
whose time-worn checks the parting tears were
coursing, as they babe last adieu to those about
embarkng ON the wide ocean before them, and
wished them God speed to find, if He SO willcd
it, home in another, distant land. Good angels
guiding their barque, they feared neither ship
wreck or disaster, but braved all things for the
sake of principles firm as the rock upon which
they landed. They planted their standard, with
their religious faith stamped inde!lbly upon it, in
the highway of existence--and to-day we look
back with pride upon that standard and those
principles because their supporters could for the
sake of free worshiplcave the old folks at home.
Strange, sir that that little band, stern of spirit
and bold Of heart, by daring execution of a
daring project which might have appalled, others
less courageous, should be the founders of the six
States of which we arc SO justly proud. And
now each happy valley, each fertile hill is dotted
with New England homes.
The speaker then referred to the wide spread
influence which the New England character exer-
ted everywhere, and spoke in the most eloquent
terms of his boyhood's homc7-of standing in
fancy, amid his slumbers, at the gate whereon he
had often swung -of crossing the lawn where be
had played so oft--of-but We give his words:l
81 entered the house-there stood the bed, with
its whteness unsullied as of old-the Fireplace
sending its genial heat around-thc clock, that
like spectre with its feshless hands, recorded
the fight Of time with its familiar tick, tick, tick,
and there sat my parentbcside the hearth-stone.
threw myself upon her bosom, saying, dear
mother, l am SICK She placed me upon that
bed-she smoothed my hair as had been her wont,
and wiped the dampness from my brovA The
tea-kettle was singing the same old tune, that
had listened to beforehand with these home as
sociations back again: woke and found It was
but dream-a remembrance of the past
Just twenty years ago my mother died and
she sleeps in yondcr sacred grave yard, two thou
sand miles from where he who speaks to you now
oSks Novr Eno'and,s SONS New Enoland3c dauob-