The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-12-31

\ tftgfilfDIi VJtsiDu ibhr iFtsfF ICtEfT1
more trumphanily, and human reason was
never more completely hedged 10 by cruel
and bloody laws, than during the early pro
gress and government Of our Puritan fathers.
And yet no man who has taken into con.id.
Grafton the condition In which they were
placed, the oppression from which they had
ilsl, the peculiar modes OF thinking and act.
ing, and which had control over the christian
world at the age in which they lived, will
entertain doubt that they acted in the full
belief that they were advancing the interests
Of mankind, and obeying the laws Of their
Maker. IN the Punishment Of hereto
priest, and in the execution Of Quaker they
believed that All invisibie God presided over
their action and was well pleased with the
rigid iirmness with which they executed bis
will. Perhaps people has never lived who
had stronger faith In the direct in,erpeition
Of the power II oy1ruling providence in
their temporal affairs. Following TO some
extent the custom u the ancient Jews, reli.
gious worship was mingled with their pas
times. II pastines they had and made up a
part VI the every day business Of life. AT
The present day we stand, or at least relieve
we stand, upon high pedestal, and scan the
works oi those who have gone before 10 with
| the same critical eye that enables the tutor
to guide the researches Of his pupil. We do
| know that the little band OF noble spirits
tina, formed the nucleus Of New England
Colony, and the additions to their numbers
for many years afterwards, were governed
by errors which seem 10 us 50 gross, that
they cease 10 invoke our reason, and only
excite oar ris,icula. We would not stop
| this evening TO reason, ifone Of this audience
was 10 be- hanged or burned, because he did
not exactly agree with the majority IN the
manner and form Of worshipping God. The
time has come when the majority believe
that God has some reason and conscience AS
well ~ man. The time has come ia theory
at last, il not in practice. when man can
utter his opinions upon all subjects with
perfect IMMUNITY, provided he takes care that
he inilicts no private injury.
But lie. US not be- too much Inflated with
the idcn that we have at least arrived al
perfection. Let Us not trust tina, We have
escaped from tho crrors Of the past, AMI are
Standing upon truth as the Foundation and
basis Of moral and political government.
II may happen that those who shall write
our history and live century hence, may
feel that they also in their turn look from
their high pedestal and discover as many
errors in our actions NJ we now see IN those
who have gone before us. Each generation
looks from different point OF view. Each
generation look, through its own glasses,
and il takes years after 10 learn whether
they were true or false. Each period Of
time has It's own errors and prejualices. and
pus,crity alone can scpcrate the chat from
the wheat Men are not prone to admit
their own want Of Judgment, and rarely do
40 except in those matters which pertain to
their temporal prosperity. In such, however
they do cfIcn heartily repent when repentance
i'too late. Not thinking man 10 the hearing
of my voice who does not condemn his holly
in the CONDUCT Of the business Of his lie
lie sss how he might have enriched himself
by early purchases OF property. lie Jecfs
how much he would have done for himself
by selling wha, he had purchased at the
proper time lie blames himself for want
Of foresight; h. condemns the ignorance
Nuifil fhN tbiiEblFb tttS ~ tN'ui uAt
believes that b. can never again be guilty OF
such Injustice 10 himself And yet nd
ditonal time NAV show him that at the
very moment of such reflections he may be
/ committing still greater errors than those
which he !. passing upon.
tti. very easy WHEN we find ourselves in the
( wrong road TO stc how We might have taken
! the rYht one. II il very easy to point ont
| the errors Of tie past, but to AVOID them in
/ future "a II moro important task. And
I again il e too true that W. are prone To
T look with mitch more severity upon past cr-
/ ror4 than with favor upon past virtues. -
I The latter .hould engage our attention a.
well IA the former and while we are
enlra,oripg 10 avoid the one an equal ef
fort al cast should lie made to pursue the
7 other.
Two hundred and thirty seven wars, this
I day, a i'tlc hand II people landed upon
/ the shnrs % New England They landed
: upop a barren coast ~ a srason when that
I rigorous climate is q terror to the braycst
I hearts, without shelter, aud surrounded by
sayagcs They were nuC wrecked there. --
{ They were not driven there 10y unforeseen
accident, but voluntarily they chs, them.
I selves upon that harron shore, to escap,
what they considered still greater evils
There was character in those men, There
was exhibited u courage will. a determine
ton 10 rule over their own dcs,inics such
NJ the world had not sSn. II was III IN
the providence OF God tina, snch men shoald
have h~u the founders 81 New England -
There was wanting the s'it,lenal. the hardy
I ipA.utry. ,hc watchtal economy the uu-
! bending iron will Of those singular ulru. 10
I tame the wincss Of new world, to sub
due il forests ami rugged hills, AMI lay
the foundation o, u nation Of insmc'i. -
/ Luxury and wealth vrrr powcrless for the
purposes ~ the Pilgrims, and gold might
a. well have h,cn the iron bars Of the Spar
,ans in Attending temporal and material aid.
Necessity, the srongestf all oaas,s mark
al ont their course ard y,ars Of toll ard
poverty stamped upon these early pioneers
? a ,.h.r,s,ar oF pntteYt ,t,t,l ~aneg pnler prt.