The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-03-27


Box 1885. Chicago.
Defsass ~ New EngianA.
Mr.. Thomas of Massachusetts, ably de-.
Tended New England 10 a'recsut speech
toward the close Of the recent session oil
Congress. from which We make tbs FOL
loving extract:
Mr.. Speaker, have trespassed too long
on the indulgence Of the House, without
having touched the grounds Of attack
npon the social and personal character oil
the Puritans and their descendants. Il
Is scarcely necessary. "By their fruits
ye shall know them. Do men gather
grapes Of thorns or figs Of thistIes p I
will, however. glance at One or tive points
OF attack which have their effect upon
those who have not been with ~, and do
not know us or our history.
Upon DO point 10 stisck more frequent
or error more prevalent than upon the So
ciai position, tbs culture and manuers of
the Puritans. The association Of Pur,-
tanism with rudcness and coarseness Of
taste and manDer, has really no higher
source than the doggerel Of Butler and
the sneers OF Hume. and other apoIogists
for the House Of Stuart. In birth, cu!-
turs, manners, and wealth, the Puritan.
we're among the best gsntk men Of Eng
land. Need | recall 10 your recollection
Hsmpden and Waller, the Earl OF Essex.
Manchester, Fairfsx, Harry Vaoe and
John Milton, not les the worlds great
est epic poet than the gentleman trained
% all the graceful srs of his time -
Need ! remind you Of the fact that the
aggregate weaith Of the third House Of
Commons Of Charles I--a Ppritan house
wac estimated 10 be three times the
House OF Lords I Need ! refer ron to
the beautiful picture of Puritan house
hold 10 the life Of the young regicids,
Colonel Hutchinson, BY his accomplished
aud devoted wife /! may even sueges,
that the sober gsrb OF the Puri.ans has
descended to the gentlemen of England,
and the lace and embroidery to his scrv-
ant. If you desire further to examine
the ssbject--of little moment. confess.
in . country SO Democratic as ours-I
invite you TO read an admirable paper on
this point in Sanford's Studies Of the
Great rebellion, or the ninth chapter of
the FIRST volume Of Palfrey's history d
New England, work worthy Of It's great
theme.
Puri.aoism, like other movements, po-
litical or religious, suffered from counter
:eits. When its principles had triumph
ed, coarse, vulgar. greedy men assumed
its garb. and debased and disLonored il:
as msn assume now devotion to the free
dom Of the slave whose real devotion Is
TO contracts for spawned horses and rot
ten vessels. Canter.. self-seekcrs, wolves
In sleeps clothing. men win, long
prayers and longer yisages followed il the
path Of victory 10 clutch its spoils. The
true Puritan was sober, cody and self
denying, feeling he had q divine work TO
do, snd doing il with his might. To say
that he did not attain to his own ideal Of
duty 10 to say that he was very like sens
iIie and good men Of later times, of larg-
er lights and prctensions.
Another alleged obnoxious trait of char
acter of the Puritan (and his desce ndapt
Is his love Of money and craft in getting
i. meet the allegation q The tl,resh-
old; | take issue on the. fact; / utterly de-
ny it. have had opportunity - Know
sosoething of the people o. New England
10 the different calIings and paths Of lite,
md something Of men on b,,h sides ofthe
water. have STABBED man With some
diligencs in history. The New England-
sr Yankee il you please, loves 70 gel
money. He wants success in everything
% which he pats his hand. and he II verv
lpt to succeed. He has thrift and provi |
1snce. He lays by for the rainy day and |
shady slope Of life. He .bhors vacant
pocket and the dependence which attends
Z; but ~ race No men are more honest
% getting money o. more libersa in the
lac Of il than the men of New England.
Liberal 10 their osn households, aud in
every work Of kindness and Christian
charity, no people live better or give
more freely, or understand better that 10
10 either wise economy Is necessary /
Of course an speaking Of the general
rule, which, like every rule. has its ex-
.eptioDs. Every soil has lis crop Of
,ucksters and petty craftsmen. Ours
ire peripatetic. and are very apt to emf
crate South or West. Some ind their
ray 10 Government agencies, and 1 few
,alf way blck--te Wa.h,ngson.
The New Engfandcr Is said nlsn to be /
IN interneddler. How far polircaily he
,as concerned himself with the rights
Ind interests Of other portions OF the
country | have had occasion briefly TO-
uggest. Upon the matter of slavery |
,annot deny that portion Of our people
rare .respasssl beyond the just bounds u |
stats comity. But | eannot forget that
he bearing Of the sIaveholdsn toward |
be people Of tho North has naturally /
hostility, aud that from the
parks emitted in the collisions of extreme
mem on either side the Gres Of evil strife
lsvs been kindled. As m Individual, the /
View E0Rlander has curiosity largely ds I