The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-01-15
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Tux ltio4uencc o. q .. n. Curtis.

Fha Eio4uence oi Gee. 81. Curtis.
The following eloquent remarks were
made by Geo. W. Curtis, at the New
England Festival, which took place on
the 25th ult, at Irving Han, New York
City
Why do wo celebrate this day? As
New Englanders by birth we naturally
cherish this anniversary but its tr7w
glory is not sectional bat universal. The
little MayAower tossing doutful on the
Wintry sea 246 years ago was the seed
vessel Of harvest that now waves over
the world, dropping its golden grainsin-
to every civilization. Applause. Plym-
outh rock is the corner sTono Of Amer
ican and Of all modern civilization, be-
cause the history which begins there
shows that the wisest national policy is
rooted in morality and as the fercest
ocean storm would dash iu vain against
the little rock on the New England coast
or against the polity planted upon the
eternal rock Of justice, the very gates Of
Of rebolious he'll shall not prevail. Ap-
plause / know that there are still
those, decendcnts, | suppose, Of the god
less registers Of Merry Mount, who in
sist that Puritan means all that is sour,
malignant conceited and meddlesome.
They do firmly believe that he-who
protests so sayagely against the Pope
is only grim Pope,in a peaked hat in
stead Of q triple crown, who hates grace
and taste and beauty and prefers tho
psalmody Of bis own nose to The breath
ing Of the angelic choir Or they leave
dctifls aud concentrate their wrath in
Zone word, exploding it at the Puritans,
as fanatics" They certainly we're fan
atics, or We should not lie here. The
gay youth who tripped OF to dance at
Merry Mount would hardly have waltz
cd the New World into the form we see.
The work Of the world is done by just
this Puritan or fauatical spirit. For fan
atcism is simply answering devotion
to purpose. Applause In itself it
has no moro moral or immoral eharac-
ter That depends upon the intention.
Fanaticism is like fire, which YOU may
sot 10 tenement house, and burn all its
occupants, or to steam fire-cngine, to
extinguish the flames and save all tho
inmates alive. 1t was tho fanaticism
Of Columbus that discovered America.
as il was the fanaticism ofIuther which
purified Christianity So, two years
ago. you might have seen a terrible fan
atic riding at noon-dav up the Shenon-
doah, fer 0utstripping his companions,
aud straiuing forward, his whole soul
intent upon one purpose blazing from
his eyes be VIII not ee. nor hear. nor
believe that il Is his array he meets re-
treating Hc reaches the front he
leaps to tbe ground The commanding
officer whispers - him, cob Sir, we are
beaton Beaten Tou are beaten
This army IS not beaten" And, SPRING
ine into the saddle, this areh-lanatic
Phil. sheridan, long-continued applau-
Sc. seizes that army as Jupiter seizos
a thunderbolL huris IL at the enerag
and sends him Whilling up the valley
Applaua1 So through the black
smoke riffs Of the SIGHT ia Mobile Bay,
our history VIII see forever one figure
lashed into the naintop and directing
the Storm of var tie sturdy fanatic
Farragut Loud applause. But peace
hath her fanaiicism. ] see near you
Sir, q very Yankee = tie YANKEES, who
undauntei IS defeat, un3isnayed br