The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-04-29
COTTON M THEIR AS A SOL
ITARY HORSEMAN
A Defense of the Reverend Witch-Killer

There is SOLITARY horseman" N thf
colonial history of Massachusetts II We
may believe Mr. Caleb Cushing, there Il
to be Coming Horseman, too-"an epaui
cited Caesar" whose steed shall Iunch OIL
luxuriant grass of State street, while the
rider should be obeyed as the autocrat
and emperor of all the Americas Calep
saw him with the telescope eye OF Dem
ocratic faith at the beginning OF the war
but most of us regard him as spectral
illusion, and feel, somehow, quite conf
dent that, either by impeachment, or ten
IRE Of office bills, or either Congressional
diyices, we shall continue to cut the locks
of this dreadful Samson of the future.
Solitary horseman of the past is Cotton
Mather. Every schoolboy knows of him.
"Among those hanged at Salem for witch
craft" says Quackenbos in his school his
tory, "Was minister named Burroughs,
who had denounced the proceedings OF
Mather and his associates. At his execu
ton Mather appeared among the crowd
on horseback, and quoted the people
with quotations from Scripture. Nather
gloried in these judicial murders"
Every history of the United States that
is now generally read repeats these state
ments-difering only in the greater or
less amplitude of anathema with which
the memory of the old Puritan is cursed
Yet, with all the modern authorities ar
rayed in unbroken phalanx against him.
Mr.. Poole, in the North Amerlc0aa Re0seao
has not hesitated to make bold defiance
of them all in behalf Of Cotton Mather {;
and we are bound to add that, unless his
quotations are shown to be unfair and his
evidence untrustworthy, the asperslons
that have been flung on his grim client
must hence forth be treated as the most
cruel libels and calumnies. A more COM
nlete, exhaustive and incisive defence of
an American scapegoat we have never yet
read. even in this era of historical reyer-
sions of judgement
So far from Cotton Mather having in
cited the Salem judicial murders, Mr..
Poole emphatically says the he" never at
tended one Of the trials in any capacity
as adviser, witness, or spectator. *
The intimation that he took delight in
the proceedings is a groundless accusa-
ton. His book, though written In haste
and amid excitement, is full Of compass
sion for the poor, otilicted ones. His meth
cd of combating witchcraft by spiritual
weapons he never sWerved from, even
when admitting that the civil magistrates
had duty to perform. NOT an oppression
SnpJVing 6lo0dthirStineSs an all has aOritingS.
Pity for the suffering and charity for all
were the ruling principles of his life.
Prayer was ever his method of dealing
,,..>.oac11 ooooo e
ooh p writes Mather, "that, instead of
letting our heart rise against one another,
our prayers might rise unto high pitch
of Importantly Especially let them
that are suffering with witchcraft be sure
and stay and pray and beseech the Lord
thrice before they complain of any neigh
Dor for affecting them p Wonders Of the
h0i8i6Jo World
Passing over the careful and minute ac-
count of Cotton Mathers connection with
Salem witchcraft, we come to the famous
incident of the Puritan on horseback at
the hanging Of Burroughs. The original
accusation, by Caleb is in these words:
GAS soon as he (Burroughs) was turned
off, Mr. Cotton Mather being mounted on
horse, addressed himself to the people,
partly to declare that he was not ordained
minister, and partly to possess people OF
his guilt, saying that the devil has often
been transformed into an angel of light
and this did somewhat appease the PEG
pie, and the execution went on"
By citations from old records of undis-
puted authority, and by reasons almost
Self-eyident, Mr. Poole shows that Cotton
Mather was at Salem only as a spiritual
adviser of the unhappy prisoners, in the
performance of a sad duty TO Proctor and
Willard, who were executed That day
"That his conduct and manner on that
occasion were in any manner deserving OF
reproach is whollywithout proof orproba
bility"
Mr. Poole shows that Mr.. Longfellow'
ideal of Cotton Mather, in the "New En-
gland Tragedies" which he represent
ed not as bloodthirsty fanatic, but g
warning mentor to the magistrates-is al
so correct historically and that some Of
the phrases put into his mouth by the
poet are literal quotations from the
old Puritan's writings
Mr. Longfellow causes Cotton Mathel
to say:
10 sight most horrible! Ina land like this,
spangled with churches evangelical,
1nwrapped with our salvations, must we seek
In Wondering statute books OF English Courts
Some old forgotten Law, to do such deeds.
Those who lie buried in the Potter's Field
Will rise again as surely az ourselves
That sleep in honored graves with epitaphs;
And this poor man whom we have made victim
Hereafter will be counted as a martyr
The lines in italic are quoted from Cot
ton Mather's books.
"Longfellows critics." says Mr.. Poole
shave said that he has represented Mr.
Mather as doubling as hesitating in these
proceedings. This is precisely Mr.. Math
er's position; and it is no little credit tc
the poet that he should have discovered
it, when the simple truth has been with
held from the historians"
breckenridge will run for the Legisla