National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-01-20
PILGRI.u MEMORIAL, No o.

compact the people Ia he governed
form themselves into a corporate
body out of which is To come by
common consent all the law and
power by which they are to he gov.
erned. The spirit and principle OF
this compact was drawn from the
Bible when interpreted by the peo>
pl' for themselves. The Bible only
taught II 10 them. The intelligence
which the searching of the Bible for
the words of life aud death, and for
the regulation of human conduct in
the minutest matters of life, gives,
and the virtues which obedience to
the truths Of the B bile gives, these
only made tins method Of govern,
mcnt practically possible, The Pil.
/ grimS brought out OF the Bible that
form of government which Abraham
Lincoln SO beautifully and terScly
called "a government of the people,
for the people, and by the people"
This proper and blessed child,
christencd "Ciri booty politic," was
born in the cabin of the Maytlowcr,
brought forth in the trials of that
Pilgrim band seeking the way to II
better country, begotten 10y the word
of God and prayer. 1t was comely
at strong with vitality at BIRTH
1t has grown in well developed pro-
portions, become mighty in strength
ami Just and equitable III Judgment,
and is destined to sit on all the
thrones of power throughout our
world. 1t has already become strong
and influential. Every Conerega-
tional church is such IA body. Every
Baptist, Free i'll Baptist, Unilari
an and UnivclsaliSt church is such
Il body. Every school district, eve
~ town, every state, is such body,
and the United States in Congress
assembled is such u body, each for
its specific purpose. The govern.
ment of pilgrim church and a
New England town meeting suggest
ed to jefferson and his associates
the principles OF the constitution of
our country. n New England
town meeting has been called the
most primitive, the most simple, the
most free and equal instance OF civil
government that has ever been prac,
,iced among men. But this only
copied after, is really the child of,
the government of Il Pilgrim Con-
grcgational church.
&. "To form Just and equal laws
for the general good" was the sixth
point III the Pilgrim compact. Class
legislation, the partial administra.
ton of Justice, had been the com
mon practice of nations. The Old
| theory was that governments were
Iinstitutcd for the rulers, and were
| to be conducted for their emoumcnt,
and to perpetuatc wealth and power
| in them and their dcScendintS.-
| Rulers could hand down their wealth
rank, dominion, by will and inalien-
able cntailment. This is the pre-
vailing theory of government now
in Europe. and n all the world out.
side the influence of Pilgrim insti-
tut;onS. The rulers Of Europe form
an arstocracy. They are all linked
together by iltcrmarriage. 10
member, no youth is permitted to
mary outside the circle, nor within
it save by the approval of the heads
of all these families. No nation of
Europe is permitted to have a head
who is not one of these families, nor
even to choose one OF these without
the consent of the others. Spain
cannot choose a king, Leopold can
not accept an offered crown, unless
other crowned Ii .,s assent to 1t
Law for castles and classes, low as
we'll as high. RAJ k and titles, priv
legcs and exemptions, by the whim
of rulers. have been the prevalent
methods of government. The Pill
grims were the first to drop this, TO
estimate men and to deal with them
by law as equals. The experiment
was new and dillicult then, however
we may look on it as old and easy
now. 1t has worked its way slowly
and over obstacles, often with war
and the blood of its advocates. to
the position il now holds. But it
has become strong and prevalent on
this continent. Not even the | ow-
rrs of Europe combined, could seat
one of their own number on the
throne of Mexico. The principle o.
equal laws for the general good are
= entering the minds of the people OF