Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-12-01
Baxter's Political Connections.

In the spring of 1910 Baxter commenced
| his labors at Kidderminster, and in No
vember of that year was assembled that
Parliament known Familiarity as the Long
Parliament, and whose actions were to have
much TO do with the future events of his
life: THAT renowned Parliament which,
| in spite of many errors and disasters, is just
| ly entitled to the reverence and gratitude of
all who, in any part of the world, enjoy the
| blessings of constitutional government. "
Baxter was moharchist and churchman +;
but he was opposed to the arbitrary rule of
Charles the First, and he did not hold to
| all the doctrines of the Established Church
| Nor was he Roundhead; but his strong
! religious convictions doubtless led b i'm to
! sympathize with the majority Of the Parli-
ament The times were turbulent, and in
a few years we find him chaplain in the
Parliamentary army, preaching the Gospel
as earnestly to the soldiers as he had done
to his congregation at kidderminster. In
that memorable document, tho death-war-
| rant which consigned Charles the First to
the block, will be seen, directly under the
name of Cromwell, the name of Edward
Whalley-that Colonel Whalley who, after
the Restoration, fed to North America
and who, after long years Of exile and hid
ing, found, at good old age, d quiet and
almost unknown grave in one OF the grave
yards of New Haven. 1t may be to US an
interesting fact that Baxter filed the office
Of chaplain in the regiment of Colonel
Whalley.
From 1910 TO 1850 Baxter continued his
residence at Ridderminster, though during
that time he was absent in all some four
years. Charles th" second arrived in Ton
don in May. lGG and WAS received with
great favor, and Hr rc.toration of the mon
archy was complotr The Commonwealth
had come and gone The regcides were
called to strict account But Baxter in
stead Of being marked out for punishment
was an object of royal favor Clarendon,
who had followed the fortunes of Charles,
was now at the head of affairs. The vacant
sec of Hereford was rendered TO Baxter,
but he did not desire the Office of bishop,
and he declined the offer. He was appoint
ed chaplain to the king, and preached once
or twice before his majesty. He found the
dissolute monarch probably as sermon
north.-Hon. W. w. Campbell, in Har-
per's Magazine for December.
Mrs. Black, she who in her glrlhood
inspired tthe celebrated song of Byron,
Maid of Athens" died last week at
the age of seVenty-siX. The New York
Herald likes this lady to the Laura of
Petrarch and the Mary of Burns. The
comparison seems rather forced. These
two poets were men and their loves
were women who kindled flame
which was only extinguished by death.
Byron was a youth when he met the
object of passing fancy, If she may be
said TO have awakened anything more
than an admiration for her personal
beauty. The song In question was
written when the poet was at Athens
in 1910, which would make the maid
but eleven years Of age. Byron, who
had already exhibited his precocious-
ness by falling in love with Miss Cha
worth, his senior, could hardly be said
to have had a deep passion for the
" bread and butter miss