The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-12-26

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of continent. Even in New York they
could never have felt safe. Its people
were ever of doubtful loyalty. The
Tories had shown no tenderness toward
their opponents; they ruled over the
fallen city with a contemptuous rigor.
The "rebel" was an outcast from society;
his property was confscated; even his
religion was profaned. The Tories were
rigorous High -Churchmen; they closed
all the Dissenting churches, and turned
them into riding-schools or prisons. The
great Middle Dutch Church, the pride
of New Ans erdam, had been stripped
of its ornaments, its pews used for fuel,
its spacious interior defiled by the host
lers and jockeys of the invading army.
Nothing could be more unwise than the
conduct of the Tories; had they shown
leniency, they would have received it.
But after seven years of intolerable
tyranny they were expelled in 1873, inn
poverished, contemned, from the wasted
ruins of New York.
In their brief rule they had thought
it necessary to keep up an air of gayety,
courtly elegance; to give dinners, balls,
entertainments. They opened theater
in John-street, performed the "Beau's
Stratagem they diced, drank, shocked
the nice consciences of the republicans
by revival of the worst forms of Eu-
ropean dissipation. At Philadelphia
Andre had produced his mask and idle
pageants in the midst of the pains of
war. Every morning Sir Henry Clinton
and his aides rode up Broadway, startled
its ruins with the sound of martial
| music; the clatter of the horses hoofs
might be heard by the prisoners in
Liberty-street Balls, dinners, parties,
followed each other with ceaseless
| variety. At one the Baroness Riedesel
presided. Her sufferings, her beauty,
her intelligence, made her the queen of
the evening. The provincial ladies de-
lighted to do her honor. Clinton and
Tryon paid her especial attention. With
sweeping trains and lofty head-dresses,
with all the newest traits of European
fashion, we may fancy the Tory ladies
gathering in Clinton's spacious parlors
on Broadway, gliding through country
dances, walking some stately minuet,
and laboring to revive in the midst of
their impending misfortunes the courtly
elegance of st. James's. The Tories
breathed defiance to all the world.
France, Spain, might assume the cause
of rebellion. The republicans might
chase the invading forces over the Jer-
seys. They still believed in the invincible
prowess of the royal arms, and lost
themselves in medieval dreams of courts
and kings. 1t was almost a reflection
of that insensate madness for warfare
and conservatism with which the leader
of the modern Tories has once more in
spired his unlucky countrymen. On
Christmas in New York, ITS, the church
bells rang in the natal morn. The
pomp of military services startled the
afflicted city; but the promise of "peace
on earth, goodwill to men," seemed far
from its fulfllment.
| A hundred years have passed. Once
more in New York the Christmas bells
ring out the glad news, the song of vic
tory of freedom Peace on earth, good
will to men," The pomp and glory O
the invading army have fed; the prison
that rang with the groans of the patriots
is forgotten; the bones of the dead from
the prison-ships have nodded long ago
the ruins of Broadway have been re
. paired dozen times. Peace has mad
its home in the busy city; Tory ant
Whig, Dissenter, Churchman, the fol
eigner. the native, are united in tn
common name and impulses of Ameri
!, cans The magnificent city has extende'
its homes, its warehouses, shops, owe
the fine country seats where the Barones
Riedesel passed her unquiet summer
and the British officers made their morn
: ing exercise. A hundred years of fret
dom have made New York the secon
s city on the globe for commerce, th
third in population. The Christina
J bells may ring out its hopes, its chez
). Its future is full of happy omens. Her
y may the genius Of peace, humanit..
u freedom, forever dwell, republica
e modesty and excellence find here a pc
petual homel