Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-17
Philadelphia Ledror.

It is not always bad in eommemora.
ton, to go beyond the programme.
The professions and external demon
STATIONS, the stated music and marches
and banners are only the outward
signs OF what the thing should be;
and even the previously announced
Orations, being something promised
and expected may, and sometimes do,
fall short Of public expection. The
unexpected" is often what is longest
remembered. Our New England
friends claim a great deal OF credit for
their share in the beginning Of this
Republic. lit is not the purpose here
to measure how much of what is
claimed is really due, for the claim is
probably established now by dint OF
repetition. Having considerable truth
in it. it may pass, while We keen Wm
Penn and Calvert well to the front in
friendly assertion Of u more South
ern share in the building which was
wiser than the builders knew. Penn
aud the PuritanS and the. BaltimOres
might we'll be surprised tO.day at the
growth from the seed they planted.
Among the unexpected" things
which came out at the last celebration
Of Foreiathers' Day il Plymouth,
Massachusetts,, was an after dinner ad
dress by Ex-Governor Rice whom the
absence both Of the Governor and
Governor elect, responded Tor the Com
mOnwealth. MIR. Rice does not happen
to be a Puritan, or the descendant of
Puritans. Nevertheless, he is thor,
oughly American and patriotic. He
referred to a fact which has often
been suggested before, and as often
forgotten, that there is a distinction
to be observed between the "Puri.
tans" and the Pilgrims. The Puri.
tans were simply mon conformists,' p
or, as the word is now, "dissenters,'
who remained in England until the
time OF their embarkation for Salem
and Boston, and who migrated under
a charter granted to a company com
posed, in part at least, Of members Of
the Church of England. 1t was they
that brought to America the terrible
delusion Of witchcrait, under which
Sir Matthew Hale, Chief Justice in
England, waB sentencing witches to
death, while the New England colo.
nists were laboriDg under the same
moral insanity. Sir Matthew offered
also a parallel to the Punishment of
the Bsptists from Massachusetts Bay,
by sentencing John Bunyan for ire
quenting "conventicles." And while
the Quakers suffered in Massachusetts,
their record there is like a leaf taken
from English history. The Puritaps
Of New England had no objections Der
Sc to Church and State. They only
wanted a Church and State of Their
own pattern.
The Pilgrims were Of a different
and more pronounced type. They
we're "Separa.ists' and proved Their
consistency by leaving England lol
Holland before the idea of seeking the
New World ever entered their minds
The witcheraft delusion, rampant IA
Boston and Salem, took no hold or
Plymouth Colony" and when Rorel
Williams was driven from Salem. tbe
Governor OF Plymouth Colony helped
him in his flight to found Rhod,
Island. The two colonies, Massachu
sets Bay and Plymouth, eoalescod
and popular ideas Of bigtory seldom
go back TO the earlier period when m,
Pilgrim Fathers" and their immedi
ate descendants we're far in advance o
their neighbors. These are the faot,
which Governor Rioe's address cali,
out, though not presented BY him Il
this form.
The other unexpected thing at III,
dinner was the production from HI
pocket, by Rev. DR.. George w. Ellis
Of Boston, off manuscript. Its them,
was the visit Of Dean Stanley to Ply
mouth, in the autumn Of 1878. lust be
fore that distinguished guest of on
country sailed for Europe. Twice m,
Dean visited Burial Hill, where sleel
the early fathers of the colony. ''Ney
81" he said, let tool, or art, or level
ing. or adjoining NEEDLE with hi
spot" The lesson is worth heedinr
for the place as i. was tells its owl
emphatic stery; and monument build
ers sometimes-to often-eface Ii
|, past TO put themselves on record.