The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-08-31

the fortune was founded. The great houses
are all recent constructions 1t is true the
architecture rsproduces quaint and ancient
forms, being elaborated wherever possible
to please the eye, but the paint seems yet
fresh, and the ancestral ivy has hardly be-
gun 10 cling to the walls. When, in
generation or two, maturer years shall have
caused the trees TO grew, all this magniti-
cenee viii have assumed more grandeur
Yet there are, even now, older bits in New
port, and if not so costly still many exquis-
tie places. fan more attractive even if they
do not so gIaringly display the millions
tha, created them. Back from the sea
front. some of the estates existing many
years already show the charms 1f maturity.
The houses are in style suhdued, and small
and plain. compared with the palaces of
Aladdin out on the cliffs but their ivy
spreads and their trees arc grown. They
are comfortable and home-like, aud seem
to hold happy people, whose hearts beat in
unison with those around, although their
owners wealth may be limited. Some Of
the tree-ombowered lanes leading through
the older suburbs Of Newpor, are charming
in leafy richness, their bordering walls and
fo0tpaIhs and the eanopies Of foliage over
head combining to make exquisite rural
beauty.
NEWPORT CHARACTERISTICS.
William Coddingtou, whose name is pre-
served in various ways, but whose descend
ants we're degenerate, founded Newport.
Il Is said that in early times the place was
chiefly settled by people Of various religious
seets. who ere driven out of the strictly
Puritan New England settlements. The
Puritans having abandoned England be-
cause they objected to a State Church, they
forthwith set upin Massachusetts what was
very ike a State Church OF their own, and
proceeded immediately to make It bot for
the alleged unbeliyers. They drove out
both William Blackstone. who founded
Boston, aud Roger Williams. Blackstone,
when he found that he had to get across
the border into the wilderness and live a
hermit on the bank Of Blackstone river,
said II came from England because /
did not like the Lords Bishops, but | can't
join with you, because | would not be un-
der the Lords Brethren" After Black
stone aud Williams, many Others came to
Rhode Island and settled a. Newport, for
there they enjoyed the eompletest liberty
Of conscience The Quakers were unmo-
Tested, aud came in large numbers, the
Baptists built meeting house; the Hebrews
established synagogue; the sternest doe
trines OF the Calvinists were preached; the
Moravians held their lOve-feasts; and or
thodox Churchmen prayed for the King.
All shades of belief, aud dissenters Of all
iIks, with many having no belief at all,
abounded; so that the fair town of Aquid-
neck became peryaded with sach an atmos-
phere Of religious irregularlty that, even so
late as the opening Of the present century,
a Appointment Connecticut divine declared that
an alleged laxity of morals in Stonington
was due TO its nearness to Rhode Island y
Still. despite these religious differences the
colony got on well, and in time Aquidneek
came to be designated As the Isle of Peace
and the Eden of America Dean Berke-
lev. from England, visited Newport III its
early days, aud gave the young colony an
elevated literary tone. An Utopian plan
for converting the Indians brought him
over. but discovering it to be imprdcticable,
he returned home, and was made Bishop
His favorite resort Is yet shown at the part
Of the cliffs called the Hanging Rocks,
and it is said he there composed various
works including the noble lyric, closing
with the patriotic prophecy immortalized
in Leutzes grand painting in the Capitol
at Washington
'sWestward the course of empire takes its way,
The four first acts already past,
A fifth shall end the drama with the day,
Times noblest offspring is the last.
There were about 1900 people in the
town when the Dean was at Newport, and
5v the opening of the Revolution they had
grown to 10000, when the port enjoyed
commerce far exceeding that of New York.
That war almost ruined the place, it being
first held by the English and afterwards by
the French, both battering and maltreating
it. so that it emerged from the conflict in
condition of dilapidation and poverty,
with the population reduced to barely 5000.
The French loved the island, and sought
after the war to have it annexed to France,
but this was not to be- Business growth
since has been itful, as the trade is gone,
but Newport is an important naval station
and the seat of the torpedo school, so that
there are always men-of-war in the harbor.
THE OLD STONE MILL.
The fashionable world however, give
Newport its chief fame, and have made it
such noted resort The popularity is
due to the balmy climate and moderate
changes in temperature, conducting alike tC
health and fertility. The Casino is the
centre of fashionable Newport, building
in the old English style, fronting some
200 feet on Bellevue avenue. There are
reading rooms and theatre in it, with q
garden and tennis court at the back
During the season, Bellevue avenue is tn,
daily scene of stately procession of hand
some equipages of all styles, as it is decreec
that fashionable Newport always rides
Richly dressed ladies sit back in the state
beftting the multi milliopaires who thu,