The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-24
SEATTLE. susDAT. Dxc. sG
THE LESSON or FoEEFATHEEs'
DAY.


Forefashers' Day, or tho landing Of tbs
Pilgrims, was celebrated all over the coun-
try on Friday evening. December - The
majority OF the orators on this occasion
seemed 10 have missed the great debt that
the United States owes the Pilgrim
Fathers and in less degree owes the
harsher Puritan CromwciIians who sub
seeuentIy founded the colony Of Massa-
chusctts Bay. and were responsible for such
deplorahle ac-s a. the hanging. fogging
and imprisonment of the Quakcrs: the
hanging OF persons accused OF vitchcrait;
tile banishment of Roger Williams, and
the persecution OF the Roman Catholics.
The Plymouth colony vas founded by
men of both sweetness and light like
Carver, Bradford and WInslow; the colony
of Massachusetts, Bay was ruled by a
Puritan theoeracv OF which the Cromwell
Ian Roger Eudicott was q. good type.
Cromwell himself was so large a man that
he personally interfered TO stop the execu-
fion Of old women for wiicheraft in Scot
land: he protested against the Westnin-
stsr Confession as going altogether too far.
aud showed his tolerance by calling back
the Jews to England from which they had
been banished since the reign of Edward
the Second, and by treating George Fox, the
Quaker, with great kindness and protect
ing him and his followers from persecution.
The average Puritan was represented by
Roger Endicott rather than by Oliver
Ii h. h.~ ~
crimes that called for the death penalty.
The defects OF the Puritan character were
coineident with tho times. he was
hisoted. intolerant. gloomy. austere
sscesic In all matters of theology, but no
worse than Laud was under Charles the
First, or Philip the Second. of Spain, or
Catherine di Mcdici, who organized and
executed the massacre of ST. Bartholomew.
But the Puritan, who founded the colony
of Massachusetts, Bay. and the Pilgrim
Fathers. who as Separatists preceded them
In founding the Plymouth colony, had
great virtues, both civic and social, whose
economic influence has made the United
States what they are today.
To the Pilgrim and the Puritan belongs
the glory of being the first TO found free
state that rested on the principles of in
dividnalism instead of paternalism and
the divine right of kings. Free home, free
lips and free families the Puritan gave rs,
and this equal protection to all men in tho
primitive rights of life, liberty and prop
erty and the pursuit of happiness has
made the United States earth's greatest
nation.
There was no romance In the Puritan:
be was trader and fighter and he treated
the Indian very much a. the Engiishman
treated the Hlndoo, he made him root
hog. or die" The Frenchman lost Cam
ada because he was romantic voyager;
Marquette went from Quebec 10 Lake SUI
perior not primarily TO trade bat TO save
souls, bat tho New England settlers we're
primarily traders and were always ready
70 fight anybody who interfered with their
chance aud opportunity To trade. The
Now Eagiand settler never went forth 20
discover for diseovery's sake, or tried to
convert hsethens TO Christianity: they
travelled neither fsster nor farther than
they could trade. while the French went
from Quebec 20 the Upper Mississippi
filled with the ardent desire TO enlarge the
domain of France and convert Indians 10
the church of Rome.
The gallant hut romantic French dis
coveTer and missionary lost Canada and
the NoTthwes; to the hardy, fighting
English trader. iuss So he lost his grip on
India, where puplejx and Lally PLAYED
the ssny part that krantense and Mont.
ea.m lid IN Canada The brains of the
United States have always been in New
England Tie greatest Nlrginian of his
day. Rschaui Henry lee. Gas 50 com.
netely Ia sympathy with she greatest New
highlander % bis day. Sam Adams, tina,
Lee seriously thought al one tigus of set
Ting in New England. Beaiamin Frank.
Inns. New Eaginaa born and bred. had
more 30 do with preparing for and precipi.
tasing the American Revelation than any
man ia The country. Tor he formulated Q
scheme Tor mutual delcase and protection
at Albany in i5Cs. before the Revelation.
that ultimately furnished ths marrow OF
the Federal constitution.
The deb; which the United State. owes
New knSland Is ths persistent defense and
dissemination ei the doctrine Of s,ass,sss ~, :
Ssss. sae saeTedness et the individual n,an
as opposed 80 the doctrine Of the dirin.
right OF kings. Of socialism, Of caste o,
class. The New England Yankee ansiet
pasei IN his civic administration Ericsson /,
saying that anybody eeali snvras. pa, Il
seek brains - make al engineer" the
New Easlaaa Ysnkee in his action sntles.
fassa Goodwin SmitA's saying. "Einality
Is tae trap lato which al Utopians fAl. ri
9ae New England Yankee AnoNs aow Il
saseFs, and ne dssplsed sae doctrine q 40
divine right Of slaEs. Of socialism. 81 pa
sernAlissn, On the Common ssase ground
that take away the Inducements ID Ia
dasiry ard shrifs afforded Av the i.u
which seeuses 10 each The ownership and
enjoyment Of rs rghtsaI gAsas. snd
through galvsrzss poverty and Ignorance.
ssea christendosa wosla rapidly relaFss
.aso utter haFhNrxm 50
IL is aha. IAakss lea Of the ssrrs.snss,
sf individual ssSas "a sgpOssa 10 10