The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-12-21
MANKATo FREE PRss
THE WEDNESDAY EVENING CLUB
Studies the American Revolution at
Its Last Evenings Meeting.

Studies the American Revolution at
Its Last Evenings Meeting.
The Wednesday Evening club met
with Miss Grace Clark last evening.
There was a full attendance. Inc
paper was an able one, presented by
Miss Fraser, on '"The Causes OF the
American Revolution" The entire
paper was logical, clear and forclble.
1t opened with a brief review OF the
European monarchs and the relations
theirugoyernments held with America
Just prior to the revolution. MISS
Frasers delineation of these mon
archial characters, especially that OF
George the Ill, was very strong.
The paper then described the pollt-
ical condition of the American COLO
MES and their sufferings under the
stupid reign of England's royal head.
She said of the thirteen colonies:
"Each bore it's own characteristics.
The principles and practices
of Puritanism still directed the lives
of the men of New England. In edu-
catiOnal matters she led all the sister
colonies: so completely were even the
smallest villages furnished with the
best methods of instruction then eX-
tant that there was not to be found
in all New England one adult, born IN
the country, who could not read and
write. In the middle colo
MES education was not so general.
Virginia still held to aristo-
cratic ideas. Rugged North
Carolina hunters and jealous Hugue-
nots of South Carolina were each be-
coming a potent factor in the devel-
opment of the life of the new world.
One thing they held in COM
mon-the one thing of which they
never lost sight, viz: Their passionate
love for freedom. What wonder, then,
that as soon as their most cherished
possession was disputed, they should
rise, as one man, to reclaim it?''
Here Miss Fraser's portrayal OF the
methods of our revolution as being SO
different from others was very strong.
And this part of the paper brought
out in.clearest language how the arbi-
trary and incompetent actions of the
mother government FASTENED the
revolution in breeding discomfort and
dissatisfaction.
'sThe importation act" was shown
to be a very efficient cause OF the
revolution by provoking the colonies
with it's extreme injustice. While the
successes in the French and Indian
war encouraged the colonists to feel
their power in declaring for indie
pendence.
''The year 1764 heard the first
formal declaration from parliament
of the determination to tax the colo
MES. England had incurred an enor-
NOUS debt during the late war with
France, and desired her dependencies
to bear the greater portion OF the
obligation. This news called forth
excitement and Indignation among
the colonies which knew no bounds
Patrick Henry made his first
famous speech before the excited and
wrathful members of the Virginia
assembly, declaring that the colonists
were English people, with the rights
of Englishmen.
"Then followed the revolt of
all the colonies, the choosing of
leader, the amassing of forces, the
declaration of independence, the pro-
longed conflict, tue final victory. In
the rapid progress of events colonial
congress was assembled; declarations
of rights were made; resolutions were
passed; battles were fought, until
England withdrew her forces, sued
for peace. And the causes of the
revolution brought about our present
glorious government" The paper was
thoughtful, carefully studied, and we
only regret lack of space prevents
full report of5it.
The discussion that followed on sis
the United States Likely to Have An
other Revolutions" was presented in
the affirmative by Miss Alice Robbins,
and was a strong, clear setting forth
of the social revolution now going on.
Mr.. Crandall defended the negative of
this question with many humorous
collections of statistics, and also po-
tent facts. The discussion left all in
the same undecided condition of
mind, whether we are to look for with
fear or laugh off with a joke the
trend of social questions today.
The discussion called forth some
spirited and interesting remarks on
trusts, anarchy, immigration, partici-
pated in by Messrs. Willard, Harmon,
Eugene Patterson, DR.. Webster, Mrs.
Berry and Miss Crawford.
The next paper will be on "The
Constitution of the United States as