Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-07
THE TRADITIONS OF PLYMOUTH
ROCK.

Mr.. Henry Sanford, president of the
Adams Express Company, deserves the
cordial commentator of every right
minded American citizen for his refusal
TO countenance the engagement of his
granddaughter, Miss Kitty Sanford, to
young Robert Peel, the son of the pres
ent Sir Robert Peel and the nephew of
Lod Dufferin. The ground of Mr.. San
ford's action is frankly stated by the
disappointed sutton himself. The Press
republshes part of Mr.. PeePs remarks
in order that the American people may
appreciate the standard of honor and the
views of morality held by the scions of
British aristocracy who come to this
country with the avowed purpose It
marrying American heiresses. This per-
son says:
II called upon Henry Sanford, at No.
80 Broadway. He received me coldly;
indeed, he refused to accept my hand.
l then asked him the grounds of his ops
position.
Imagine my surprise, not to say con-
sternation, when he said to me:
"'YOu are a libertine.'
81 did not know what to make of this
until he spoke of the Langtry affair.
And make no bones of that matter. 1t
is true that 1 was Mrs. Langtry's sweet.
heart. Ispent money upon her. don't
pretend to say how much.
"What does that amount to? A young
man must SOW his wild oats, and l have
had my fling.
81 am now 81 years old. am ready
to settle down. wish to marry Henry
Sanfords granddaughter Well, when
Henry Sanford called me a libertine l
saw the kind of man l had to deal
with. Now, L know American gentle
men. But when | came to deal with
Henry Sanford, l had to deal with the
rudest man l had ever met in my expert
ence. He may be worth SIS, 100000, but
he doesn't know how to deal with gen.
tleman. 1t is case of Puritan against
English society. He is still living in the
traditions of Maine and of Plymouth
Rock"
The traditions of Plymouth Rock are
the traditions of honest manhood and
pure womanhood. They are the foun-
dation of the American Republic, the
sources of our National strength and the
safeguards of the American home. The
men and women who landed on nlym-
outh Rock were as loyal to moral pu-
rity as they were to civil freedom. They
detested the intolerable license Of the
oppressors from whom they fled as
sternly as they detested spiritual and
material tyranny. Puritanism was re-
volt against wickedness in high places
as well as against the despotism of
kings; and every self-respecting Ameri-
can has reason to thank God that the
heroes and heroines who founded this
Nation loved honor more than ease, and
righteousness more than all the enjoy
ments that wealth and iniquity could
give. This Republic is mighty to-day
because it was based on integrity, on
chastity and on honest industry. The
traditions of Plymouth Rock need no de-
Tense from the ignOble slurs of British
cads. The millions of American homes
from the Atlantic to the Pacific which
are the citadels of patriotism, the tenn
pies of manly and womanly purity, the
endearlng bulwarks of order, of justice
and of freedom, are their vindication.
They need no other.
IL is evident that young Mr.. Peel does
not know American gentlemen. His ac-
quaintance with one of the sturdiest
specimens of that type in the person of
Henry Sanford ought to teach him few
needed lessons. 1t ought to teach him
among other things that American gen.
tlemen honor true womanhood and con-
denim unblushing libertipism. 1t ought
to teach him that intelligent guardians
of American young women do not seek
family alliances with foreign roues, even
though they are heirs to title and near
ly connected with some of the splendid
names of the British peerage. 1t should
though the Press fears it will not-in-
still into his mind some respect for that
genuine and noble womanliness which
il as far above life as he sees il AS a star
is above the mire.-New York Press.