The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-22
Forgotten Founder of Our
Liberties.
-
Was the First Settler of
Warwick.
Address by DR.. Lewis G. James at
Historical Cabinet.

brooklyn School OF Political Science,
lectured last evening before the Rhode
Island Historical Society on the life.
works and political and religious opinions
OF Samuel Gorton, one OF the founders of
the town OF Warwick in this State. The
lecture was the result OF an original and
independent study of all the available
published material relating to Gorton's
career. as well as of unpublished MSS.
and town records, and presented in some
respects a new view of one of the most
picturesque and interesting figures in
our local history.
DIR. James regards Samuel Gorton as one
OF the soundest political thinkers OF his
time, in advance even OF Roger Williams
and the early settlers OF Plymouth and
Massachusetts, Bay, in his philosophy of
government, a philosophy which the
colonists afterward generally accepted,
and which became the foundation of their
position in the subsequent contests with
great Britain. He also finds much OF in
terest In Gorton's religious views, which
have hitherto been but little studied.
The following is an abstract of Dr.
James lecture. After comparing the
Warwick OF today with the shawomet of
Samuel Gorton's time, and briefly de-
scribing the published accounts OF this
career, the lecturer continued, in part, as
folio ws:
Samuel Gorton was born in the
parish Of Gorton, England, a few miles
from the present city of Manchester,
about the year 1892. He was carefully
educated by private tutors, was master
OF both Greek and Hebrew, and brought
to the reading OF the Bible, which was his
principal text book, a vigorous intellect
and more original and independent
judgment than is commonly applied to
theological studies. He was Separatist
Dr. he ,rtt L..
taint of dogmatic narrowness. He al
ways retained an affection for the church
OF his fathers. 81 drew my tenets," he
says, "from the breasts of my mother,
the Church Of EnglanSS'
When about 20 years OF age, Gorton
went TO London, where he engaged in
business--that of a cloth fnisher-and
built for himself a home. lie left his ma
tive country. as he declares, "to enjoy
LIBERTIES OF CONSCIENCE
in respect to faith toward God, ana for
no other end" lie arrived in Boston in
March, 1889. A few months before
Roger Williams had been banish-
cd from Massachusetts Bay. The
colonial authorities were now
agjtated by the heresies Of Anne
Hutchinson and John Wheelwright. They,
in turn, were shortly compelled to seek
nifty for free expression of opinion.
Evidently the liberty OF conscience
which Gorton sought was not to be safe
ly exercised in Boston. He turned his
steps toward Plymouth the home of the
Separatist Pilgrims, hoping there TO find
the goal of his desires The speaker fur
ther described Gorton's contest with the
Plymouth authorities, arising from his
defence OF q servant accused of smiling
in meeting, an offence not recognized in
the English law to the perfection OF
which Gorton appealed. He was ban
ished for contumacy and mutinous be-
haivour, and went with his family TO
Pocasset, afterwards Portsmouth on the
Island OF Acquidneck, where settle
ment had been commenced by the fol-
lowers OF Anne Hutchinson. Here his
name appears as one OF four among 80
freeholders to which the title of "Mr."
was prefixed, then a sign of social posi-
tion and gentle birth. Here difficulties, in
part political, soon arose and Gorton
permitted his citizenship TO lapse. In
defending servant for an assault COM
mitted upon q person who trespassed on
his land, he denied the legal constitu-
tion of the government, which had no
authority from the Mother Country. and
was again tried, imprisoned and Danish
ed for mutinous behavior. Several OF his
sympathizers, who appear TO have been
numerous in the colony, were also ban
ished and the little circle of congenial
and independent souls pressed on to
Providence, and attempted settlement
at Popsquinepaug or Pawtuxet, then
within the jurisdiction of Providence
plantations.
Difficulties again arising which threat
enet TO involve the settlement with the
Massachusetts authorities the Gortonisis
again withdrew to tract Of land south
OF Pawtuxet and beyond the jurisdiction
NJ prnx On IL
land then known by the Indian name
of Shawomet, Cotton purchased OF MiaD-
tinomi, the head sachem of the Nara
gansetts and Pomhsm and Soccononocco,
under sachems claiming local jurisdic-
tion. The latter, however, were prevailed
upon to
REPUDIATE THEIR SIGNATURES
to the deed Of Miantinomi and to appeal
TO Massachusetts for aid 10 expel the Cor
tonists from Shawomet Gorton aud his
companions were sum noned TO Boston TO
make answer to this claim, but denying
the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, in
spicy correspondence, they refused to go.
Increase NOVEL;, secretary OF the colony
of Massachusetts Bay, ana the Boston
elders, discovered no less than twenty
six instances of blasphemy in the terms
of Gorton's epistle. A conn any OF twenty
white men and as many Indians was sent
to Shawomet by the Boston authorities.
The Gortonists were beseiged in their
block house on Conimicut point, and
after holding out for a day and half
against force four times their own, they
surrendered TO avoid bloodshed and were
taken 10 Boston for trial.
There was no pretense OF judicial
consideration OF their rights as settlers OF
Shawomet. They were tried and convicted
on the charge OF basphemy. Narrowly
escaping the penalty OF death by the re-
fusal or the people TO concur with
the judgement of all but three OF the
elders, they were separately imprisoned
with balls and chains attached TO their
ankles for several months, and then ban
ished fro~ The jurisdi tion OF Massa-
chusetts. While I'm prison their chief
grievance seems to have been that they
were compelled TO attend Sunday ser
vices IN the Puritan church, and be
preached att by the ministers. "They
brought US forth unto their cnngrega-
iions," says Gorton, with grim humor
illuminated by some knowledge OF
national history, (Which was meat to be
digested. but only 10y the hearte or
afcu.aalra ~ fbo ,ot rfoh