New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY AND THE CATHO-
Lie MIGRATION


The Separatist NOV ,ment however, did not end
where the Puritans wished. 1t overfowed in the
religious freedom preached by Roger Williams
and practised in his colony in the orthodox re-
action of Hooker and the other founders OF Con-
necticut. in the Authoritarian Of Anne Hutch
inson and In the numerous exiles who were
driven into the wilderness for reasons OF faith or
Of morals Men can start movement for liberty
more easily than they can stop 1t. Nevertheless
Dr. Eggeston's liberal views as to the various
movements away from the Purtanism Of New
England and his favorable estimate Of them are
not universal among historians. Or. Northends
volume for instance. which follows closely the
narratives Of the Puritan historians. treats
Roger Williams's movement as one OF compare
lively small Importance, and infers from the
case of Anne Hutchinson that federation In
religious matters was not allowed. nor could it
be with safety The controversy as to the IN
fuence OF the Pilgrims. which is one that dates
from a very early time. is settled by DR.. North
end with a denial that this influence was or any
weight in the religious history Of Massachusetts
Bay Apparently he does not aim to criticise
the ancient historians Of New England. but to
present the substance OF their narratives in
compact form He has done this in an admirable
way giving his readers the aspects or lie IN
New-England seen by the Puritans them
selves. Thus. though he may be partisan OF
the Puritans the craftsmanship in his book is
theirs, not his
Finally comes the Catholic migration to Mary
land under the auspices Of Lord Baltimore. The
Puritan movement was not Intentionally devoted
to religious liberty nor even to liberation. 1t was
meant to secure the dominance OF particular
form Of religion. On the other hand, the plan
OF Roger Williams contemplated the broadess
freedom in religion and the unqualified separa-
ton OF Church and State. Maryland was a
mean between these extremes. In the England
OF that day Catholicism existed merely on suffer
ance and was freque lty prosecuted To re-
leye his co-religionists Lord Baltimore formed
a colony The plan was the work Of two genera
tons The first Lord Baltimore, with more OF
Imagination was still, like his son, practical
politician who confined his aspirations to what
he could get, without striving for the unattain-
able. To secure n grant Of land or charter for
a colony exclusively Catholic was impossible 1t
would have been impossible for the Puritans to
obtain what they did II they had not belonged
to a party that comprised half the strength OF
the kingdom AS the Lords Baltimore could
not exclude non Catholics. they chose the best
alternative in their power namely, liberation for
all Christians. But the principle Of intolerance
as principle was preserved by provision that
Jews and those who denied the divinity Of Christ
should be killed. AS neither Jews nor Uni
tarians had the colonizlng fever. Maryland was
safe from prosecutions under the Catholic rule.
The device of Lord Baltimore was a thoroughly
practical one. Under his hands 1t was success
full When Puritans secured for time control
Of the colony they put their descendants to the
blush by exiting the Papists, but their su
premacy was not permanent. little later the
utility Of liberation was so obvious that the
Catholic proprietor chose Protestant Governor,
and the two saw the subjects Of their authority
living together on amicable terms. Here was
an illustration Of religious freedom such as the
age could understand. great many people are
still far distant from the ideals OF Roger Will
Jams. But even In the seventeenth century men
weary Of the strife Of religions could appreciate
a system that put to use just so much freedom
as the various conflicting parties could agree on
and more. After an interval OF Puritan In
tolerance which only served to bring out the
clearly the benefits OF liberation. the colony
became permanently attached to Its benencent
law. 1t preserved the Catholic element In the
midst of a growing Protestant population, and
II gave hospitality to the Quakers and others
when these could find hardly any other place on
the continent where they could settle in safety
DIR. Eggleston is rather moderate In his praise
OF Lord Baltimore. He evidently admires en-
thusiasm. People with crotchets and scruples
and extreme views become very picturesque fig
ures under his PEN But Lord Baltimore seems.
after all, fine presage Of the statesmen who
wero to arise under the Constitution Of the
United States men who understood the maxim
that constitutional government Is government
by compromise
The field OF colonial beginnings is also trav-
ersed by DIR. Gregg In a readable series Of ad-
dresses. The authors method Is oratorical
rather than historical. II reminds one occasion
ally Of Swift's remark on the subject OF digres-
sions. But the book IL n model Of patriotism.
While the larger part OF II Is devoted to the early
colonists. II contains also chapters on later
phases Of American life and history