Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-11-25
HON. 7. F. BAYARD'S ADDRESS.
Interesting Speech BEFORE the Mayfower
Descendants OF Pennsylvania.

Interesting Speech BEFORE the Mayfower
Descendants Of Pennsylvania.
Former Ambassador Thomas #.
Bayard addressed the members OF the
Society of the MaJhower Descendants
ip the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
at their annual meeting at Hotel STEM
ton, in Philadelphia, Monday night. His
subject was an informal account of the
recovery of the manuscript Of Brad
ford'H History Of Plymouth Planta-
tiou," its conveyance from England to
this country and it's presentation to
the Governor of Massach usette.
"When Hawthorne WAS Consul at
Liverpool. in 1852" said Mr.. Bayard,
''he published his book. in which he
alluded to England as the old home OF
Americans. No one who lives in this
country can go there to-day without
feeling that England is bis old home
indeed, aud without feeling how the
past enlightsns the present and the
present interprets tho past. There Ia
not a spot but which connects and
which roots him with his ancestors,
linking the best people of this country
with the history Of that ancient Island. "
After describing now an American
upon a visit had traced his ancestry
back TO John Elliott. who was the first
7 10 translate the Bihle into the Indian
language as an illus.rlt,on Of records
preserved in many parishes in England,
BIO stated that be mad laid the corner
stone of a church erected to the memory
Of John Robinson. who had led the
Pilgrims from England to Holland.
and who, though he had meyer seen his
colony in America, was, with William
/ Bradford, one of its real founders.
;u fhof Rra6fordfa n1anuanrint
which has been restored to this
country" he continued, by the ma.
chinery not of right and of claim, but
| Of Kindness and of strong fraternai
feeling between men Of the same blood.
| Plaintiff and defendant both signed the
sano paper in the formal steps neces.
sary 10 the transfer of the volume, and
i ain proud OF my connection with the
case, nroud that | could present the
volume to the Governor OF Massachn
setts to be preserved, under certain
easy conditions, for the benefit of pos
tsrity.
A fac simile of the volume was lying
near kim, and, taking 1t into his
hands, MIR. Bayard continued; 1t was
tho tremendous and deep earnestnese of
Robinson and Bradford, their bravery
in meeting all manner OF dangers, that
| Culmtnatel IN tub lOuLuIuH Va tIo
colony. Tho sea OF Liberty of con-
science haa now spread all over this
country. Civil liberty is but a branch
of religious liberty. Where one exists,
the other exists, where one dies. the
other dies with 1t.
lie then stated that tho successive
stems in the restoration of the volume,
from its finding on the ahelyes of the
Bishop of London until it was placed
in the hands of the Govornor Of Massa-
chusetts, had been so completely told
that he would not again recount them.
lie also said that there would be pub
lished volums describing all the
formal steps which had baen necessary.
IIe declared that every historical
society in each State Of the Union
should have copy OF tho fac aimile of
tho manuHcript volume and that a
number Of these fac-similes bad already
been sent out, so that the spirit that
produced the volume might he studied.
Previous to tho address, officers of
the society were ee;ted as follows |:
Governor, Charlemagne Tower. Jr. (;
Deputy Governor, Francis Olcott A lion !;
CAPTAIN, Charles A, Biinley; Troas
urer. James Maurau Rhodes; His.
torian, i. Granville Leach; Secretary,
Edward Tobey Stuart. Board OF Assist
ants, Edward Clinton Lee. Eben
Francis Barker, i. Otis Kendall.
Arthur Hale.