Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-01-16
Saint Narq 5 Beacon.
the FIRST SETTLEMENT m
MARYLAND.


fact that it was at Sc. Mary's City,
the State of Maryland was first set
tied; that il was there, indeed, the
banner of religious liberty was first
planted.
Although thefoundingofSt. Mary's
may be traced TO several causes, it
seems to me that the principal cause
was ecclesiastical tyranny in Eng
land. For years previous 70 1884,
the question of religious liberty had
been stirring up the whole of Europe.
At the beginning Of the seventeenth
century, a severe and cruel persecu-
ton began in England. The flames
Of persecution were lighted all about
the land, and the atrocities com
mitted in the name OF religion, fur
nish one of the saddest records in
human history. The sufferings of
the Catholics were especially severe.
About this time. there was at the
court OF King James in England, a
Catholic Aobleman named George
Calvert, who was very much liked
by the King. Influenced by the
sufferings of those of his own creed,
and prompted by his love for them,
George Calvert turned his eyes to-
ward America, in search OF a home
for those who were forced TO feel
themselves strangers in the land of
their nativity. In 1882, he applied
to King James for grant of land in
America. George Calvert died be-
fore the patent for Maryland had
been signed by the King, so the
grant was made out in the name OF
his eldest son, Cecilius Calvert.
The latter, at once undertook the
work of colOnizing the new territory.
Abandoning the idea, which he had
once entertained, OF accompanying
the colony himself, Cecilius Calvert
sent out his younger brother Leon
ard as Lieutenant Governor. At
his own expense, Cecilius fitted out
two vessels, the Ark and the Dove
ON which about two hundred colon
lists set out for America Saying
farewell to their native home, the
emigrants set sail from the Port of
Cowes in the Isle of Wight, Novem-
Der 22nd, 1888.
After a long and stormy voyage,
the Ark and the Dove" reached
Point Comfort, Virginia in February,
1854. Then sailing up the Chesa-
peake Bay to the Potomac River,
they disembarked on an island,
which they called St. Clements.
The shores OF the Potomac were
lined with Indians. Signal fires
blazed out on every point, and the
arrival of the white man was an
nounced throughout the region,
with all the wonder characteristic of
the savage Indian. The memory of
that day, must arousein every Mary
lander, new feelings of pride and
patriotism.
Guided by the spirit of their re-
ligiOn. the settlers made friends
with the native Indians, and in all
their dealings with them were gov
erned by the strictest rules of equity,
and the purest sentiments of humani-
ty. The settlers purchased about
thirty miles of the Indians district,
and paid them well for it.
After Leonard Calvert had obtain
ed right to a portion of their land,
he and his associates came to anchor
in the harbor of St. Mary's River,
March q, 1884, and laid out site
for the city ofSt. Mary's, the first
town of the State, and its colonial
capital. The colony Immediately
became permanent. 1t was this lit
tie band of people that established
the principles, which, lived up to,
produced results and effects, such.
as filled the hearts of the people of
the United States with undying de-
votion to liberty of conscience. And
too, at a later period in the history
of the colony, let US recall the ever
memorable federation Act OF l649.
which granted entire religious lib
erty 10 every settler in MARYLAND.
Although Leonard Calvert died
before l649, he laid the generations
OF Marylanders who have succeeded
him, under lasting obligations for
his answering diligence to obtain
religious liberty for all.
st. Mary's continued to be the
capital of Maryland, and the county
seat OF st. Mary's County for sixty
years. Meanwhile the settlement
pushed northward, and as the set
tiers on the banks of the Severn
grew in importance, endeavors were
made by them to remove the capital
to Annapolis. At last. the third eff
fort was successful, and in 1884,
Annapolis arose upon the downfall
of St. Mary's. Thus robbed of her
Importance as capital of the state.
st. Mary's steadily declined, until
to-day there stands only an Episco-
pal Church. St. Mary's Female Semi