The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-03-25
THE SECOND EXILE
|0F ROGER WILLIAMS.

Xpt1 OH ne bcCbfio t<Aiic Va ts~S0a vs.
liams; Its Effect Commercially Upon the
building of the City OF Provfdcnce." Mr..
Halls paper was as follows:
Roger williams was nrst banished from
MassA chusetts because he dared 10 ex-
press his views on the position that every
man In entitled TO hold among HIS fell
low men, which was 10 the point that
the civil power has no jurisdiction over
.the conscience And besides this he said
other things that were weighted with
truth that were not pleasing to Gov.
Winthrop and other friends of the king
OF England. among them being his very
pointed remark that he did not believe
that Christian Kings. ESQ called. are
Invested with a right by virtue OF their
Christianity, TO take and give away the
lands and countries OF other men" He
referred, of course, TO the native Indians.
BY advocating this idea OF Justice 10 the
|to pay for the land that they procured
|from the Indians. and while they paid
mere trifing sums. II was sufficient to
satisfy the original owners. and to es-
tablish a record for the whites that
should not make their descendants
hSnafntQ OF tNelf dNtIict dIlu uIllhiIHcSt
10 the rightful owners of ..ie land
After having been called before the
general court several times. he finally
appeared before that august body for the
Hast time in October. 1885, to answer 10
the charges that had been brought
against him. and he very ably Justified
his position and maintained all OF his
opinions. A Mr.. Hooker was chosen TO
dispute with him. but not being able to
reduce him from any OF his errors"
the next morning the court sentenced
him TO depart from their jurisdiction
within six weeks, all the ministers but
one approving the sentence. This
sentence very much disturbed the people
Of Salem, where ne was laboring for his
lofty principles In behalf OF mankind. for
they considered him an honest disinter-
ested man. and OF popular talents in the
pulpit"
Evidently because OF the love that the
residents Of that place felt for him, the
court decided 20 permit him 10 remain
until spring. but because he was a man
who could not and would not keep his
opinions to himself I'm his own home,
which home should have been as
sovereign and independent as our homes
are today. II was decided to send him to
England by a vessel then in Boston har-
Dor, but when men were sent to carry
put the requirements OF the court. Mr..
Nlllldr1S nau departed TOT Narragnneett
bay by the secret advice OF Gov Win
throp. He left mis- wife with "A baby OF
ess than three months, their oldest child
being only a little over two years OF
age.
HIS HEART HEAVY.
Is II any wonder that his heart was
heavy when he realized that these loved
ones he must leave behind. And is II
10 be wondered at that his descendants
tgAn t.s,,
tempt for the heartlessness OF those men
who should have had at least as much
hospitality as the savages that surround
pa them But the Indians proved their
charity and love TO be OF a more Cody
ype than the kind that the Puritans
were boasting OF as God-givenl
Mr.. Williams mortgaged his house and
and at Salem so that he might provide
f1r his wants until he could make a be-
kinnirg in the wilderness OF what n now
Rhode Island. and set out about the
niddle OF January. 1896. to brave the
storms OF a New England winter the
Eufferings Of which he many times there
bitter complained about. and even de-
,larng that never in all OF his life did he
feel that he really recovered from the
effects OF that winters experience.
I'm referring to his experience he says.
Il was sorely tossed for one IL weeks.
N bitter winter season. not knowing
what bread or bed did mean"
He evidently found shelter and food
hmong the Indians. such "a Il was. and
ks he must accept whatever hospitality
hey could afford. mother earth was the
bnly resting place that he enjoyed He
probably visited the various tribes and
fncampments. and as he had met several
~ the sachems at Plymouth. with whom
he had formed ties OF friendship by his
kindness and generosity. he made the
most OF those winter months In laying
MS plans for a settlement that should
its development enjoy peaceful re-
ations with the natives, for he was
ware that without the friendship OF the
indians. who surrounded him in great
numbers, there would be little hope OF
permanent existence.
Massasoit, the aged sachem of the
9ockanockets at Wampanoegs. whose
Dwelling place was at Mt. Hope, who had
been specially friendly to Mr.. Williams
vas the owner OF the land bordering on
he east shore OF the Seekonk and II
vas quite natural that they should come
o satisfactory terms for a grant OF land
q price that should be within the
means OF the founder OF the state.
He at once set out and selected az his
biding place tho east shore OF the cove
hat makes I'm from the seekonk and
Which forms the mouth OF the Ten Mile
liver. He began his log cabin az a point
bout \ OF a mile from the larger river.
irectly opposite the grove OF pines that
bow skirt the western bank OF the cove.
Which location Is now directly IN the
ghway known as Roger Williams ave-
ue the old highway being nearer the
vater.
HAD GOOD REASONS.
He selected this place for several good
easons: First, because he believed he
vas outside the limits OF his prosecutors.
nd secondly because he could foresee
hat I'm the future there might be a
maritime commerce developed that would
rove a formidable rival TO Boston. and
here being good depth OF water IN the
title bay. and sufficiently wide for the
hlpping OF those days. he beloved A a
lace for good beginning. because it
vas a perfectly land-iocked harbor. As
he requirements for moro harbor room
aIne 20 be recognized he could see that
here was ample room for wharves along
he shores Of the Seekonk river and for
TIL greater shipping In that portion OF
"A hQ hat ~