The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-04-26

IHHBhty MlSSiSSlppl De1Ore the people
lof English stock went westward of
the Alleghenies. Moreover, both the
dutch and the Swedes were shortly TO
frInd colonies between the two sets
|of English colonies, those that grew
up around the Potomac, and those
that grew UP on what is now the
New England coast. Nevertheless,
this landing at jamestown possesses
for us Of the United States an alto
iIether peculiar significance, and this
without regard to our several origins.
IThe men who landed at jamestown
and those who, thirteen years later,
landed at Plymouth. all of Enlish
stock. and their fellow settlers who
during the next few decades streamed
In after them, were those who took
the lead in shaping the life
history Of this people in the colonial
and revolutionary days. 1t was they
who bent into definite shape our ma
tion while 1t was still young enough
most easily, most readily, to take on
the characteristics which were to be-
come part of its permanent life habit.
Yet let us remember that while
this early English colonial stock has
left deper than all others upon our
national life the mark of it's strong
twin individnalities, the mark of the
Cavalier and Of the Puritan--never-
theless. this stock, not only from
It's environment but from the presence
with 1t of other stocks. almost from
the beginning began to be differentiat-
ed strongly from any European peo-
pie. AS / have already said, about
the time the first English settlers
landed here. the Frenchman and the
Spaniard, the Swede and the Dutch
man, also came hither as permanent
dwellers, who left their seed behind
them to help shape and partially to
inherit our national life. The German,
the Irishman, and the ScotchmaD
came later but still in colonial times. |
Before the outbreak of the Revolution |
the American people, not only be- |
cause Of their surroundings, physical |
and spiritual, but because of the |
of blood that had already |
begun to take place, represented a
new and distinct ethnic type. This
type has never been fixed in blood.
All through the colonial days new
waves of immigration from time to |
time swept hither across the ocean,
now from one country, now from an
other. The same thing has gone on
ever since our birth as nation; and
fhp last Nv h ,>f \ ,
migration has been at the full. The
newcomers are soon absorbed into our
eager national life, and are radically ,
and profoundly changed thereby, the ,
'apidity of their assimilation being
marvellous. But each group of new
,omers, as 1t adds its blood to the
life, also changes 1t somewhat, and d
his change and growth and develop
nent have gone on steadily, genera Ii
ion, by generation throughout three r
enturies.
The pioneers of our people who n
lrst landed on these shores on that 9
'ventful day three. centuries ago, had
'efore them a task, which during the II
arly years was Of heartbreaking dan G
,er and difficulty. The conquest of a 4
lew continent Is iron work. People II
Who dwell in old civilizations and h
ind that therein so much of human lc
tvs lot is hard, are apt to complain Is
gainst the conditions as being sole G
y due to man and to speak as IL life Is
ould be made easy and simple If a
here were but virgin continent in Ii
which to work. 1t Is true that the In
'ioneer life was simpler but it was II
ertainly not easier. AS a matter of lc
act, the first work of the pioneer in IL
aking possession of lonely wilder II
,ess Is so rough. so hard, so dan II
'erous that all but the strongest q
pirits fail. The early iron days Of In
uch a conquest search out alike the {
weak In body and the weak I'm soul. In
n the warfare against the rugged |,
ternness of primeval Nature, only II
hose can conquer who are them #
elve unconquerable. 1t is not until ,e
he first bitter years have passed that d
he life becomes easy enough to invite 1t
mass OF newcomers, and so great lr
re the risk, hardship, and toll of the 1t
ary years that there always exists '
threat of lapsing back from civili- '
alton. Z
The history of the pioneers of @
amestown, of the founders of Vir- +
inia, illustrates the truth of all this. ii
anime and, pestilence and war men Il
ced the little band of daring men c
Who had planted themselves alone on 1t
he edge OF a frowning continent Ii
borrower, as men ever find, whether "
n the tiniest frontier community or ,o
n the vastest and most highly organ lo
zed and complex civilized society, 4
heir worst foes were in their own II
osom. Dissenslons, distrust, the in la
bility OF some TO work, and the un- l(
Willingness of others, Jealousy, AFRO /
ance and envy. folly and laziness- Il
n short all the shortcomings with Ia
which we have to grapple now, were jo
aced by those pioneers, and at mo- Ic
nents threatened their whole enter In
rise with absolute ruin. 1t was
ONE time before the ground on |,