Evening journal., 1909-09-22
HOLLANDS MINISTER JOINS WITH DISTINGUISHED DAWAREANS UNWILLING
FOUNDING

during the century that followed the dis
covery Of the Western World by Colum-
bus. The virgin forests. the cultvatsblel
soil and temperate climate Of our Atlanticl
Coast line were kept in waiting, so to-
speak. for those courageous and hardy
men who sought refuge and asylum IN the
New World from the tyranny and oppres-
sion Of the OLD. The long annals OF time
record no more stubborn resistance tol
tyranny, no braver assertion OF the spirit
Of Individual liberty against oyerwheln-
ing odds. or greater heroism and self sac
rihce for noble ends. characterizing al
whole people, than was exhibited by the
people Of the Netherlands and the Dutch
Republic during the bloody ordeal OF the
sixteenth century. Nay, l doubt whether
in its value to the world, as wei as In It's
tragieal interest. there Is any parallel in
history 20 the rise OF The Dutch Republic.
for out Of more than a century Of struggle
for freedom emerged homogeneous peo-
pie, instinct with the love OF liberty and
law. praetclng an intelligent industry and
frugality that made them the wea'thlest
and well nigh the most powerful people
OF the seventeenth century. They success
fully matched their sea power against
that OF England, and the peaceful fleets OF
their merchantmen bore their flag into
every ocean and whltened the horizon Of
the most distant seas with their sails.
You have heard to-day how. by the
trading companies OF this enterpris' ng peo-
pie, were made the first Judgments on the
4 North Atlantic coast, and how, under their
auspices, the English Henry Hudson, after
looking into the Delaware, made the dis
covery Of the wonderful river that bears
his name; how the Dutch New Amsterdam
preceded the English New York. and the
name OF The New Netherlands antedated
that Of New England.
Nor need dwell upon the subsequent
Dutch settlements on the Delaware. and
within the territory Of our own beloved
State. II must always be with pride and
satisfaction that We recall the fact that
the FIRST adventureFs that set foot upon
our soil were OF that brave, lberty-loylng
people to whose history I havo alluded.
A melancholy interest must always at
tach to those sfout-hearted Butchrnen who
were willing TO be loft In what would have
been the solitude Of a wilderness, Is Il had
not been BROKEN by what was worse than
solitude, the environment Of the merciiess
sayages who infested the forests. Amid
the intelligent and cultured people who
inhabit, and whose fathers have inhabited
for two hundred and fifty years. this
smiling fruitful country that surrounds
ms, II Is hard 10 imagine the desolateaess
OF the scene that then confronted these
hardy Hollanders. or the loneliness that
must have oppressed their very souls. ~
the hull Of the returning ship that had
brought them hither sank beneath the
eastern horizon. Imagination, too can
feebly depict what must have been ths
gaunt terrors OF that day Of massacre
from which none survived 10 tel the tale
and we do well by such gatherings as this
and by this monument 70 honor the mem
ory Of the brave men Of that brave rac'
who first brought civilization and Chris
tianity 20 these shores. We are all familia
with the history OF the Dutch sottlemen
q OF the regions higher mp the Delaware, th
sites Of which are now within the bound
4 Of our commonwealth, as well a. With
?. the then claimed jurisdiction OF the Nc
p Netherlands. That history needs not 20 b
4 recounted at this time by me It has lef
its record in the names Of many familie
p and places familiar TO us al. The Broad