The Republican journal., 1910-03-31
The Queen of the kennebec
Or the Last of the Wampanoags.
BY FRANK w. GOWEN.
NO. Z.

Whitaker and party arrived in Liver
pool on bright, sunny morning. The
banks of the Mersey looked beautiful in
their green foliage, while the songs of
the early birds of summer fell gently up
on the ear. Great ships just from Afri-
ca rode proudly at anchor in the bay.
These ships had sailed from Liverpool to
the coast of Africa, where they shipped
slaves, and thence to the West India Is
lands where they We're sold and the pro-
ceeds brought to England in cargoes of
sugar and rum. For nearly three GEN.
turtles this cruel traffic in human lives
went on in the West Indies, and from
1880 down to the emancipation of slavery
in our mother country greater portion
of the African trade in England centered
in Liverpool. Drunken sailors were
everywhere, their dark blue shirts open
at the neck, displaying their great, hairy
breasts, with pictures of full-rigged
ships printed upon them. 1t was drink,
drink, from morning until night, when
the sailors We're ashore. They fought,
cursed and often killed each other while
under the influence of liquor. John
Whittaker's heart was filled with sorrow
as he witnessed such dreadful intemper-
ance in Liverpool. Oh rum, rum, the
name no tongue or pen can describe. 1t
has oppressed the people in every land
far greater than Egypt oppressed the
Israelites and robbed them of home, hap
piness and life.
After spending several days in Liver
pool John Whitaker and party left for
London, and when we'll located there
Alexander carried out the wishes of his
father and visited the birthplace of Will
liam Penn, whose name and memory will
ever be loved and honored by the Red
Man. We will, however, let him tell the
interesting story of his visit to the home
of this famous Quaker in the following
letter to his parents;
LONDON, June IL, 1871.
Dear Mother and Father
| wrote you from Liverpool of our de-
hghtful voyage and also of my first i'm
pressions of England Now that we are
visit to the birthplace and late home of
William Penn. | was accompanied by
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitaker and daughter,
who enjoyed the trip exceedingly, as we'll
as myself We first visited the place
where he was born, in London, then his
late home near Towford. and also his
grave at Jourdan's meeting house in
Buckinghamshire. Eighteen years have
passed away since this noble man was
laid at rest beside his first and second
wives, and every spot in this vicinity is
consecrated to his memory. 1t is i'm
possible for me, dear mother and father,
to explain to you in this letter my in
tense JOY in being able to visit the rest
ing place Of this great and good man,
whose name you taught me in childhood
to love and venerate. Oh life. how
beautiful it is when ones thought and
endeavors are put to the best uses, as
was the case with William Penn. Such
unselfish and noble lives enrich and bless
mankind His memorable treaty with
our people in the American wilderness,
which was never broken, and the glori-
GUS words he spoke to them at that time,
are among the events in his life that has
made his name so famous throughout the
world
Knowing that you will be interested to
learn something Of his family connections
in England l have gathered the follow
ing facts which I briefly write to you
BY his first wife William Penn was the
father Of FIVE children; two sons and
three daughters. Two of these daugh-
ters, died in infancy, and | learn that his
son William by his first wife is a very
reckless and dissolute fellow and was
source of great trouble to his late father
| believe he is still living in the city
which his father founded in America
His second wife bore him three sons,
iii England. Mr. Whitaker says that
William Penn went down to his grave
broken-hearted man, and it is sad to think
that the last years of one who had made
such great sacrifices and was so noble
should be encountered by debt and af-
fiction. But he is beyond all sorrow
now, for God wipes away all tears: bless
ed be ms name. On distant and happy
shore where angels move, and where
there IS no pain, he is at rest.
We hear much in England Of the con-
11lctlng claims between France and this
country in America and it is said that
then troubles can only be settled by war.
If it comes 10 that the valuable lands of
the great Indian families in the new
world will be taken from them by the
white race for all time.
There IS more chill and rain in the at
mosphere in England than in Bermuda;
yet on the whole we are enjoying very
pleasant weather Our days are so filed
with travel and sight seeing that l am
glad at night to retire early for much
needed rest. When we leave England
we shall probably go to Ireland, then to
Scotland, and later travel in France. 1t
is my intention when we are in France to
visit, if possible, the home of that great
man, Rev. Sebastian Rasle, who gave his
life for our race in the New World 1t
is now twelve years since the tragic death
OF this illustrious priest who taught
Christianity to the poor Indians in the
wilderness of Maine. In speaking of
him few days ago Mr. Whitaker said
that he was born in the Province of
Maine, only about $50 miles from the
place where the awful massacre of Rasle
and our poor people took place He tells
me the town in which he was born IN the
western part of Maine was named York.
Gy1H