The Republican journal., 1910-03-03
William Tell

w "A u i 81 AA& Il ~ ~
historic building on my business trips
into Lincoln county have | stopped
N.Y. horse to take long look at this
court house of other days and reflect
on our early history, our struggles and
toll in subduing the forests and assisting
in establishing government whose rapid
progress. has been the wonder of the
world.
AS Burr left the court house he met
Rev. Jacob Bailey, pastor of the Episco-
pal church at Pownalboro, and who had
been classmate of John Adams at
Harvard. He was one of the most noted
and learned divines and missionaries Of
the early days in Maine, as well as radi-
cal Tory, and looked upon the patriots
as rebels. When Arnold and his army
of invasion appeared on the kennebec
he called him and his soldiers miserable
wretches, in arms against their King.
He became so unpopular and so much
hated by the people of Pownalboro that
he was obliged after the Revolution to
leave our country for Canada, where ne
died at Port Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1S0s
The noted divine and Loyalist had been
pointed out to Burr during his stay at
Swan Island and as he passed he stopped
and bowed very courteously But not so
with Jacob Bailey. He fixed a stern eye
on the young patriot and bowed coldly as
he said: eff l mistake not you are the
son of the late President Burr of Prince
ton College" Eyes, sir, )" replied Burr
che was my father. - And your dear
mother, she is also dead?" inquired Mr..
Bailey. Yes" replied Burr with sad
ness, Il lost both of my parents in in
fancy" Poor boy" remarked the di-
vine, with feeling, it was sad loss for
you; and what has induced you to join
the rebels and to fight against your
King?" he asked somewhat impatiently
ITO help them gain their independence, -
said Burr, quickly Il would be ashamed, :"
he continued, as his eyes flashed, mot to
fight against such an ignorant, bigoted
and unjust king as King George III. He
would trample the colonies under his feet
if he could.
Anger overcome the Episcopal mis-
sionary and stamping his foot on the
ground he cried out: 'Child, you know
not what you say, the rebels you have
joined will soon be whipped into subjec-
ton by the powerful armies of the
King"
''Never,' cried Burr, as he clinched
his fists, mo armies that he can send to
the colonies will ever conquer our peo-
pie, who are fighting for their homes
and for freedom
Mr.. Bailey raised his cane and shook it
vigorously at Burr as he shouted, ''Out
of my sight, this minute, want no part
of such rebel and such licentious
youth as you"
By this time quite number OF people
had collected, and one powerful, tall Yam
hee with homespun clothes and blue yarn
stockings was so mad that he swagger-
ed up to Mr.. Bailey and shaking his huge
fists in his face cried out: Damn you,
you old Tory, dry up or will smash your
face" A roar of approval greeted the
profane words of the big woodsman.
The murmuring was so angry that he
fairly trembled and his face was as white
as sheet, but controlling himself some
what he said: Gentlemen, let me pass;
oh to be thus treated by the people of
Pownalboro" "Well, if you don't want
these unpleasant experiences to occur
then hold your tongue about your King"
spoke up rough looking man with big
mouth which was soiled with tobacco
stains. people in England who SYM
pathize with the colonies are not told to
hold their tongues" replied Rev. Mr..
Bailey as his eyes flashed fire. "Yet a
poor minister in the wilderness of Maine
who is loyal to his King cannot speak
his honest sentiments without being in
suited and even assaulted.
1t was undoubtedly true that there
was freezer speech in our mother country
during the Revolution than in the colo
MES. Lord Chatham, whose memory
every American cherishes, Numbered
forth in the House of Lords, with all his
eloquence: ''You cannot, my Lords,
conquer America" Yet this eminent
statesman, as we'll as Burke and other
great orators who upheld the rights of
the colonies, were never mistreated or
insulted by their countrymen. Our his
torians, and especially Bancroft, in his
history of the United States, makes the
Kings Friends in their speeches to Par
lament appear rather more hostile to
America than they actually were," but
it can be said that the English historians
were decidedly unfair to America, with
the possible exception Of Goodwin Smith.
For over century the bitter hatred our
historians entertained against the Tories