New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-02
The Scot in America
AMBASSADOR REID DELIVERS BEFORE THE EDINBURGH
PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTION

the PnllOSOpniCdl lnSliluIiOh VI
burgh, with it's president. Lord Rose
berry. in the chair on THE scot III
America and the Ulster Scot He dWet
particularly on what has been achieved
II, the New World by men of Scottish
blood, and said it was full time that me
Scot in America be given proper recos-
milton. Mr.. Reds speech follows;
THE SCOT IN AMERICA AND THE
ULSTER SCOT.
cannot thank you too warmly Tor
this reception on platform Whlch h"2
been graccd during the long hlstoI! VI
the Edinburgh Philosophical ihstI'ut
BY so many of the most eminent nlei,
o, letters and statesmen Of the Cnlteu
Kingdom. In discharge of the duty VIVA
which YOU have honored me hdNe
ventured to think that your interest,"
might he best enlisted IN some account
of what has been done by pioneers u
your own Scottish blood, when given I,io
larger opportunity of the New Woriu' nv
Puritan in America has had MS oay'
and generous. perhaps sometimes 700
generous, British recognition. 60 mas
the Cavalier. 1t is full time Tor Tue
Scot in America, and for the ulster oco'
either the Puritan or the Cavalier bui'
when they are praised--as they must DC
forever while herOism and great
achievements are honored among the
generations of men-the praise should De
for what they did, rather than Tor what
they conspicuCusly did not do. the Furi-
tan did not seek a new world 10 esta pISh
liberty of conscIence-far from H.. ne
only sought a world where ne could I'M
L. s.ln
else. The Cavalier did not seek new
world where he could establish universal
freedom He only sought freedom 10
have his own way. Even Tor the carry
Scottish emigrants sent out TO MIN he
had no use save as bond-servants. Later
on he found them also useful as Presl-
dents.
Neither the Puritan nor the Cavalier
went to America in resistance 10 tyranny
The Puritans who sought to resist tyr
amy stayed in England, in the army
with Fairfax, while those who felt other
wise escaped to the Colonies. The Cava-
Tiers in the main left England for Amer
lea when the Commonwealth army had
defeated them.
Neither the Puritan nor the Cavalier,
when at liberty 10 work out his own
ideals, established popular government
IN the New NOllu, lHOuSH INC
were much farther from II than the cav
alters. Under the Puritans no man could
vote unless he were a church member,
and in good standing with the church
authorities Under the Cavaliers piety
may not have been so essential, but free
dom from any debt for service was, and
no man, even no white man, could vote
without IL.
The Puritans, as we have seen, did
not seek a land of religious freedom,
nor did they make one. They drove
Roger Williams out, because ne was
a Baptist They tried Quakers for
heresy, bored holes in their tongues with
hot irons. and if after this any conhd-
ing Quaker trusted himself again TO the
liberal institutions OF Massachusetts
Colony, they hung him. They tried old
women for witchcraft, and hung them.
As late as 1872 Cotton Mather himself
rode from Boston to Salem to witness
the hanging of another minister, George
Burroughs, for the crime of not believ-
ing in witchcraft and, according to most
authorities, not only approved but ac-
lively encouraged the atrocity. If YOU
should be inclined, however, for this 70
Judge the Rev. Mr.. Mather harshly and
by modem standards, let me remind You
Of the record that long after this. Cotton
Mather was decorated with the degree OF
Doctor of Divinity by your own Univer-
sity Of Glasgow.
Neither Puritans nor Cavaliers led In
the struggle for freedom of speech and Of
the press That honor belongs to Scot.
Andrew Hamilton, who went in 1888
from Edinburgh to America, where he
rose to be Attorney General of Pennsyl-
vania. Forty years later he defended
tine New York printer Zenger, in a trial
for libel on the royal Governor, which
was construed as libel on the King. Your
former citizen defied official threats. re-
sisted the bitterly unfriendly court and
by his impassiOned eloquence fairly
n-rested an acqulttal from the jury and
secured the freedom Of speech and of
the press ever since enjoyed in America
sometimes, perhaps, overenjoyed.
Neither Puritans nor Cavaliers began
the demand for mo taxation without
representation, which became the shib-
boleth Of the Revolution. This formula
appeared first in 1I40, when the Provin-
cial Assembly Of Pennsylvania asserted
the principle in controversy with the
Governor and the proprietary party
1.-THE King" declared the Assembly's
resolution, claims no power of levying
taxes without the consent of Parliament.
There should be no taxation without rep
resentation."
Neither Puritan nor Cavalier kindled
the popular fame for Independence TWO
years before James Oti5's famous speech
in the Boston Town House i'm 1761 Pat
rick Henry, a Scot had done that in
Virginia in the defence against the noted
Parsons Cause" Here he maintained
the indisputable right of Virginia to
make laws for herself. arraigned the
King for annulling a salutary ordinance
IN the sole interest of a favored class, and
SAID by such acts King, instead of be-
ing the Father Of his people, degenerates
into a tyrant and forfeits all right 10
obedience" The Court exclaimed Urea
som" But the jury brought in it's YER
dict against Patrick Henry's clients for
one penny, and thus the fire in Vir-
ginia" began. IL may interest you to re-
member that the mother of the orator
who started ii was a cousin of your his
torian, Robertson. and Of the mother of
Lord Brougham.
4 later episode in the Virginia House
OF Burgesses blew this fire into a fur
mace fame Patrick Henry introduced
resolutions prompted by the Stamp Act,
declaring that the inhabitants of Vir-
einia Inherited from the first advent
urers and settlers of that Dominion equal
franchises with the people Of Great Brit
ain: that taxation by themselves or by
persons chosen to represent them was
the distinguishing characteristic of Brit
ish freedom that the people of this an
Client colony had enjoyed without inter
ruption the right of being thus gov
erned. as constantly recognized by the
King and people OF Great Britain that
consequently the General Assembly of
the whole colony had now the sole
right In lay taxes on its people, and that
any attempt 10 vest such power N any
Other persons whatever tended TO de-
IL. ,as.f..a fro