The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-07-01

Haven, sitting In Boston, made for
NAL agreement that their colonies
should be Joined in confederation
for mutual support and defense, un-
der the name Of The United Colonies
of New England. Massachusetts, by
far the greatest and strongest Of the
colonies, no doubt expected to rule in
its counsels. The other colonies
hoped to restrain Massachusetts and
hold her back from dominating over
much.
That same year, 1913, Roger Will
liams went to England to get char
ter for the settlements in the Mar
ragansett country. The settlements
on the Narragansett waters had been
excluded from the confederation
formed in Boston because they were
thought to be too full of troublesome
persons and uneasy politicians to be
safe or peaceful partners; but now
that they had their own charter they
could endure the exclusion without
too much anxiety as to how their
rights should fare.
England was convulsed with civil
war. Even Charles saw then how
fierce tempest had sprung up againt
him, and yielded so far as 60 consent
to call a Parliament. The Parliament,
once called together, assumed novel
tone of mastery. Charles saw that
he must either yield all or else openly
resist. He chose to resist; set up
his royal standard at Nottingham
august, 1642); called upon all loyal
subjects to rally about it for The de-
Tense of their king; and so brought
civil war and revolution upon Eng
land.
Three years went by, and the sub
tile king lay dead upon the scaffold
at Whitehall January, 1649). He
was not brought to his death by the
Parliament, but by the army, and the
army did not represent the nation.
All who were not partisans of the
army and of the Independents were
driven from the house, and the hand
full who remained brought the king
to his trial and condemnation, and
finally to his death at Whitehall, close
by the window of his banqueting hall
They were acting for a minority Of
the nation, but no one dared with.
stand them.
| With such matters as these to look
upon at home, there was no time il
England to watch events in the fan
colonies across the sea. The New
Englanders could form their confed
Grafton if they pleased without mo
lestation. But if the war gave then
freedom of action, it brought othel
things in its train which were not 81
acceptable. No new settlers came
any more. Men began to return int
England instead-ministers to Civ,
counsel, as well as soldiers and mer
of affairs to lend their aid in the flo.
of action.
1t was very serious thing for thu
Puritan colonies that their rapiC
growth was thus stopped of a sudden
1t required not little steadiness o
mind and purpose, not little painful
economy and watchful good encour
agement, to get over the shock o
such changes and settle down to max
the best of the new conditions.
Happily the colonists were not mel
to be dismayed, and had made to-
good a beginning to fear actual fail
ure. Massachusetts, with her fou
counties and thirty towns, her four
teen hundred freemen, her organizes
militia, her educated clergy, and he
established leadership among the col
onies of the north, was ready to stan
upon her own feet, with little prac
tice; and the other colonies, on tn
Connecticut and on the Sound, ha
proved themselves from the first t
be fit to live by struggle. Massa
chusetts had even established a col
lege of her own, and was no longe
entirely dependent upon the universe
ties at home to supply her clergyme
and her gentlefolk with an education
The General Court had begun the sci
; ting up of proper school in 1864
had changed the name of Newtow1
where the school was placed, to Cam
, bridge, in order that it might seer
to the ear a more suitable home fo
it, and, two years later, had called tn
little college Harvard, in honor G
J the young clergyman who, dying
( their midst (1638), had bequeathed t
it his library of 260 books, and a fe'
/, hundred pounds, the half of his moo
: est estate.
Only Virginia reaped any sort {
: direct material benefit from the civ
wars. Her people were not Puritan
? They were drawn from the gener;
I body of Englishmen who believed
t the sanctity of the church and of tn
crown, at the same time that the
t loved their own liberty and did M
t mean to be imposed upon by an
t mans power, whether in church {
4 state.
VI Their aEembly, when they learne