The Washington herald., 1915-04-24

entire O
XVIH1LE Maryland was being estab,
w lished. county palatine. and
w Virginians accommodated their
life and temper to the intrusion. affairs
moved with strong tide in New England.
and the whole face of the country was
changed for the English. the Indians.
and the Dutch alike. During the ten
years 1630-40 the first ten years after
Mr.. Winthrop's company came to Bos-
ton, a great and ever-increasing imml-
grafton poured steadily in at the bay.
Most of the newcomers found the bay
settlements altogether to their liking. and
made their homes there very content
edly. There was not a little uneasiness
and disquiet. nevertheless. These stir
ring, austere, incorporating Puritans.
who had crossed the sea to live IN
wilderness rather than submit to Laud
and the King, were not likely TO De ALI
of one mind, or always submissive to
one another when they differed; and
within less than five years after MT.
Winthrop's first company had established
themselves at the bay signs OF a par
tial breaking up began to appear. Each
town was a sort OF little commonwealth.
and every town followed its minister. II
he was of the mettle to lead
The Reverend Thomas Hooker. of New
town, and the Reverend John Cotton, OF
BOSTON. were In those first days, the
most notable men among all the MN
listers OF the colonies. They were both
scholars, and both orators whom II
moved men to hear; but they were OF
opposite views and unlike tempers IN
dealing with affairs 1t was observed
after Mr. Hooker was settled at New
town that many of the freemen grew
very Jealous of their liberties" The men
OF WATERFOWL. near by. ventured to pro-
test very strongly against being taxed
for fort to he built at Ne"town, not
withstanding II was meant TO serve Ill
case OF need against common enemy ;
and il was not doubted that Mr.. HOOK
er's yery liberal opinions IN matters OF
government had spread to them ana m
clined them thus to press tneir mae
pendence. He was very downright. very
fo,,,id.hls in debate: Newtown was con-
testing with Boston the right to be con-
sidered the capital and center OF the
hav settlements; the freemen OF the
lesser towns looked to it for leadership.
and found Mr.. Hooker clear In counsel
and fit to lead.
Mr.. Co,ton's views were much more
to the liking of the magistrates. Inc
magistrates generally invited MIN 10
preach, accordingly. at every Crisis IN
affairs, to the freemen or to the courts
which were to decide what to do, and
he had presently such an ascendency
that whatever he delivered in the
nuIpit was soon put into an order OF
court or set up as practice in the
church" The Newtown people. who
deemed Mr. Hooker no less master
of wise speech and sound doctrine
than Mr. Cotton, and Mr.. Haynes, their
chief citizen. as worthy to be COVER
nor as Mr.. winthrop himself. or Mr..
Dudley. one or the other of whom the
freemen seemed determined always to
choose, grew jealous of government
which seemed to lie so entirely with
Boston.
They were too loyal and too pru-
dent to wish to disturb the peace and
order of the colony by insisting too
strenuously or too hastily upon hav-
ing their own way; but they did not
dissemble their discomfort. and asked
leave of the company's governemnt to
remove to another place of settlement.
Though the matter had to be fought
through long debates and many de-
LAYS, therefore. the magistrates at last
felt themselves constrained to grant
Newtown's petition: and the people OF
Watertown, RoXbury, and Dorchester
chose to consider themselves included
in the permission. The three years
lS35-1637 saw notable migration
begin. BY the spring 1887 there were
fully 500 settlers on the banks OF the
Connecticut and on the shores of the
Sound below.
In 1886 settlers from Watertown be-
gan to build upon the river, six miles
below the Dutch at Good Hope, at
place which they presently called
Wethersfield- The same year Dorches-
ter people came and sat themselves
down beside the little group of pro-
testing Plymouth men at Windsor.
There were men in England as well
as at the Bay who had cast their eyes
upon the valley of the Connecticut as
place to be desired. and they also
chose this time to make ready for
planting a colony.
In 1855 they sent out John Winthrop
the younger. the bay governors genial
and capable son, as governor in their
name ''of the River Connecticut with the
places adjoining" and close upon his
heels sent Lieut.. Lion Gardiner. a stout
soldier bred to war. like so many another.
in the service of the Low Countries. to
build Notifications which should make
them sure of whatever Mr.. Winthrop
might occupy. That very year, 1886 Mr..
Hooker came with 100 settlers from New
town and Joined some pioneers who had
gone before him and planted themselves.
as most unwelcome neighbors, close
alongside the Dutch at Good Hope. call
ing their settlement Hartford.
Uneasy congregations were not the only
people to quit the bay in that day Of
eager movement. when men came by the
thousands out Of England: and the Con-
necticut was not the only goal of the
new emigration. Many a man, many a
family who found thesrule Of the Mas
sachusetts magistrates overirksome.
turned their eyes southwark and went
the shorter Journey Of but little more
than forty miles, which carried them
Plymouth's grant of lands into
the country of the Narragansetts be-
yond. where deep rivers and a spread
ing bay. dotted with inviting islands
made an open way to the sheltered seas
Of the great sound below.
These shores and islands soon became
4 place of refuge for all who were