Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-01
HISTORY OF PERTH AMBOY
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Thoroughly discouraged by the re-
suits achieved. Samuel Groom, sur
veyor general, in 1853 wrote home:
"Workmen are scarce and many
of them base; if no help it
will be long ere Amboy be built as
London IS"
With these aspirations of Perth
Amboy for civic pre-eminence. New
York City. then smaller than either
Boston or Philadelphia, took UNI
bragg. The proprietors applied to
the Lords of Trade in England for a
certificate as a port of official entry.
New York filed objection and seized
ships in the outer harbor. bound for
Perth Amboy. On hearing of the
dispute, New York exerted influence
on the London officials who decided
against Perth Amboy. For a time
this decision had a d-iscouraging in
huence on foreign commerce for
Perth Amboy and impeded its devel-
opment.
When conditions look bad. a
change of circumstances-folks-the
ladies especially-say there is luck
in a new name. Whether it was from
this motive or a desire simply to
honor one of their associates, we
are not quite clear, but the records
show hat in the following year the
name of Amboy was changed to
Perth. after James, Earl of Perth.
n of the proprietors. Simultane-
ously with this change, pressure was
exerted by the proprietors to trans
fer the capitol and courts of the
province from EliZabethtown to
Perth. A capitol is a news labora-
tory and a news laboratory is a CEN
ter of popular interest; hence, gets
it's advertising without charge. the
idea being that it is an important
place, else why the capitol?
The name of Perth now appeared
in the press dispatches and folks
who had eve before heard of it, be-
came interested-strange this power
of advertising!
Perth doomed. Commerce gather
ed increased impetus. Building
fourished. Immigration thrived-
the Scotch were getting FESTIVE at
home.
The yea 1856 was a pivotal year
for the Scotch. orders were issued
from the throne that they must con-
form to the established religion and
take oath of allegiance to the Rom
dIllSI hlllS. lliOdCGiliAo VI llANlli
fused and were condemned to prison.
Among these was Lord Neil Camp
bell, a militant dissenter. Exercising
the Scotchman's choice, Lord Neil
elected to disagree with the orders
to lead his clan to the conformers
bench and there pledge himself. his
BARNS and his lassies to worship ac-
cording to the formula prescribed.
Instead he fled to Perth and here
found a welcome asylum. TIC signify
their sympathy and desire to special
ly honor him, also record in tangible
form this protest against the act
of the Scotch king, the proprietors'
June 4, 1856, made Campbell deputy
governor of the province, removing
Ganen Lawrie, the incumbent of the
office to make way for him. Thus
the world makes amends to its per-
secuted souls and by vicariouS atone
ment, compensates them for their
sufferings. all of which is sane,
wholesome, everlasting and praise
worthy, proving that we have the
divine spark and trace direct lineal
descent to a celestial origin.
In the ratio to which men are hon.
ored abroad, the jealousies, hates,
prejudices and malice of the petit
OSScIo III 1olltl VI 10 ulllOOo1d vi Jul
friends at home.
Following the fight to Perth of
Campbell, persecution of the Scotch
non-conformers quickened; the age
old dream of Calvary and it's agonies
was now re-enacted in the name of
the Merciful Saviour of men. In
verting the spirit, precepts and doc
trine of the gentle Nazerene, we
crush, destroy. draw and quarter, in
stead of forgive, pray for and
through love and friendship seek
to win those with whom we disagree.
Then call ourselves the agents of our
Maker by special appointment.
In Pitlochie, George Scott, Laird
of the manor, and his followers, like
the Campbell clan. refused to take
the oath and conform. Three times,
Scott was imprisoned and sweated to
break his rebellious spirit. and as
many times fined, but each time he
was more intractable to the end
sought than he vas before. Condi-
lions had now become uncomfortable
civil religious war was in the air.
Seeking peace of conscience, Scott
asked permission to take his impris-
oned followers to America and there
in the wilderness. find for himself
anu Ills dSSOCldltS d WOOdtu
wherein they might pray and wor-
ship without giving offense to any
one. 1t being less troublesome to
export those we hate than to kill
them, his request was granted and
thus history records in August. 1856
-65 years after the voyage of the
Mayfower-the start of a second pill
grimage of religious oppressed men
and from the old world to
the new, more dramatic and tragic
than the first. The Puritan pilgrim
age in 1920 essayed on their epoch
making adventure from Plymouth,
was strictly English; this pilgrim
age, which cleared from Leith, was
strictly Scotch. On the Mayfower,
the P%uritans carried 100 Pilgrims; on
the Henry and Francis of Newcas-
tle," the Scotch non-conformers
numbered 105-just five more than
the Mayhower.