The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-04-18

The story or a loSL Cduse uAW@So holds a fascination, even when the cause is known to have been mistaken one, says Roland M. Hooker of New Haven in reviewing the Tercentenary pamphlet, "The Loyalists of Connecticut" written by Judge Epaphroditus Peck or Bristol. The pamphlet has been published by the Yale University Press for the State Tercentenary Commission.
 The dangers which confront writer in dealing with such Q subject are twofold, says MT Hook CT. The writer may on the one hand sentimentalize the lost cause, or he may be 50 hostile to it that, through prejudice, he will lost his historical :. perspective. Judge Peck most admirably avoids both of these pitfalls.
 The picture he paints of the Connecticut Loyalists, commonly known as Tories is quite impartial. He makes them living men, not the strange monsters that Fourth of July orators have claimed them to be, but he has not idealized them or imputed to them noble senti- ments to which they have To claim.
 Vested Interest
 Tn every revolution there is certain element, which because Of vested interest, Is opposed to change. This is clearly shown by Judge Peck in his comparison Of the types of men who were Loyal
 ists in the various colonies. ln the colonies which were under strict British control those who assisted in the administration
 formed the majority of the Tories. In Connecticut, where there was ! almost entire local independence from Great Britain, the governor land magistrates favored the pa. friot cause. 'T The Connecticut
 group, which constituted the great majority of the Tories, were mem-
 bers of the Church of England, which owed its existence to Brit
 ish law, and which had always
 been discriminated against by tho
 Consregationalists. who composed l the majority of the population.
 The story of the Loyalist party ln Connecticut is therefore closely
 associated with that of the conflict
 between the Episcopal and Con-
 gregational Churches.
 Ministers Fled
 As the clouds of war began to gather, the position of the Episco- pal clergymen became very dini- cult, as they were required to pray
 for the king and for the destruc- tion of his enemies. Popular feet ing was aroused against the clergy
 and, shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence,
 they felt that 1t would be neces-
 sary to suspend public worship.
 Large numbers of Episcopalians,
 fearing for their safety, left Con.
 necticur for Long Island. where
 many of them enlisted in the Brit
 ish army.
 Of special interest is Judge l Peck's account of the hardships
 and prosecutions undergone by the Loyalists who remained in Con-
 necticut and of how they attempt
 ed to aid the British cause. A
 very unbiased picture is given of
 their treatment at the hands of the patriots. That they were harshiy
 treated is acknowledged but the
 fact that only one Tory was exc
 cuted in Connecticut, speaks well
 for the moderation shown by the
 Connecticut revolutionists. l Moses Dunbar
 Concerning this single execution,
 that of Moses Dunbar, an excellent
 account is given. Dunbar should
 be better known to those interest .
 cd in Connecticut history, as he
 holds the place among the Loyml-
 ists that is held by Nathan Hale among the Patriots. Dunbar's ca-
 reer closely parallels that of Hale;
 both men held army commissions
 and left the comparative safety of
 their own camps to act as spies.
 Both were captured and as there