* for colonizing New England, -to this band of Leyden Pilgrims, to this small, unknown company of wandering outcasts, shoukl, under God, have been committed this important service. That, under all the circumstances, on the bleak shores of a remote and barren, wilderness, in the midst of desolation, with the blast of a rigorous New England winter howling about them, and surrounded by dangers in their most awful and appalling forms, they succeeded as well as they did, having, truly humble as were their circumstances, been the instruments of laying, as already intimated, the foundations of American liberty, must, we think, be attributed to the overruling purpose of One who wisely kept shut the gates of this part of the New World until there should appear that race of iron men, duty-loving men, who should undertake its settlement and civilization in the name of God, and in the interest of truth and of humanity. landing, having devoutly given thanks to the Almighty for their safe arrival, and having sought the Divine blessing upon their endeavors, they formed themselves into a body politic by a solemn compact, which they all signed, and by which they consented thus mutually for the time being, to be governed, Mr. John Carver being unanimously chosen governor. According to the terms of this compact, not only was each man to have an equal share in the government, but, clearly, the will of the majority was to rule. This instrument, so brief, comprehensive, simple, germinal, was memorable, not only on account of its having served the infant colony as their only charter or constitution for many eventful years, but as having established that principle of local self-government which constitutes the germ, the very crown-jewel of our liberties; as being the very earliest monument in that dark age of despotism, of those democratic institutions subsequently to constitute the characteristic glory of New England. Meantime, what more morally sub- After several expeditions, now inland, for the sake of lime than the spectacle of these earnest, God-fearing, obtaining fresh supplies, now up and down the coast for self-denying men, before suffering their feet to press the the sake of ascertaining the most eligible and inviting sweet soil of their long-sought promised land, pausing place of settlement, at length, on Monday, Dec. 11, 0. here, in the cabin of the Mayflower," to lay the foun- S., the final and decisive landing was effected on what is dations of new commonwealths! But what was espe-known and has since become immortal as Forefathers' cially surprising in this connection is, that after the Rock, Plymouth.* ignoble failure of so many far more pretentious schemes which they asserted for themselves, drew up within the arm of Cape Cod, sheltering them from the winter's storms of the Atlantic, and signed the first compact union on earth which confers freedom to all men under the government under which they live. That was their neces 66 sity. When the Pilgrims at Plymouth laid down the law of self-gov.ils, honest, and because they knew he was a religious man and a good "In the name of God, Amen : "We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of King James, having undertaken, for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly, and mutually, in the presence of God and one another, covenant, and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic for our better enduring and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid: and by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws and measures, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most convenient for the general good of the colony. Unto which we all promise due obedience." "The Plymouth Rock that had been to their feet as a door-step Into the world unknown the corner-stone of a nation." And so, having providentially escaped the many per and survived the many discomforts and privations of an ocean voyage, sadly worn with suffering, and weak and weary from their many fatigues, these men and women that, for the sake of a good conscience, for the sake alone of freedom to worship God," had thus braved the dangers of the sea, the hostilities of savage * This rock, still preserved as an object of veneration, "was probably," says another, "the only stone large enough for the purpose of landing in all that bleak and sandy coast." The very first to have stepped on this rock is said have been a young girl by the name of Mary Chilton. The site of this stone was preserved by tradition, and a venerable cotemporary of several of the Pilgrims, whose head was silvered with the frosts of ninety-five winters, Elder Faunce, settled the question of the identity of this historic rock, as, in 1721, borne in his arm-chair by a grateful populace, he took his last look of it,— -so endeared to his memory,-and, bedewing it with tears, bade it farewell. In 1774, this precious bowlder was raised from its bed and consecrated to Liberty. In the act of its elevation it fell in twain, an occurrence regarded by many as ominous of the separation of the Colonies from England. The lower part was left in its original bed, while the upper part, weighing several tons, was conveyed, amid the heartiest rejoicings, to Liberty-pole Square, and adorned with a flag bearing the significant motto and warcry, "LIBERTY OR DEATH." On the 4th of July, 1834, the natal day of the Colonies, this part was removed to its present site in front of Pilgrim Hall. From their long prison, hardy forms that brave And savage men who through the thickets peer What could lure their steps To this drear desert? Ask him who left In the present rapid and comprehensive survey of the events connected with the dawn and development of self-rule in New England, the writer will naturally be chiefly occupied with such affairs embraced in the history of these Pilgrim † adventurers, as are best calculated to illustrate their character, and the growth of the government they initiated, of the rise and progress of those free institutions, the dazzling promise even of whose infancy caused Burke, in 1775, to exclaim in the British House of Commons: "What in the world was ever equal to it!" The settlement at Plymouth was commenced on Wednesday, the 20th-twenty persons remaining ashore for the night. On the following Saturday, the first timber was felled. On Monday, their storehouse was commenced. On Thursday, preparations were made for the erection of a fort, and allotments of land were made to the families; and on the following Sunday, worship was performed for the first time on land. ‡ Busy hands now speedily cleared land for their village, and, before many days, a hamlet of log dwellings, sufficient for the temporary accommodation of the Colony, had been constructed. § The harbor had been named Plymouth by the explorer Captain John Smith, from old Plymouth, England. The Pilgrims were so called on account of their wanderings from place to place, on the road "to heaven, their dearest country," as they said. They had acquired this title even before coming to New England. Meantime, unfortunately, in consequence of exposures incurred, both while on ship-board and also during their wanderings in quest of a home, a great and distressing mortality prevailed during this first winter, cutting off nearly one-half their number. A sufficiently affecting proof of the miserable and melancholy condition of these sufferers at this time is afforded in the fact, that not only had these their loved ones, and neighbors withal, to whom, by attachments consecrated by mutual toils and privations, at once in their native land, in exile, and on the deep, they had become tenderly united and endeared -been removed out of their sight by death, and their cherished forms, so early committed to the soil of New England, but, through fear of their losses being discovered by the warlike savages that surrounded them, and of the latter's taking advantage of their own weakness and helplessness to attack and exterminate them, the sad mounds formed by the rude coffins of their friends were carefully levelled, and left utterly unhonored and unmarked. Early the ensuing spring, the "Mayflower" took her final departure from the new settlement. The reader will, without difficulty, in fancy, reproduce the parting scene. The lone Pilgrims crowd the strand, and, thro..gh tear-dimmed eyes, watch the vessel as she weighs anchor, hoists her sails, and bears away-watching, with strained vision, the gradually lessening speck, until at last it fades utterly and forever from view. In well-chosen and glowing words, the late Mrs. Sigourney has sketched this picture: - "But yon lone bark Hath spread her parting sail. They crowd the strand, Is severed? Can ye tell what pangs were there, Long with straining eyes Sank down into their bosoms. No! they turn gathered along the beaches, was largely used for the thatching of roofs. After some thirty years, a better class of dwellings began to be more common. They were usually made of heavy oak frames, put together in the most solid manner, and made secure at night against the incur For some time the Pilgrims, save as they were served by Eldersions of Indians and wild beasts by massive wooden bars. One of these Brewster, seem to have been without the stated ministrations of the Gospel. The first sermon preached in these Colonies was delivered by Rev. Robert Cushman, at Plymouth, in December, 1621; memorable as the first printed production of any writer in New England. § The houses of most of the first settlers were, of necessity, very rude and simple structures—a log cabin, often of a single room, with an immense chimney built externally at one end. The chinks between the logs were "daubed" with a mortar of clay and straw. Tall grass, buildings, erected originally by Townsend Bishop in 1635, afterwards owned by Governor Endicott, and occupied by his son John, is still standing, and occupied, in Danvers. It is known as the Nourse, or "Witch House," on account of its having been the residence of Mrs. Rebecca Nourse, when hung as a witch in 1692. Though, according to Mr. Upham, the oldest house in America, its timbers are still sound; nay, have become so hard that it is almost impossible to drive a nail into them. Though thus doubly bereaved, left, amid the solitudes of nature, and tribes of treacherous, blood-thirsty barbarians, to encounter the perils of the future, shorn of half their strength to their immortal honor, yet be it said, not one of these pioneers "fainted for weakness, or turned back faltering to the home of his childhood; but, with a loftiness of purpose which was ever theirs, and consecrating themselves anew to the work in which they had engaged, all resolutely remained, determined to abide the direction of God, and calmly to follow the leadings of his hand until summoned from earth to their heavenly home." soit, † sachem, or chief, of one of the most important of the neighboring tribes-the Wampanoags; a treaty afterwards preserved inviolate for upwards of fifty years. Over several other chiefs and tribes, also, though for a season occasional disputes and skirmishes occurred, yet at length, and mainly through the decided, yet judicious management of Miles Standish, they acquired such an influence and control as, for a long period, quite secured them from serious molestation. One can hardly resist the conviction that, in this early turning of the hearts of the Indians to peace, and in this protracted friendship of these undisciplined children of the forest towards this feeble and comparatively defenceless band, we have a striking and impressive manifestation of a kindly intervening Providence. Satisfied with the abundance of their first harvest, our Pilgrim fathers, with grateful hearts, made haste to rejoice, partaking, together with Massasoit and ninety of his men, of venison, wild turkeys, waterfowl, and other delicacies for which, even then, New England was Upon the organization of their provisional government, already famous. Thus early, and thus auspicously, was as already stated, John Carver had been chosen gov- established the time-honored festival of THANKSGIVING ernor. The very day following the departure of thea festival which, though originally confined in the Mayflower," he suddenly died, and William Bradford observance to the sons of the Pilgrims, has now, happily, was chosen his successor. long since become national. ‡ One of the first acts of the new colonial government was to establish a military organization. Thrown, as they were, defenceless upon these inhospitable shores, and surrounded by more or less hostile tribes of Indians, the settlers were at once impressed with the necessity of some such means of protection. Miles Standish, who had already served in the armies both of Elizabeth and James, was chosen captain, and was entrusted with "authority in command of affairs." Meantime, while these earliest military arrangements were yet in progress, through overtures from the natives themselves the settlers had communication with the Indians, and concluded a treaty of amity with Massa Miles Standish was not a member of the Leyden Church, nor subsequently that of Plymouth, but appears to have been induced to join the emigrants by personal good-will, or by love of adventure, while to them his military knowledge and habits rendered his companionship of great value. He was no religious enthusiast. He never professed to care for, or so much as to understand, the system of doctrine of his friends, though he paid it all respect as being theirs. Their honest, self-renouncing picty fascinated him wholly. He nursed the sick like a mother, at the same time that he was building batteries and drilling platoons against Indian hostility. He was the strong right arm of the infant Colony-his only ambition being faithfully to discharge whatever trust had been committed to his hands, whether it was to frighten the Narragansett or Massachusetts natives, to forage for provisions, to hold a rod over disorderly English neighbors, or to treat with merchants on the London Exchange. He died greatly lamented, October 3, 1656.—Palfrey. The reader will be interested to know that three descendants of the good Massasoit, consisting of a Mrs. Mitchell, and her two daughters, still survive. They are said to have their summer habitat at a place called Betty's Neck- — a tract of land on the shores of Assawampsett Pond, as the largest lake in this State is called. By virtue of the intermarriage of a descendant of Massasoit with the grand-daughter of Sassamon, the Christian Indian and preacher, whose murder, at the instigation of Philip, precipitated the great Indian war, Mrs. M. is lincally connected with the Praying Indians, as well as the haughty Wampanoags; while, if there be any foundation for the tradition that Suspaquin, another of Mrs. M.'s ancestors, married a young daughter of Sassacus, chief of the Pequots, the young girl having been taken prisoner of war, then in Mrs. Mitchell's veins are united the hostile blood of the Pequots, of the Wampanoags, and of the Praying Indians. The Mitchell family are of pure blood, as their family plainly show. Mrs. M. is well educated, having herself taught school; while her daughters have enjoyed all the advantages of New England high schools and academies. She is reputed to be wealthy, inheriting, on the one hand, from Benjamin Suspaquin, a brave soldier under Captain James Church, lands granted to Church and his company for success in the field, which she still holds; and, on the other, lands in Lakeville, which came to her from Sassamon's daughter, whom the English called Betty, and whose chief possessions were in Taunton and Raynham, where a flourishing village is still known as "Squawbetty," because the lands, than which there are no richer meadows in Massachusetts, were bought of her. With the help of General E. W. Pierce, the learned antiquarian and geologist, Mrs. M. has recently published a book, giving some account of her family. They take unfeigned pride in their descent, and it is not a little startling to hear one of the daughters, arrayed in full Indian costume, say that if she had been in Massasoit's place, not one of the Pilgrims would have been allowed to survive that first winter. Was not this festival suggested by the Harvest Festival in the "Old A year has passed. How eventful! What mournful changes have thus early taken place. One-half of this little Colony is already at rest in the grave. Meantime, not a word has been heard from home. What a picture of loneliness is here presented; shut out thus utterly from the world, and surrounded only by the solitude of the primeval woods, with only the God of Israel to strengthen and to support them in their trials! Yet their efforts have thus far been, by no means, altogether unattended by success. If nothing more has been gained, they have at least safely encountered the perils of intercourse with their savage neighbors. Besides this, however, they had hopefully planted their settlement, and In the spring of 1624, through emigration, the population of the Colony had increased to one hundred and eighty souls, and the number of dwelling-houses to thirtytwo. The annual harvests meanwhile had been ample. Large tracts of land had been brought under cultivation. A light, and yet hopeful fur trade had sprung up; and, on the whole, though this was, of course, a day of small things, a time of weakness and vicissitude, - yet the temporal circumstances and prospects of the colonists were beginning to brighten, while they meantime had occasion for devout thankfulness to God that health and peace had been so generally continued unto them. One of the earliest trials to which the Pilgrims were COLONISTS GOING TO CHURCH. subjected arose from their contiguity to, and relations with, a colony which had been attempted by a Mr. Weston of London, and who, under a patent obtained in 1622, had despatched an expedition to settle for him a plantation. somewhere in Massachusetts Bay. These colonists on their arrival Country?" However this may have been, Thanksgiving Day, from | much ampler dimensions, with a lofty tower and steeple rising from its first celebration, seems to have been, with the Pilgrims and their descendants, the great social event of the whole twelve months. The growing family, gathered from far and near, and clustering round the paternal hearthstone, forgot, on this occasion, every trouble in the joys of kinship. "For days before it came, the plumpest fowls, the yellowest pumpkins, and the finest vegetables were marked and put aside. The stalled ox and the fatted calf were killed. When the glad morning arrived, a happy flutter pervaded every home. Children's feet pattered over the old farmhouse from cellar to garret, and made the rafters echo with their noisy glee. After the public service came the generous dinner; and then all gathered round the blazing hickory fire to listen to the joys and perils of the year." The first "meeting-houses" consisted ordinarily of a single room, perhaps 20 X 36 feet in size and twelve fect high. The roof was often thatched with long grass. It was a great advance when they were able to have it lathed on the inside, and plastered and whitened over. They were often built with a pyramidal roof, crowned with a belfry. bell-rope hung from the centre, and the sexton performed his office halfway between the pulpit and the entrance door. Such a meeting-house, built in 1681, still stands in Hingham. Subsequently they were built of The the front, and located sometimes on the hill-top. in front of the preacher's desk, facing the congregation. Attending church in colonial days, indeed, was serious business; the were hospitably received and entertained at Plymouth. age and settlement, the Colony was beginning to get assignment become private property, there existed All efforts to obtain a patent from the crown having Though the young Colony was steadily and hopefully proved unavailing, the Plymouth colonists were left to advancing, yet, in consequence of various complications establish municipal regulations and carry on their govand misunderstandings with the London Merchants ernment, without royal sanction. Accordingly, quietly Company, which, in consideration of a certain share of assuming all necessary powers and prerogatives, they the profits of the enterprise, had consented to advance proceeded at once to organize a government, and to disthe money necessary to defray the expenses of the voy-charge all the functions of the State. A governor, with a council of five, afterward seven, assistants, and a legislature, consisting at first of the whole body of the male wilderness that echoed to the devotional songs of the Pilgrims being rupted by the rude sound of bloody warfare. In fact, we are informed The old men, the young men, and the young women, had each their separate place. The boys were gravely perched on the pulpit stairs, or in the galleries, and had a constable, or a tithing man, to keep them in order; and woe to the luckless youngster whose eye-lids drooped in slumber. The ever-vigilant constable, with his wand, tipped at one end with the foot, at the other end with the tail of a hare, brings the heavier end down sharply on the little nodding flaxen head; while, by a gentle touch on the forehead with the other and softer end of the same stick, he gently reminds the care-worn matron of her duty, in case, unhappily, she has been betrayed into a like offence. The service began with a long prayer, and was followed by reading and expounding of the Scriptures, a psalm-lined by one of the ruling elders-from Ainsworth's version, and the sermon. The approved length of the sermon was one hour, the sexton turning the hour-glass, which stood on the desk before the minister. Instrumental music was absolutely proscribed as condemned by the text (Amos v. 23) "I will not hear the melody of thy viols," and one tune for each metre was all those good old fathers needed. "York," " Windsor," "St. Mary's,” and “ Martyrs" were the standard stock, and were intoned with a devout zeal almost forgotten in these days of organs and trained choirs. After the sermon came the weekly contribution. The congregation, sternly solemn, marched to the front, the chief men, or magnates, first, and deposited their offerings in the money-box, held by one of the elders or deacons. No sensitiveness then in regard to collections. It must have been refreshing to witness not only the dignitaries below, but the occupants of the galleries as well, come down, marching two abreast, up one aisle and down another, and paying their respects severally to the church treasury in money, paper promises, or articles of value, according to their ability.-See National Repository, January, 1879. The compact adopted on board the "Mayflower," as already intimated, long served the Pilgrims as their only constitution. Beyond an acknowledged allegiance to the king, the controlling power was the lawfully expressed will of the majority. For a period of nearly twenty years the people assembled annually for purposes of legislation, and for electing their governor and assistants, the same constituting the executive force of the government. * In 1638, in view of the increased number of freemen, and the distance of many of them from the place of election, it was enacted that four delegates from Plymouth and four from each of the other towns, together with the governor and fifteen assistants, should form a legislative body, — the magistrates and deputies, meanwhile, constituting, unlike those of the Massachusetts Colony, but a single board. The governor and assistants formed also a Court of Justice for the trial of civil and criminal cases. In some cases the decision was made by themselves, while in others, questions of fact were submitted to a jury selected by the court. † A fine, it is said, was imposed upon any freeman who, without a good reason, was absent from the annual election; while any person elected governor, or assistant, was obliged, under penalty, to serve for at least one year. The highest tribunal of justice in the Colony was the General Court, and from its decision there could be no appeal. The next tribunal in |