orations-第4章

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over　every　influence　save　that　of　conscience　alone；　and　they

preferred　the　precarious　chance　of　relaxation　from　the　bigoted

rigor　of　the　English　Government　to　the　certain　liberality　and

alluring　offers　of　the　Hollanders。　　Observe；　my　countrymen；　the

generous　patriotism；　the　cordial　union　of　soul；　the　conscious

yet　unaffected　vigor　which　beam　in　their　application　to　the

British　monarch：



〃They　were　well　weaned　from　the　delicate　milk　of　their

mother　country；　and　inured　to　the　difficulties　of　a　strange　land。

They　were　knit　together　in　a　strict　and　sacred　bond；　to　take

care　of　the　good　of　each　other　and　of　the　whole。　It　was　not

with　them　as　with　other　men；　whom　small　things　could

discourage；　or　small　discontents　cause　to　wish　themselves

again　at　home。〃



Children　of　these　exalted　Pilgrims！　　Is　there　one　among　you

ho　can　hear　the　simple　and　pathetic　energy　of　these　expressions

without　tenderness　and　admiration？　　Venerated　shades　of　our

forefathers！　　No；　ye　were；　indeed；　not　ordinary　men！　　That

country　which　had　ejected　you　so　cruelly　from　her　bosom　you

still　delighted　to　contemplate　in　the　character　of　an　affectionate

and　beloved　mother。　　The　sacred　bond　which　knit　you　together

was　indissoluble　while　you　lived；　and　oh；　may　it　be　to　your

descendants　the　example　and　the　pledge　of　harmony　to　the

latest　period　of　time！　　The　difficulties　and　dangers；　which　so

often　had　defeated　attempts　of　similar　establishments；　were

unable　to　subdue　souls　tempered　like　yours。　　You　heard　the

rigid　interdictions；　you　saw　the　menacing　forms　of　toil　and

danger；　forbidding　your　access　to　this　land　of　promise；　but　you

heard　without　dismay；　you　saw　and　disdained　retreat。　　Firm　and

undaunted　in　the　confidence　of　that　sacred　bond；　conscious　of

the　purity；　and　convinced　of　the　importance　of　your　motives；

you　put　your　trust　in　the　protecting　shield　of　Providence；　and

smiled　defiance　at　the　combining　terrors　of　human　malice　and

of　elemental　strife。　　These；　in　the　accomplishment　of　your

undertaking；　you　were　summoned　to　encounter　in　their　most

hideous　forms；　these　you　met　with　that　fortitude；　and　combated

with　that　perseverance；　which　you　had　promised　in　their

anticipation；　these　you　completely　vanquished　in　establishing

the　foundations　of　New　England；　and　the　day　which　we　now

commemorate　is　the　perpetual　memorial　of　your　triumph。



　It　were　an　occupation　peculiarly　pleasing　to　cull　from　our

early　historians；　and　exhibit　before　you　every　detail　of　this

transaction；　to　carry　you　in　imagination　on　board　their　bark　at

the　first　moment　of　her　arrival　in　the　bay；　to　accompany

Carver；　Winslow；　Bradford；　and　Standish；　in　all　their

excursions　upon　the　desolate　coast；　to　follow　them　into　every

rivulet　and　creek　where　they　endeavored　to　find　a　firm　footing；

and　to　fix；　with　a　pause　of　delight　and　exultation；　the　instant

when　the　first　of　these　heroic　adventurers　alighted　on　the　spot

where　you；　their　descendants；　now　enjoy　the　glorious　and

happy　reward　of　their　labors。　　But　in　this　grateful　task；　your

former　orators；　on　this　anniversary；　have　anticipated　all　that　the

most　ardent　industry　could　collect；　and　gratified　all　that　the

most　inquisitive　curiosity　could　desire。　　To　you；　my　friends；

every　occurrence　of　that　momentous　period　is　already　familiar。　

A　transient　allusion　to　a　few　characteristic　instances；　which

mark　the　peculiar　history　of　the　Plymouth　settlers；　may

properly　supply　the　place　of　a　narrative；　which；　to　this

auditory；　must　be　superfluous。



One　of　these　remarkable　incidents　is　the　execution　of　that

instrument　of　government　by　which　they　formed　themselves

into　a　body　politic；　the　day　after　their　arrival　upon　the　coast；

and　previous　to　their　first　landing。　　That　is；　perhaps；　the　only

instance　in　human　history　of　that　positive；　original　social

compact；　which　speculative　philosophers　have　imagined　as　the

only　legitimate　source　of　government。　　Here　was　a　unanimous

and　personal　assent；　by　all　the　individuals　of　the　community；　to

the　association　by　which　they　became　a　nation。　　It　was　the

result　of　circumstances　and　discussions　which　had　occurred

during　their　passage　from　Europe；　and　is　a　full　demonstration

that　the　nature　of　civil　government；　abstracted　from　the

political　institutions　of　their　native　country；　had　been　an　object

of　their　serious　meditation。　　The　settlers　of　all　the　former

European　colonies　had　contented　themselves　with　the　powers

conferred　upon　them　by　their　respective　charters；　without

looking　beyond　the　seal　of　the　royal　parchment　for　the　measure

of　their　rights　and　the　rule　of　their　duties。　　The　founders　of

Plymouth　had　been　impelled　by　the　peculiarities　of　their

situation　to　examine　the　subject　with　deeper　and　more

comprehensive　research。　　After　twelve　years　of　banishment

from　the　land　of　their　first　allegiance；　during　which　they　had

been　under　an　adoptive　and　temporary　subjection　to　another

sovereign；　they　must　naturally　have　been　led　to　reflect　upon　the

relative　rights　and　duties　of　allegiance　and　subjection。　　They

had　resided　in　a　city；　the　seat　of　a　university；　where　the

polemical　and　political　controversies　of　the　time　were　pursued

with　uncommon　fervor。　　In　this　period　they　had　witnessed　the

deadly　struggle　between　the　two　parties；　into　which　the　people

of　the　United　Provinces；　after　their　separation　from　the　crown

of　Spain；　had　divided　themselves。　　The　contest　embraced

within　its　compass　not　only　theological　doctrines；　but　political

principles；　and　Maurice　and　Barnevelt　were　the　temporal

leaders　of　the　same　rival　factions；　of　which　Episcopius　and

Polyander　were　the　ecclesiastical　champions。



That　the　investigation　of　the　fundamental　principles　of

government　was　deeply　implicated　in　these　dissensions　is

evident　from　the　immortal　work　of　Grotius；　upon　the　rights　of

war　and　peace；　which　undoubtedly　originated　from　them。　

Grotius　himself　had　been　a　most　distinguished　actor　and

sufferer　in　those　important　scenes　of　internal　convulsion；　and

his　work　was　first　published　very　shortly　after　the　departure　of

our　forefathers　from　Leyden。　　It　is　well　known　that　in　the

course　of　the　contest　Mr。　Robinson　more　than　once　appeared；

with　credit　to　himself；　as　a　public　disputant　against　Episcopius；

and　from　the　manner　in　which　the　fact　is　related　by　Governor

Bradford；　it　is　apparent　that　the　whole　English　Church　at

Leyden　took　a　zealous　interest　in　the　religious　part　of　the

controversy。　　As　strangers　in　the　land；　it　is　presumable　that

they　wisely　and　honorably　avoided　entangling　themselves　in　the

political　contentions　involved　with　it。　　Yet　the　theoretic

principles；　as　they　were　drawn　into　discussion；　could　not　fail　to

arrest　their　attention；　and　must　have　assisted　them　to　form

accurate　ideas　concerning　the　origin　and　extent　of　authority

among　men；　independent　of　positive　institutions。　　The

importance　of　these　circumstances　will　not　be　duly　weighed

without　taking　into　consideration　the　state　of　opinion　then

prevalent　in　England。　　The　general　principles　of　government

were　there　little　understood　and　less　examined。　　The　whole

substance　of　human　authority　was　centred　in　the　simple

doctrine　of　royal　prerogative；　the　origin　of　which　was　always

traced　in　theory　to　divine　institution。　　Twenty　years　later；　the

subject　was　more　industriously　sifted；　and　for　half　a　century

became　one　of　the　principal　topics　of　controversy　between　the

ablest　and　most　enlightened　men　in　the　nation。　　The　instrument

of　voluntary　association　executed　on　board　the　〃Mayflower〃

testifies　that　the　parties　to　it　had　anticipated　the　improvement

of　their　nation。



Another　incident；　from　which　we　may　derive　occasion　for

important　reflections；　was　the　attempt　of　these　original　settlers

to　establish　among　them　that　community　of　goods　and　of　labor；

which　fanciful　politicians；　from　the　days　of　Plato　to　those　of

Rousseau；　have　recommended　as　the　fundamental　law　of　a

perfect　republic。　　This　theory　results；　it　must　be　acknowledged；

from　principles　of　reasoning　most　flattering　to　the　human

character。　　If　industry；　frugality；　and　disinterested　integrity

were　alike　the　virtues　of　all；　there　would；　apparently；　be　more

of　the　social　spirit；　in　making　all　property　a　common　stock；　and

giving　to　each　individual　a　proportional　title　to　the　wealth　of

the　whole。　　Such　is　the　basis　upon　which　Plato　forbids；　in　his

Republic；　the　division　of　property。　　Such　is　the　system　upon

which　Rousseau　pronounces　the　first　man　who　inclosed　a　field

with　a　fence；　and　said；　〃This　is　mine；〃　a　traitor　to　the　human

species。　　A　wiser　and　more　useful　philosophy；　however；　directs

us　to　consider　man　according　to　the　nature　in　which　he　was

formed；　subject　to　infirmities；　which　no　wisdom　can　remedy；　to

weaknesses；　which　no　institution　can　strengthen；　to　vices；

which　no　legislation　can　correct。　　Hence；　it　becomes　obvious

that　separate　property　is　the　natural　and　indisputable　right　of

separate　exertion；　that　community　of　goods　without

community　of　toil　is　oppressive　and　unjust；　that　it　counteracts

the　laws　of　nature；　which　prescribe　that　he　only　who　sows　the

seed　shall　reap　the　harvest；　that　it　discourages　all　energy；　by

destroying　its　rewards；　and　makes　the　most　virtuous　and　active

members　of　society　the　slaves　and　drudges　of　the　worst。　　Such

was　the　issue　of　this　experiment　among　our　forefathers；　and　the

same　event　demonstrated　the　error　of　the　system　in　the　elder

settlement　of　Virginia。　　Let　us　cherish　that　spirit　of　harmony

which　prompted　our　forefathers　to　make　the　attempt；　under

circumstances　more　favorable　to　its　success　than；　perhaps；　ever

occurred　upon　earth。　　Let　us　no　less　admire　the　candor　with

which　they　relinquished　it；　upon　discovering　its　irremediable

inefficacy。　　To　found　principles　of　government　upon　too

advantageous　an　estimate　of　the　human　character　is　an　error　of

inexperience；　the　source　of　which　is　so　amiable　that　it　is

impossible　to　censure　it　with　severity。　　We　have　seen　the　same

mistake　committed　in　our　own　age；　and　upon　a　larger　theatre。　

Happily　for　our　ancestors；　their　situation　allowed　them　to

repair　it　before　its　effects　had　proved　destructive。　　They　had　no

pride　of　vain　philosophy　to　support；　no　perfidious　rage　of

faction　to　glut；　by　persevering　in　their　mistakes　until　they

should　be　extinguished　in　torrents　of　blood。



As　the　attempt　to　establish　among　themselves　the　community

of　goods　was　a　seal　of　that　sacred　bond　which　knit　them　so

closely　together；　so　the　conduct　they　observed　toward　the

natives　of　the　country　displays　their　steadfast　adherence　to　the

rules　of　justice　and　their　faithful　attachment　to　those　of

benevolence　and　charity。



No　European　settlement　ever　formed　upon　this　continent　has

been　more　distinguished　for　undeviating　kindness　and　equity

toward　the　savages。　There　are；　indeed；　moralists　who　have

questioned　the　right　of　the　Europeans　to　intrude　upon　the

possession