LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
NEW ENGLAND AND FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Mr. Gregory says I confuse the issue. It seems to me too simple to be confused. The Spectator said that the Pilgrim Fathers did not so much as dream of granting to their neighbours that freedom of conscience which they -claimed for themselves ; Mr. Gregory challenged the produc- tion of "a single shred of evidence" in support of this state- gnent. He added that authentic history shows that "the founders of New Plymouth were singularly free from the stain of persecution and spirit of intolerance," and referred to a movement in New Plymouth "for a full and free toler- ance of religion to all men without exception," Jews, Papists, ocinians, and any others. I was so much interested in this -challenge that I ventured to give, on the spur of the moment, some reasons to doubt whether New Plymouth did stand out in such contrast to the other New England colonies, and I asked two questions.
The first was whether, under the guidance of the Pilgrim Fathers, attendance upon divine worship was made compul- .sory under penalties. In reply, Mr. Gregory admits that " the sanctity of the Sabbath was hedged round with some prickly observances," bat wisely does not attempt to reconcile this "shred of evidence" with perfect liberty of conscience.
My second question was whether Plymouth in any way opposed or protested against the Quaker persecution. Mr. Gregory's answer is startling. It is that the Puritans of Plymouth deposed and disfranchised their Governor, Isaac _Robinson, son of the revered John Robinson, "because he would have no part in the iniquitous measures against the 'Quakers."
Mr. Gregory is struck, as all must be, by the spirit and broad-mindedness of Isaac Robinson, but oddly says, .6"x eino disce omnes. Who, then, are the °nines ? Not certainly his fellow-citizens who deposed him. Still, I welcome the quotation, for this one instance may give us a fair measure of the general love of the Plymouth Puritans for religious liberty. The story is excellent for Isaac Robinson, damna- tory for New Plymouth. Mr. Gregory says I seem to think " that unless it can be shown that the Fathers of New Plymouth were BO far emancipated from the spirit of the age in which they lived as to have shred the last vestige of in- tolerance, they have no claim to be regarded as the pioneers -of religious liberty." I seem to think nothing of the kind. I have Puritan blood in my veins, and I reverence the Pilgrim Fathers ; but I could not agree in the extravagance of Mr. Gregory's eulogy. I sincerely wish he could prove his point, but I do not think he will seriously maintain that all "the Fathers and their descendants" were resolutely opposed to those "iniquitous measures against the Quakers," on which their followers in New Plymouth were so set. In conclusion, Mr. Gregory now admits that their love of liberty did not prevent the Plymouth Puritans from interfering with the liberty of ,others, and only claims that they made an honest attempt, wherein they failed, because they were born a century too soon. This may be very true; I think it is; but Mr. Gregory has retired from his first position.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
