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climate；　and　a　savage　wilderness；　for　the　sake　of　reconciling

their　sense　of　religious　duty　with　their　affections　for　their

country；　few；　perhaps　none　of　them；　formed　a　conception　of

what　would　be；　within　two　centuries；　the　result　of　their

undertaking。　　When　the　jealous　and　niggardly　policy　of　their

British　sovereign　denied　them　even　that　humblest　of　requests；

and　instead　of　liberty　would　barely　consent　to　promise

connivance；　neither　he　nor　they　might　be　aware　that　they　were

laying　the　foundations　of　a　power；　and　that　he　was　sowing　the

seeds　of　a　spirit；　which；　in　less　than　two　hundred　years；　would

stagger　the　throne　of　his　descendants；　and　shake　his　united

kingdoms　to　the　centre。　　So　far　is　it　from　the　ordinary　habits　of

mankind　to　calculate　the　importance　of　events　in　their

elementary　principles；　that　had　the　first　colonists　of　our　country

ever　intimated　as　a　part　of　their　designs　the　project　of　founding

a　great　and　mighty　nation；　the　finger　of　scorn　would　have

pointed　them　to　the　cells　of　Bedlam　as　an　abode　more　suitable

for　hatching　vain　empires　than　the　solitude　of　a　transatlantic

desert。



These　consequences；　then　so　little　foreseen；　have　unfolded

themselves；　in　all　their　grandeur；　to　the　eyes　of　the　present　age。　

It　is　a　common　amusement　of　speculative　minds　to　contrast　the

magnitude　of　the　most　important　events　with　the　minuteness　of

their　primeval　causes；　and　the　records　of　mankind　are　full　of

examples　for　such　contemplations。　　It　is；　however；　a　more

profitable　employment　to　trace　the　constituent　principles　of

future　greatness　in　their　kernel；　to　detect　in　the　acorn　at　our

feet　the　germ　of　that　majestic　oak；　whose　roots　shoot　down　to

the　centre；　and　whose　branches　aspire　to　the　skies。　Let　it　be；

then；　our　present　occupation　to　inquire　and　endeavor　to

ascertain　the　causes　first　put　in　operation　at　the　period　of　our

commemoration；　and　already　productive　of　such　magnificent

effects；　to　examine　with　reiterated　care　and　minute　attention

the　characters　of　those　men　who　gave　the　first　impulse　to　a

new　series　of　events　in　the　history　of　the　world；　to　applaud　and

emulate　those　qualities　of　their　minds　which　we　shall　find

deserving　of　our　admiration；　to　recognize　with　candor　those

features　which　forbid　approbation　or　even　require　censure；　and；

finally；　to　lay　alike　their　frailties　and　their　perfections　to　our

own　hearts；　either　as　warning　or　as　example。



　

　Of　the　various　European　settlements　upon　this　continent；

which　have　finally　merged　in　one　independent　nation；　the　first

establishments　were　made　at　various　times；　by　several　nations；

and　under　the　influence　of　different　motives。　　In　many

instances；　the　conviction　of　religious　obligation　formed　one　and

a　powerful　inducement　of　the　adventures；　but　in　none；

excepting　the　settlement　at　Plymouth；　did　they　constitute　the

sole　and　exclusive　actuating　cause。　　Worldly　interest　and

commercial　speculation　entered　largely　into　the　views　of　other

settlers；　but　the　commands　of　conscience　were　the　only

stimulus　to　the　emigrants　from　Leyden。　　Previous　to　their

expedition　hither；　they　had　endured　a　long　banishment　from

their　native　country。　　Under　every　species　of　discouragement；

they　undertook　the　voyage；　they　performed　it　in　spite　of

numerous　and　almost　insuperable　obstacles；　they　arrived　upon

a　wilderness　bound　with　frost　and　hoary　with　snow；　without

the　boundaries　of　their　charter；　outcasts　from　all　human

society；　and　coasted　five　weeks　together；　in　the　dead　of　winter；

on　this　tempestuous　shore；　exposed　at　once　to　the　fury　of　the

elements；　to　the　arrows　of　the　native　savage；　and　to　the

impending　horrors　of　famine。



Courage　and　perseverance　have　a　magical　talisman；　before

which　difficulties　disappear　and　obstacles　vanish　into　air。　

These　qualities　have　ever　been　displayed　in　their　mightiest

perfection；　as　attendants　in　the　retinue　of　strong　passions。　

From　the　first　discovery　of　the　Western　Hemisphere　by

Columbus　until　the　settlement　of　Virginia　which　immediately

preceded　that　of　Plymouth；　the　various　adventurers　from　the

ancient　world　had　exhibited　upon　innumerable　occasions　that

ardor　of　enterprise　and　that　stubbornness　of　pursuit　which　set

all　danger　at　defiance；　and　chained　the　violence　of　nature　at

their　feet。　　But　they　were　all　instigated　by　personal　interests。　

Avarice　and　ambition　had　tuned　their　souls　to　that　pitch　of

exaltation。　　Selfish　passions　were　the　parents　of　their　heroism。　

It　was　reserved　for　the　first　settlers　of　new　England　to　perform

achievements　equally　arduous；　to　trample　down　obstructions

equally　formidable；　to　dispel　dangers　equally　terrific；　under　the

single　inspiration　of　conscience。　To　them　even　liberty　herself

was　but　a　subordinate　and　secondary　consideration。　　They

claimed　exemption　from　the　mandates　of　human　authority；　as

militating　with　their　subjection　to　a　superior　power。　　Before　the

voice　of　Heaven　they　silenced　even　the　calls　of　their　country。



Yet；　while　so　deeply　impressed　with　the　sense　of　religious

obligation；　they　felt；　in　all　its　energy；　the　force　of　that　tender　tie

which　binds　the　heart　of　every　virtuous　man　to　his　native　land。　

It　was　to　renew　that　connection　with　their　country　which　had

been　severed　by　their　compulsory　expatriation；　that　they

resolved　to　face　all　the　hazards　of　a　perilous　navigation　and　all

the　labors　of　a　toilsome　distant　settlement。　　Under　the　mild

protection　of　the　Batavian　Government；　they　enjoyed　already

that　freedom　of　religious　worship；　for　which　they　had　resigned

so　many　comforts　and　enjoyments　at　home；　but　their　hearts

panted　for　a　restoration　to　the　bosom　of　their　country。　　Invited

and　urged　by　the　open…hearted　and　truly　benevolent　people

who　had　given　them　an　asylum　from　the　persecution　of　their

own　kindred　to　form　their　settlement　within　the　territories　then

under　their　jurisdiction；　the　love　of　their　country　predominated

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