The Greatest Works of Charles Carleton Coffin. Charles Carleton Coffin
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where they could do pretty ranch as they pleased. Mr. Williams persuaded Miantonoraa, one of the Narragansett chiefs, to give the island of Aquidneck to William Coddington.
No matter what opinions a man held, he was welcome in Mr. Williams’s settlement, and also in the town laid out in 1639 by William Coddington, which he called Newport.
The settlers knew that law and order were necessary for the prosperity of every community, and held a meeting in which everybody voted, declaring that all should have liberty of conscience forever; that they would obey the laws which the men whom they selected for that purpose might make. They were aware that they needed something more to give themselves a standing in the world — a charter.
The other colonies would not recognize them as a colony. To obtain a charter they sent Roger Williams to England, who, through the influence of Sir Henry Vane, obtained one from Parliament, which was fighting King Charles.
What a joyful day it was when Mr. Williams returned with it! When he reached Seekonk he found the river full of canoes. The whole settlement came to welcome him, and escorted him to his home.
Many people who were discontented otherwheres — in England, Massachusetts, and Connecticut — emigrated to Rhode Island, but not always to find peace. Some people have discontented natures, and are restless wherever they may be. They are not happy unless they are making it hot for themselves or somebody else. There were such people in Rhode Island, who were ever having a war of words with their neighbors. They had fierce discussions at town-meetings; but they had no tithes or taxes to pay, to support a minister who might preach what they did not believe. Whatever was given for religious worship was a voluntary contribution.
What a step it was! Nearly two hundred and fifty years have passed away, and England, the birthplace of every one of those settlers of Rhode Island, has not yet attained the grand ideal which put forth its first blossoms along the peaceful waters of Narragansett Bay!
The good minister, John Cotton, who preached in St. Botolph’s Church, Boston, England, to whom Isaac Johnson and Lady Arbella had listened to for so many years, could preach there no longer. Archbishop Laud was hunting him down, because he would not conform to the ritual. He was hiding here and there, fleeing by night from place to place, making his way to London, and from there to Boston, in Massachusetts.
One of his parishioners, Mrs. Ann Hutchinson, so loved to hear him preach that she followed him to America with her husband. Mrs. Hutchinson was good and kind-hearted. Her old neighbors missed her, for when anybody was sick and needed help she was ever ready to assist them.
Mrs. Hutchinson had opinions of her own. She believed that the Holy Spirit told her just what to do every day in all the affairs of life. She maintained that there were two classes of Christians — the sound and the unsound: the sound were those who accepted her belief. She was living by grace, while those who did not believe with her were living by works. She was very charitable toward the poor and sick, and quick to relieve their wants, but she used hard words toward those who differed from her opinion. Mrs. Hutchinson did not like the ministers of Boston and Charlestown, who preached against her doctrine, and called them “Unchristian vipers.” and invited the neighbors in to discuss their sermons. In a very short time many were of her way of thinking, including Rev. Mr. Cotton and Sir Henry Vane, the handsome young governor just arrived from England.
Rev. John Wheelright, who, when a boy, attended school with Oliver Cromwell, and played foot-ball with him and became his fast friend, was minister at Dorchester. He was Mrs. Hutchinson’s brother, and accepted her teachings. Mrs. Hutchinson, like Roger Williams, took great pleasure in holding an argument with somebody. Rev. Mr. Cotton liked to argue, and in a short time everybody in Boston and the surrounding settlements was discussing “grace and works.” The community divided into two parties. Mr. Wheelright preached a sermon in which he used expressions which his fellow-ministers thought were calculated to create a disturbance. The magistrates held a court, and declared him guilty of sedition. Governor Vane protested; but the magistrates rejected his protest, whereupon he resigned and went to England. Election came on, and one great question before the people was of “Works against Grace.” The ministers preached, and the people talked. Everybody discussed theology. They had been educated under bigotry and intolerance. The tyranny of the bishops had driven them out of England; and it was not possible for either Mrs. Hutchinson, Rev. Mr. Wheelright, John Endicott, John Cotton, John Winthrop, or anybody else to discuss the question calmly, or to exercise charity. The ministers used hard words in the pulpits. The people repeated them as they argued the questions by the blazing fires during the long winter evenings. Bitterness and hate sprung up between old friends as the controversy went on. The election was held, and Mrs. Hutchinson and her friends were defeated. The magistrates would put up with her no longer, or Rev. Mr. Wheelright, and ordered them to leave the colony. Mr. Wheelright was not a man to stay and make trouble, after the people had turned against him. He had his convictions of what was right. He would not go to Rhode Island, where there were so many discontented spirits; but, with Mrs. Hutchinson, went north to New Hampshire, sailed up the Piscataqua, purchased land of the Indians and made a settlement, naming it Exeter. Mr. Wheelright’s friends joined him. They chose one of their number governor, appointed men to assist him, and all took an oath to obey whatever laws might be passed.
The people of Dover did the same, also those of Portsmouth. They were so few in number that they thought best to unite with Massachusetts, each town having the privilege of sending two representatives to the General Court; and so for thirty-eight years New Hampshire was under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts.
There were troublesome times in England between the king and the people. The great struggle for liberty was beginning. Governor Winthrop and the far-sighted men in Massachusetts were wondering what might come of it.
What if the Spaniards or French were to take advantage of England’s disorder, and pounce upon the American settlements? He saw that the colonies might be united. Plymouth, New Hampshire, and Connecticut joined in the plan; commissioners from each, meeting in May, 1643, agreeing to stand by each other to defend themselves, and to make war if need be, each to pay its proportion of expense. They were to meet annually. They took the name of the “United Colonies of New England.” It was the beginning of the American Union, and of the first Congress in the Western hemisphere.
Chapter XIII
Affairs at Manhattan
The Zouterberg, one of the West India Company’s ships, with Wouter van Twiller, the new governor of New Netherlands, on board, dropped anchor in the harbor of Manhattan in April, 1633. The cannon on the battery and on the ship thundered a salute, the trumpeter blew a blast, the drums beat, the soldiers presented arms, as the short, dumpy governor, five burghers, who were to be his councillors. Rev. Mr. Bogardus, the dominie, and the school-master, Adam Roelandsen, stepped on shore. Casks of wine were tapped, and everybody in Manhattan drank the health of Wouter van Twiller.
Another vessel arrived, commanded by Captain De Vries, who reported to Governor Van Twiller that the Indians of the Delaware, who had killed Giles Hosset and the men with him, had been pacified, and that the traders would not be molested. So the new governor began his administration of affairs under favorable auspices.
Still another vessel arrived, an English ship commanded by Captain Jacob Eelkins, who had founded the Dutch settlement at Albany, but who had been dismissed from the service of the West India Company. His ship, the William, dropped anchor, and Captain Eelkins invited Governor Van Twiller and the burghers on board to a sumptuous dinner. Captain Eelkins brought out his best wines, but kept his own counsel. The dinner over, the governor went on shore, and was greatly astonished, soon after landing, to see the English ship hoisting her sails and moving up the river, bound for Albany. Captain Eelkins was intending to trade with the Indians without leave or license.
“Get the cannon ready!” shouted the governor, and the soldiers wheeled the cannon into position and loaded it.
“Run up the flag!” cried Van Twiller.
Bang!