The Chainbearer; Or, The Littlepage Manuscripts

if I were di

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"the estate left me by my grandfather, and where events once occurred that are still spoken of in my

e. What was there so remarkable in a savage inroad, a house besieged, men slain

rueflint," I added; "the house in

r forty years, according to the nature of the trees from which they come, and the manner in which they have been covered. At that distance I could not well distinguish how far, or how much, time had done its work; but I fancied I knew enough of such matters to understand I was not to expect in the 'Nest a very comfortable home. A family dwelt i

naked children who were visible around the dwellings to which we were the closest, not a human being could I discover

find, Trueflint," I remarked. "There

ed the Onondago. "War do dat

le may have done something by selling supplies to the army. Provisions o

both side-good trade, den.

get a good price; and if he were, the conscience of the drover would stand between him and

ng in the direction of the hamlet. "'Squire lig

the school-house. But whom do you mean by th

me from salt lake-grea

nt, let us go on; and when we reach the tavern we shall be able to learn what the 'great council' is

emen to wear in 1784, and put on a hunting-shirt and leggings, as more fitting for the woods; consequently it would not have been easy for one who was not in the secret to imagine that he who arrived on foot, in such a garb, carrying his fowling-piece, and acc

ern, "I hope you have understood me-there is no need of telling any one who I am. If asked

; want to look wid 'em him

terrogatory put as to who I was, and whether I had "a right to a vote." My curiosity was a good deal excited, and I was on the point of asking some explanation, when a man appeared in the door of the school-house, who laid the whole matter bare, in a speech. This person had a shrivelled, care-worn, but keen look, and was somewhat better dressed than most around him, though not particularly elegant, or even very neat, in his toilette. He was gray-headed, of a small, thin figure, and might have been drawing hard upon sixty. He spoke in a deliberate, self-possessed manner, as if long accustomed to th

ou all know the weighty reason there is for coming to some conclusion speedily. The owner of the sile will make his appearance this summer, and his family are all of a desperate tendency toward an idolatrous church, which is unpleasant to most of you. To prevent any consequences, therefore, from his interference, we ought to decide at once, and not only have the house raised, but ruffed in afore he arrives. Among ourselves, however, we have been somewhat divided, and that is a different matter. On the former votes it has stood twenty-six for Congregational to twenty-five Presbytery, fourteen Methodist, nine Baptist, three Universal, and one Episcopal. Now, nothin' is clearer than that the majority ought to rule, and that it is the duty of the minority to submit. My first decision, as moderator, was tha

burly, hearty-looking yeoman,

r, gentlemen, order

eet be up; but the word was parliament

ink the decision just; sin' it compels us Baptists to vote

the majority ought to rul

heartily, and with an air of perfect good faith-"the majority ought to rule; but I do not s

an air of great candor and moderation. "Gentlemen, those of you who are in favor of the Bapt

efore. Major Hosmer admitted he was satisfied, though he looked as if there might be something wrong in the procedure, after all. As the Baptists were the strongest of the three exclud

vote, as between the Congregationals, the Presbyterians, and the Methodists. I shall first put the Congregational

counted these, he looked round the crowd, until he fairly looked up three more; after which he honestly enough announced the vote to be thirty-seven for the Congregationalists. So eleven of the thirteen of silenced sects, ha

gth, and being less than half the Congregational vote, and much lower than the Presbyterian

e, as you did ag'in u

I will now try the vote. Those who are in favor of t

aised for, and fourteen

'-houses for every denomination in the world; but as we are not, we must take things as they are, and so the Methodists must withdraw. Gentlemen, the question is now narrowed down to the Congregationals

man. Mr. Newcome avoided all appearances of personal authority; majorities were his cardinal rule, and to majorities alone he would defer. Whenever he chose to govern, it was by means of majorities. The exercise of a power as accidentall

notions of the power of majorities

, in this republic or anywhere else! Such a state of things would soon become intolerable, rendering the government that admitted of its existence the most odious tyranny that has been known in Christendom in modern times. The government of this country is the sway of certain great and incontestable principles, that are just in themselves, and which are

h steadiness denoted that men had made up their minds, and that they would be apt to adhere to them, since one side was apparently as strong as the other. The circumstance called for

State Laws? Perhaps they have a word to say in the matter." Here neighbor Willis did as desired, and moved out of the crowd. As I afterward discovered, he was a warm Presbyterian, who happened, unfortunately for his sect, to stand so directly before the moderator, as unavoidably to catch his eye. I suspected that Squire Newcome would now call a vote on the main question. B

ernment of churches by means of a presbytery is anti-republican, opposed to our glorious institutions, and at variance with the best interests of the

. This was a great coup de ma?tre. Having settled that it was opposed to the institutions to have a presbytery, a great deal was gained toward establishing another

st of its rules, are to be impaired or strengthened by their dissemblance or their conformity to any provisions of human institutions. As well might it be admitted at once, that Christianity is not of divine origin, or the still more extravagant position be assumed, that

ccess, the moderator's con

unced by this meeting, and its friends stand in the light of a defeated party at a state election. They can have nothin' to do with the government. I move, therefore, that those who are opposed to presbytery go into caucus, in order to appoint a committee

this nature, that are intended to smother inquiry, and force down on the timid, the schemes of the designing and fraudulent! Integrity is ever s

sely the same as on the last question. In other words, there was one majority for disfranchising just one-half the meeting, counting the above man; and this, too, on the principle that the majority ought to rule. After this the caucus people went into the school-house, where it was understood a committee of twenty-six was appointed, to recommend a deno

alled the whole mee

divisions. I therefore move that it is the sense of this meetin' that the people of Ravensnest ardently wish to see the new meetin'-us, which is about to be raised, devoted and set apart for the services of the Congregational churc

Moderator meekly announced the result, his messenger appeared in the crowd, bawling out, "'Squ

ith the most important interest that consarns man; his religious state, government, and well-being. Unanimity is very desirable on such a question; and as it is to be presumed no one will oppose the pop'

ing voters continued recusant; but as no question was taken on the other side, the vote may be said to have been a very decided one, if not positively unanimous. The mo

en carried unanimously in favor of that denomination, although fifty-two votes out of seventy-eight were pretty evidently opposed to it. But republican principles we

eenly, and I saw a certain air of doubt and misgiving in his manner. Just at that moment, however, and before he had time to put a question, Jaap drove up in the wagon, and the negro was an old acquaintance, having often been at t

e-but he was, nevertheless, self-possessed. Approaching, he

ral in you, as I know'd your father when a young man; and something of Herman Mo

servant there, and we are fresh from Albany. My arrival has been o

ttle meetin' to-day, to decide on the natur' of our religion, as one might s

matters were coming to a head, as y

lf, I was not sorry to have got so early behind the curtain as to the character of my agent. It was pretty clear he was playing his own game as to some things, and it might be necess

is a'ternoon. The bents are all ready. The pike-poles are placed, and all is waiting for the word to 'heave.' You'll perceive, 'squire, it was judicious to go to a sartain p'int, afore we concluded on the denomination. Up to that p'int every man would nat'rally work as if he was workin' for his own order, a

off,' as you call it, before you came to the t

ke to let go, sometimes. We talked the matter over among us, and concluded to put the question before we went any further. A

consequence of this work? no refusing to help

ld judge. Your own liberal example, major, has had its

, never having heard of the church, until I heard your

took an extra-sized chew of tobacco, and the

cluded to defer the matter until peace. Peace we have, and our own eends are fast approaching; and I thought if the work was ever to be done, so that this generation should get the benefit of it, it should be done now. I was in hopes w

it may not have been in a house built expressly for the

aid in the erection of a place of worship; reserving to himself, as my guardian, a voice in the choice of the denomination. I may add, here, that on examining the leases, I found credits had been given, in 1770, for the full amount; and that the money, or what passed for money, the proceeds of work produce, cattle, butter,

has gone to its destination?" I

h the satisfaction of knowing that your own money has largely aided in the good work of its erection. What a delightful sentiment that must

to me, that not one dollar of rent has ever yet left the settlement, to go into the pocket of the owner of the es

demands; and you gentlemen-proprietors nat'rally look forward to futur' generations for your reward-yes, sir, to futur' gener

s with all who came, and can truly say that I took no man's palm into my own that day, without a sentiment that the relation of landlord and tenant was one that should induce kind and confidential feelings. The Ravensnest property was by no means necessary to my comfortable subsistence; and I was really well enough disposed to look forward, if not to "future generations," at least to a future day, for the advantages that were to be reap