NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

CHAPTER I.

First Settlement of New-Hampshire, up to the Revolution.

In every age of the world’s history, mankind have been very te-
nacious of their religious principles—of having the right to worship
the Supreme Ruler of the Universe agreeably to their own views of
duty, and the dictates of their consciences. This spirit of religious
freedom, was deeply imbued in the hearts of our New England
fathers, for years before they set sail from the land of their birth,
to seek a new home upon the rock-bound shores of New England.

The intolerance they were constantly subjected to, under the ty-
rannical Rulers of England had a tendency to establish a determi-
nation in their minds that they would exercise their right of religious
opinion, if they were obliged to seek other climes to obtain it.
With such determined convictions, on the 6th day of September,
1620, one hundred and one men, women and children went on
board of the Mayflower, and set sail from their native shores, and
landed on Plymouth Rock on the 21st day of December, 1620.
From this little settlement, was founded New England, whose
happy homes millions to-day enjoy.

In this place it may be well enough to refer to an incident which
occurred on their voyage to the new world, to show what a brittle
thread the destiny of New England and our own happy homes hung
upon. When midway of the ocean, a gale came on, and, through
the violence of the storm, one of the main beams in the mid-ship
was cracked and removed from its place. Accordingly, with such
danger before them, a consultation was held between the passengers