The kings of the old world endeavored to parcel out this land to their
favorites. But there were too many Indians. There was too much courage
required for them to take and keep it, and so men had to come here
who were dissatisfied with the old country--who were dissatisfied
with England, dissatisfied with France, with Germany, with Ireland and
Holland. The king's favorites stayed at home. Men came here for liberty,
and on account of certain principles they entertained and held dearer
than life. And they were willing to work, willing to fell the forests,
to fight the savages, willing to go through all the hardships, perils
and dangers of a new country, of a new land; and the consequences was
that our country was settled by brave and adventurous spirits, by men
who had opinions of their own, and were willing to live in the wild
forests for the sake of expressing those opinions, even if they
expressed them only to trees, rocks, and savage men. The best blood of
the old world came to the new.