" "Well," he said, "you Dutch did lick us on the Excise
question, didn't you?" [Great laughter and applause.] Now what are you
going to do with a people like that? We got the credit of that thing,
anyhow. [Renewed laughter.] There is a Governor of Connecticut here
to-night [P. C. Lounsbury], and I was going to say something about
Governors of Connecticut of years and years ago. A man could not
properly relate the history of New Amsterdam without remarking on the
Governors of Connecticut, but out of respect to the distinguished
gentleman, whom we all delight to honor, I shall draw it very mild. I
shall only tell one or two things that those Governors of Connecticut
used to do. There was one of them, I have forgotten his name and I am
glad I have [laughter], who used to say in all his letters to his
subordinates when they were pushing us to the wall and getting the
English over to help them push: "Don't you say anything to those people,
don't you talk to those people, but always keep crowding the Dutch."
[Laughter.] That is what a Connecticut Governor gave as official advice
years ago. And they did crowd us. But Governor Lounsbury told me that
if they really had their rights Manhattan Island would belong to
Connecticut. So you see they are crowding the Dutch still. [Laughter.]
Now, every once in a while, one of these New Englanders that owns the
earth, especially that little stone portion called Plymouth Rock, which
we never begrudged them, gets up at a great dinner and reads a fine
speech and talks about civil and religious liberty which the Puritan
came over to cause to flourish.
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