ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 315 



KELIGIOUS FREEDOM 



The Spanish exploration turned aside, and a different 

 people, with different language and aspirations, laid the 

 foundation of our present great republic. The first set- 

 tlers came in search of religious freedom — the Puritans 

 to New England, the Quakers to Pennsylvania, Catholics 

 to Maryland, Huguenots to South Carolina. These set- 

 tlements in different provinces seemed a simple thing at 

 the time, but the colonists builded better than they knew, 

 for a land broad and deep, the deep foundation of the 

 sovereign states of the Union. The first setters of every 

 land have excited the interest and admiration of their 

 descendants. The nations of the Old World have sought 

 their ancestors among the gods. In our own brief history 

 we are able to trace the origin and growth of our national 

 life from its beginning. 



FRENCH EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT 



The mighty Mississippi flows over the remains of De 

 Soto, and serves at once as his grave and his monument. 

 The French pioneers of Canada heard of the great stream 

 near its sources and believed that it flowed into the Gulf 

 of California. La Salle, Marquette, Joliet, Hennepin, 

 and De Tonty have written their names upon the map of 

 the future center of the world's civilization. Following 

 the river in its majestic course to the Gulf, there the 

 French missionary voyagers raised the cross of Jesus 

 and the flag of France, and took possession in the name 

 of their king and called the land Louisiana. 



THE TREATY OF PURCHASE NAPOLEON, JEFFERSON, MON- 

 ROE, LTVENGSTON 



In discussing this subject we can not be otherwise than 

 forcibly impressed with the progress of the world. Only 



