Poking fun at celebration of Forefathers’ Day in Plymouth

This item appears in the January 2, 1846 Liberator. The editor calls attention to the 225th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims, held at Plymouth.  The event was characterized by “the usual empty declamation about their virtues, sufferings and sacrifices.  Among those who made speeches at the dinner given on the occasion were Edward Everett and Rufus Choate  – men who have not an atom of moral heroism in their composition and who stand in this evil generation where the time-serving and pusillanimous in all ages have stood….”