A Political Symposium-Judge C. S. Zane, Calvin Reasoner, J. M. Zane, J. H.

Speeches of Presidents Woodruff and Cannon (Irrigation Convention).

POETRY.

engender the feeling of incompetency and embarassment almost insurmountable. And even now, the writer is almost persuaded, at the threshold of his narrative, to throw down his pen and abandon the task. However, if the reader will patiently bear and forbear, it may not be uninteresting to peruse the following sketch, which is limited as to space and whose commentations are lacking in that eloquence, which the subject of the same, in justice, more richly deserves. Milando Pratt.

ANCESTRY AND GENEALOGY.

BEFORE allowing the reader to enter upon the following sketch, it is but justly due that the writer should preface it by offering an apology for attempting to prepare a manuscript for publication upon the life and character of a man, whose noble career has not only been eminently interwoven with the history of the Latterday Saints, ecclesiastically, but also in the affairs and human events of a great commonwealth. Realizing that the data of details and circumstances, so requisite in writing his personal history, is very meagre, without spending much more time in A few centuries ago, when the old research than is available, and that a sub- world groaned under the hand of tyranny ject of such importance should be treated and oppression, when persecution raged by more able and experienced writers, it against those who desired to be the humis with feelings of delicacy that the task is ble followers of Christ, the great western undertaken, and especially since vivid in refuge of the New World was discovered; the writer's mind is the following remark to which a few hardy, brave pioneers which he heard his lamented father sailed and commenced the colonization Apostle Orson Pratt-make, in reply to of New England. Among these humble the question, why did he not write his pilgrim fathers were William Pratt, the own history? He said: "Should my his- ancestor of Orson Pratt, and his older tory ever be written, it will be the result brother John. In February, 1639, these of a laborious task to the person under- two brothers received a portion of land, taking it; for so little have I written con- in the first distribution made to the colcerning myself, that a general research onists, located at Hartford, Connecticut. through the Church records and other This colony was founded in June, 1636, periodicals would have to be made, and which was a little less than three years I am quite sure that life is too short for before they drew their portion of land.

It is supposed that they accompanied the
Rev. Thomas Hooker and his congrega-

me to write my history, even if I were competent." This remark was made at the His- tion, about one hundred in number, from

torian's

Office, and at the time when

Newtown, now called Cambridge, Mas

Apostle Pratt was the Church Historian. sachusetts, through a dense wilderness, Such a remark, coming as it did from a

inhabited only by savages and wild beasts,

person of no little historical ability, and, and became the first settlers of Hartford. that too, concerning his own personal his- The ancient records at Newtown show tory, was calculated in its very nature to

that John Pratt owned land in that town.