The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-03-02

forces, irnught with wealth, with &c
MUS, with enterprise and social influence
which We perceive and pariaks of, while
tho. vital energy OF the@e stirring spirits, Eo
whom kingd-m seemed too small u boun d
lies cod and silent in the grave. In 10 l.
ing buck through the shadows Of tho inter
vening years, they appear like Virgil.
branch Of gold upon the gloomy tree.
" Whose gliliering shadow gids the sacret
ground"
In contemplating the passage OF these per
sons over the stage of human afflirs, which
we may how calmly do, those Of US who
lived with them and 50 well knew them
may speak of them in the language Of Sir
WIN. Temple: !" When consider how ma
ny noble and estimable men. how many loye.
ly and agreeable women, | have outlived.
among my acquaintance and friends. me-
thinks it looks impairment 70 be still alive "
And the living ure brought TO feel, Us the
eloquent Giles says. that, We need great
tenderness IRON those who surround US, we
need much too from those who survive."-
But we have this consolation, that new
generation Of brave men and beautiful NO.
men now occupy the stage, Us beautiful and
brave as they.
-
Maine has participated in the great i'm
provements OF The age. She has gone OH
steadily, developing her resources. aud in'
creasing her wealth and power. Her rail.
road system, which did not fairly open un.
Ill after 1910, has now become an interest
Of vast magnitude. The number OF mile,
now in operation in The State is 420, at q
cost OF about twenty millions OF dollars
All paris Of tho State Wes, Of the Penobscoi
aud why should II not be East. arc peue.
lraied by them, and BY their rapid and ca.
sy mode of communication, are brought
nearer and bound more firmly together
and BY The facility Of transportation which
they afford, and the rapid Interchange o
commodities, the value Of property is en-
hanced, aud general prosperity promoted
These advantages are increased by ih,
555 miles of ielegraphic communication
now operating in The State. And our steam
boat iiavigaiiOn which was forced into no
lice under great disconragements, requirin:
some exclusive privileges from The Stale
is now magnilied into high consideration
ind interest, engrossing large capital, ant
furnishing easy aud profitable oommunica'
t'Onnpun our :ivers and coast.
Our population, TOO, has gone on increas
i ing. although from various causes not O.
rapidly AS might have been expected, ow'
ing, among olfer things. 10 the very spirit
and energy OF our people which lave slim.
ulaied the yonng ard middle. aged 10 pursue
their fortunes on every part Of The continent
where thrift awaited labor and skill. The
number OF inhabitants in Tho State when il
was admitted 10 the Union in 1920 was
298 3a5 (; in The thirty yeas 10 1850, il had
nearly doubled, being 5s3, 1863, or IS 66.l00
to square mile, aud an average increase
Of 3 Clio per cent, n year. How much
spare room we yel have may be seen by
The population 10 The square mile in other
States. In Massachusetts il is 1877 10 the
square mile, Connection, rs. Rhode Island
100, New York, 67. New Jersey II; in
Great Britain |, is PAL, Belgium 3S7, while
Maine has but l6 20. II is a remarkable
lacl, il not quite Anomalous IN this country
hat Of The population Of the Stale in 1850
l5l7.ll7 were naiire born citizens Of the
Stale, while 34.0l2 were naiires O. Other
Stale. Of The Union, aud The remainder, on
~ 40 0l0. were Of foreign birth. Al III,
-arnc time GLIB Of nalive born citizens O
Name were residents in other States, viz
20 .5O7 in Massachusetts, 9.635 in New
Hampshire, 4 500 IN New York 1903 il
Illinois, 3 $50 IN Wisconsin, 3, 314 ia Ohio
2.7O0 IN California, and 80 on more or less
in every State and Territory Of tho Union
What iurii er testimony is needed oil the
spirit and enterprise of "nr people
If we take step backward In Uur view
Of the population Of Maine. We shall find
that tho whole number of inhabitants in our
territory hundred years ago was but TO-
900, and these wero scattered along the
coast. not extending ut all into the interior
f,r the fear Of tho Indins who filled tho
forests. and for want of roads. They occu.
pied only u few salient points on the margin
Of the ocean, and were employed in lumber
ing and f,hing. imp Irtins cIrn, their prin-
cipe bread stuff from the South. Ten thous.
and has become six hundred thousand in u
hundred years under the genial influence oil
FREQ institutions. In 1903, there WAS not n
white inhsbitnnt in any of the old thirteen
colonies In 1907, The FIRST attempt was
made to colonize Maine at the mouth of the
Kennebec, and sgnally failed for want OF
good judgement, experience and perseyer-
apce, and tho failure led to such discour-
aging statement in regard to the climate and
soil by the returning adventurers. that fur
Their attempts were delayed for several years.
They represented the country on their re-
turn, "as cold, barren, mountainous,
rocky desert" But the visits Of fishing ves-
sells on our coast, not long afterwards, made
the people more familiar with It's advantages,
and they gradually established themselves
in pursuit OF their business on favorable
points. as at Pemnquid, ut the mouth Of the
Kennebec. Cape Elizabeth, Saco river. York
and Kittery, and under the perseverlng ell
Iorts and sacrifices of that gallant and noble
gentleman and cavalier. Sir Fsrdinando
Gorges. there was prospect oil the mpld
advance ofa community. which had around
them abundant facilities in the forests and
adjacent seas. for healthy and substantial
growth. But they were not allowed lung to
improve their advantages; the Indian tribes,
stimulated by French Jealousy, were precipi-
tnte uppn them, three times the Furnishing
settl tents. from the Penobscot to the Pts
catnauis. were wholly overthrown. Tho
country east Of the Pcncbscot was under
tho control of tho French. and was nearly
nnoccupied. l. was not until aiier The peace
Of Utrecht. hl7l3, that the old settlers or
their descendants, and other enigranis were
sufficiently treasured, to venture timidly
back tn scenes made desolate by the toma.
hawk and brand. II is therefore only irom
that time that We may date tho foundation
upon which rests our present civil fabric.
And tho progress from that time until
after the revolution was slow. especially in
the interior; the tide Of population flowed
first from the coast up the rivers, on account
or tLo C,c;I;,v nf tr,n,n,r,,,;,, ,,b;,L tbov