New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-08-30
FAN OF the Charter Oak.

6S "a ME Z ii
The Hartford Times Of the 2lst inst, gives the FOL
lowing Interesting particulars relating to the fall Of
this historical old tree
The famous old Charter Oak Of this city, 80 noted
in song and history, fell with a tremendous crash
duriug the great storm, at quarter before O'Clock
this morning, q ngust p 1855 l.. st:8,S
Lhis honle old eTee stood upon the beautiful grounds
of lion. Isaac w stuart, late the Wyllys estate in
the southern part of the city. About three years
ago. some boys built fire in the hollow Of this tree
which burnt out the punk, and Though II was feared
that this would kill IT, such waa not The fact Fres{,
sprouts sprung ont the next Spring and HIr Stuart
took great pains to preserve this valued relic Of the
original forests Of New England, but more especially
interesting as the tree in which the old British Charter
Of Connecticut was secreted and preserved. At this
time the hollow in the trunk Of the old Oak was 50
large, that fire company Of ~ full grown men stood
up in it together sss#8 5a6 *tSss,1 @3a
Waterman Butler says he stood at the head Of the
street at the time of the crash The wind had been
blowing freshly from the Northwest for an hour or
more. He first heard a loud crack, and saw the old
oak in the breeze cracking noise followed
then the crashal within the space Of hall minute
and the famous monarch Of the forest whose history
is so intimately entwined in that Of Connecticut,
PROSTATE upon the earth! One Thousand years, when
it was in the prime of lfewten its years were half
numbered, it's far reaching branches had sported in
| iercer storms, and more swift winged winds. But
now, since full two thousand years have smiled and
waned upon its youth, its prime, and its deGtine it
had become grey and decrept, but was still tenacious
Of fe it still eung to the lovely spot which gave it
birth by its far reaching roots, running long way
up into the beautiful hillside and downward to the
| sharp cut elbow Firmly, aye, proudly, the Oak
stood, seemingly conscious that nature had marked
out for its accommodation, one of the most en-
chanting retreats in the State, and that destiny had
accorded to it notable and everlasting historic page
in the story of Connectcnt-one Of the patriotic aud
original thirteen States Of the Union.
Before Governor WHY'S came to america, he sent
his steward forward to prepare place for his
dence. AS ne was cutting away the trees upon the
hill side Of the beautiful yIlys Place. deputa-
ton Of Indians came to him and requested that he
it had been the guide Of their ancestors for centa
ries' twas spared to fall this day, having finally
yielded to the process Of natural decay. III.
/ The tree measured thirty-thfee feet in circnmer-
ence at the bottom and it has broken off SO as to
leave eight feet Of stnmp side and six feet OH
the other-the stump measuring tWenty-one feet in
circumference at its top. t=+43 sssl5s s5$
The charter Of King Charles the Second, for the
colony of Connecticut arrived in Hartford in 1862
probably in the month Of September though the pre-
else time is not now known On the 9th Of Octobe
it was publicly read to the assembled freemen Of Con
nectcut, and was declared to ssbeong to them AMI
their successors, and the people evnced their grat
tude by appointing committee to take charge of
under the soemnties of oath, and to preserve thi
palladium Of tie rights OF the people It containe
many liberal provisions as may be seen On examinin
it in the Secretary of States Office where the orgina
# copy Jig still preserved with care 1t was the organi
law Of Connecticut till the present constitution too
= It's place In 1913. gs gs#E& TS5,.5s
f 1n,l6S6, the General Government Of New Engian
l. was dissolved by James the Second, and new GOV
ernment instituted, with Joseph Dudley PresideD
6 Of the Commissioners. Connecticut refused to SUI
render, and when the third writ Of quo oafTn,to wa
sent to her, Gov. Treat, in January, 1857 called
special session of the Assembly, which refused to
cede to the demands of the new King. They sti
+ held to their charter. In March another special Sc:
sion was convened but still the representatives of th
= people refused to surrender" In May they me
again in regular session under the Charter, and re
= = elected Treat as Governor. a5fs .t-ss5
Il On the 3lst Of October, 1851 Sir Edmund Andgoss
4 attended by members of his Council and a bod
guard OF sixty soldiers entered Hartford to take til
Charter byforce. The General Assembly was in ses
. sion He was received with courtesy, but coldnes;
: He entered the Assembly room, and publicly dennaI
4 4 ded the Charter. Remonstrances were made, an
= the session was protracted till evening. The Go,
ernor and his associates appeared to yield. The Cha
Z terwas brought in and laid upon the table. Sir Il
mund thought the last moment of the Colony ha
u come, when suddenly the lights all put out
~ total darkness followed! There was noise, no
:, - sstance, but all was quiet. The candles were aga
:. :. lighted BUT THE CHARTER WAS GONE! Sir Edmun
!. Andross was disconnected. He declared the Cover
= ment Of Connecticut to be in his own hands, an
=, that the Colony was annexed to Massachusetts, an
- other New England Colonies, and proceeded to az
!. point officers. Whilst he was doing this Capt. Jer
- miah Wardsworth patriot OF those times, was cor
C g cealing the Charter in the hollow Of WyDys Oal
: - now known as THE CHARTER OAK.
4 In 1859, King James abdcated, and on the 9th
y May of that year, Gov. Treat and his associate OF
~ GERS, resumed the Government OF Connecticut undt
: : the CHARTER, which had been preserved in the q
=, ~ Hollo,o Oak. ta' : 90