The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-09-24
rHE CHARTER OAK.

Of the facts; H#sA *
The Charter Oak was supposedtobe about
200o years old. Il had wittstoud. III that
time, may y heavy gale !; but the storm Of
August Slst, proved too much for its body,
now weakened by $50 many declining years.
Ifsineasuremept was SO feet incircuniference
at the ground, and 81 feet at the height of a
mans head. 1t had been hollow since the
memory III man, with an opening aifording
access ~ its cavity, which was sufficiently
capaciuus to afford standing room for or full
grown men.
When the Steward II Gov. Wyllys. sent
forward from England to prepared residence
for the coming functionary,s was cutting away
its neighbors, deputation Of Indians waited
on hin, and entreated that the hollow oak
might be spared. II had !" been the guide Of
their ancestors for centuries,
The Hartford Times give us the reason for
ille name. "'rhe Charter OAK" thus:
The charter Of King Charles III, for the
colony Of Connecticut, arrived in Hartford
in 1862, probably in the month Of September,
though the precise time is mt now Known.
On the 9th Of October, il was publicly read
to the assembled freemen.of Connecticut, and
was declared to belong to them and their
successors" aud the people eyinced their
gratitude by appointing COMMITTEE to take
charge OF il, under the solcmnitics Dian oath
andto preserve this palladium OF The rights
Of the people Ii contained many liberal
provisions, as may be seen on examining II
10 the Secretary Of States office, where the
original copy is!still preserved with care. II
was the organic law Of Connecticut till ,bs,
present constitution took its place IN 1918,
In 1886, the general government Of New
England was dissolved by james IT,, aud a
new government was instituted, with Joseph
Dudley. Is President II the comuii ssioners.
Connecticut refused To surrender, and when
the third writ Of quo warranto was sent 10
her. Gov. Treat. in January. 1857, called
special session OF the Assembly. which reius-
ed to accelle 10 The demands Of the new king.
They still held 10 their charter. ln March,
another special session was convened. but
stlll the representatives Of The people refused
10 surrender" In May. they met again in
regular session. under the charter, and re.
elected Treat rs Governor.
On the 5ist Of October. 1857, Sir Edmund
ADdr0ss, attended by the members Of his
council. and body guard of sixty soldiers,
entered Hartford 10 take the charter by force.
was received with courtesy. but GOODNESS. He
entered the Assembly room. and publicly de-
msnded the charter. circumstances we're
made; and the session was protrscted till
evening. The Governor and bis associates
appeared TO yield. The charter was brought
IN and laid upon the table. Sir Edmund
thought thar the last moment Of the colony
had come. when suddenly the lights were all
put cut, aud total darkness followed. There
was 40 nnisr, no resistance. but all was quiet
The candles were again lighted. but the CHAR.
ter was gone Sir Edmund Andross was
disconeerle,. He declared The Government
of C0nnecticpt TO be in his own hands. aud
that the colony Vas annexed to NlassaChu-
sctts and other New England raInnies, and
proceeded 10 appoint officers. Whist he was
doing THE, Capt. jeremiah Wadsworth, pa.
triot az those times. was concealIng the char
ter IN the hollownf WHY'S Oak, now known
as the Charter Oak.
IL 1859, King James abdicated, and on the
9th OF May. Of that year, Gov. Treat and his
associate officers, resumed the Government
Of Connecticut under the Charter. which had
been preserved 10 the Old Hollow Oak.
--1>>>>~>>~>s>>>,.S,.
A LoSo DIsrAScE Dows The editor 81
the Carolina cuiivaior has lately seen fico-
headed Tortoise, which he says was found on
Mr.. Edward MaIleit'. plantation. &" five miles
south east of Chapel Hill, some sighi miles
beiow he surface Of the ground! at a short
distance from a mud puddle, IN company
with nine Others. which, however, had ouly
one head apiece" Some distance down. We
must say-eight miles. Quefc. how did h. get
down. and wha, wa. he doing there Was he
looking for Prof. Emmons. or exploring tie
bowels 81 the earth in search q coal to came
down by way Of the Deep River improve.
meni. Perhaps he was seeking for The
ruins of the Wing aud Democratic parties!'
This strange bieephalus" is thus desert
bed:
Il is Of the size Of half dollar. the shell
roundish, smooth and hard. covered with a
good many angulariy conrentrc burrows
Tile color is olive brown, with false meander.
Ing lines; the marginal plates are yellow witl
saIicgations. Stgfsum notched and also vel.
low. Heals and nctks striped with irrcgu
Lar, waved, continent yellow lines. Only on,
tail, with narrow yellow longitudinal stripes
Eyes dark green. with a large. black, vivid
pupil. -Four feet, palmated. with strung seal,
iold. aud Eve claws. Hind legs with fouI
claws only, the place Of the eth claw sup
piled with web.
The two heads are well proportioned and
well formed. One, however, Is little small.
Ter Than the other; aud one Of The eyes Of The
smaller head remains constantly shut. A
t,ttla .sf,;fa e.r.s Iaat adj. pfpalfe Ia fh,