Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-09-05
The FAN Of the :. Old Charter OAK

we stated, on Saturday, that the famous = Ou
Charter Oak at Hartford, Conn, and which was so
noted in song and history, fell with tremendous
crash during storm, about one O'Clock on Thursday
morning, the 2lst inst. The Hartford Times OF
Thursday says
The noble old tree stood upon the beautiful
grounds of Hon. Isaac ". Stuart, late The WHY'S
estate, in Ibe southern part OF the city. About
three years ago, some boys built fire i'll the hollow
of this tree, which burnt out the punk and though
was feared that this would kill it, such not the
fact Fresh sprouts sprung out The next Spring. and
MI Stuart took great pains TO preserve tins valued
relic Of the original forests Of New England bat
moro especially interesting The tree in which the
old British Charter of Connecticut secFeted and
preserved. AT this time the hollow in the trunk OF
the old Oak large that IL fire company of p
full grown men stood up in 1t together.
Mr.. Stuart had stout docr made to shut VI the
entrance, and he also placed lin caps upon the
stumps Of broken limbs, anu for the past three or
four years, fresh sprouts have grown upon most Of
lis limbs though other limbs decaying. At the
time of It's fall, young and fresh acorns grow
ing on every part of l. Thousands of people are
visiting the tree, and bringing away such sprgs and
parts of limbs as Mr. Stuar permits
Waterman Butler says he stood at the head CT 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 loud crack, and saw the old
oak sWaying the breeze cracking noise follow ed
and then The crash-a within the space Of half a
minute-and the famous monarch of the forest, whose
history is Intimately entWineJ ia that Of ConneC-
tcut PROSTATE upon The earth One th Ousand
years ago. when it IN The prime OF life hen lis
years were half numbered its far reaching branches
had SpOrted in fercer storms and mole sWtt.WlngeJ
winds. But now since full two thousand years have
smiled and waned upon its youth, it's PRIME, and It's
decline, it had become grey and decrep, but was
still tenacious Of life It still chung the lovely spot
which gave it BIRTH by its far reaching roots, running
long way up into the beautiful hillside. and down
ward to the sharp cut below. Firmly, aye, proudly,
the oak stood, seemingly conscious thai nature had
marked out for its own accommodation, of the
most enchanting retreats IN The Atate and that des,
tiny had accorded to it notable and everlasting his.
toric page in the story of Conncccut-one OF the
patriotic and original thirteen States of the Union.
Proudly it had stood, and when totterng with age,
and reduced IL shell of few inches, by the
steady nroads of time itself, ii still cung with fond
ness the loved spot which it had witnessed the
decay and downfall of many Of its assocates-the
path and the bloody wars of the red man, and the
, red mans decay-the birth and death of generations
OF the white man, whose axe had cat away its tow
erng comrades OF the olden time. Bul whilst preser-
wing tair exterior, it was inwadly wasting away,
and was obliged to yield ard fail in storm far less
severe than many thousands that had preceded ii.
Before Governor Wyllys came to America, he sen'
bis steward forward TO prepare place Tor his resi-
dence AS he was cutting away the trees upon the
hill side of the beautiful WHY'S place. deputa-
ton of Indians came to him and reques ed that lie
would spare this old hollow oak. They declared
that it had been the gu IF their ancestors for
turcg7 1t was spared, TO fall this day, having
| finally yielded 10 the process 0i natural decay.
| The ire. measured 33 feet III circumference at the
bottom and il has broken off SO to leave feet o
stump on one side and feet on the other-the stump
measuring 81 feet in circumference at its top.
Tha CHARTER of King Charles tac u, for the colony
OF Connecticut, arrived in Hartford in 1862 probably
in the month Of September, though the precise time
is not yet known. On the 9Th of October it was pub
| icIy read to he assembled freemen of Connecticut
! and was declared to . belong them and their sue
cessurs :" and the re1p'e eVnced their gratitude BY
appointing a committee &c take charge OF it, under
the soernnties of oath, and 10 preserve The palIa
dum Of the rights of tie people. i CONTAINED many
liberal provisions may be seen OF examining 1t il
The Secretary of States office where the original copy
is still preserved with care. 1t was the organic law
of Connecticut till the present constitution took it,
! place in 1918.
/ In 1858, The Cene,al Government Z. New ENGLAND
was dissolved by James the I'd, and new govern
ment instituted, with Joseph Dudley pres
dent of the Commissioners. Connecticut refused tl
surrender, and wien the Sd writ Of QUO acarantt
was sent 10 her Gov. Trea ia January 1857, called
special session Of the Assembly, which refused tt
accede to the demands of the new king. They still
held 10 their charter In March, another spocia
session called but still the representatives of th
people refused to " surrender" In May they me
again il. regular session. under the Charter and re
elected Treat Governor.
On the 3 1st of October, 1857, Sr Edmund Address
attended by members of his council, and bod
guard Of sixty solers, entered Hartford 10 take tn
charter by force. The General Assembly was in ses
sion. He receive! with courtesy, but co.ness
He entered the Assembly rocm and publicly de
mandod the charter Remonstrances were made, Az
the session was protracted until evening. The Gov
ernor and his associates appeared TO yield. TIL
charter was brought in and laid upon he table 5,
Edmund thought the last moment OF the coony ha
r come, when suddenly The lights uere uU put out, an
total darkness followed Iiere was noise, no re
sistance, but all quiet The candles were agai
lighted but the charter GcdS gone Sir Edmund An
dress was disconnected lie declared the goverunlen
Of Connecticut to be in his own hands and that III
colony was annexed to Massachusetts and othe
New England colonies and proceeded 10 appoint o.
tcefs. Whilst lie doing this, Capt, Jeretnia
n Wu1sworth patriot IF those times. was concean
the charter in the hollow 0t Why's Oak, now know
as the Charter Oak.
In 1Gs9 King James ahdicated, and on the 9th
May of that ear Gov. reat and his aSsocaie off
GERS resumed the government Of Connecticut undt
the charter, which had been preserved in The O.
= Hollow Oak
This tree has been for centuries one Of the . Har
% ford institutions No tree in the country has sue
r. legendary asS0ca ions Oar citizens thronged
crowds TO the spot. Chief Justices anG Re ereI
Doctors ntermixed with sturdy Iaborcrs 10 view Il
fallen monarch. drge played At noon,
E Colts ArmorY Band over the fallen Gce it was
g touching thing for these mechanics, some Of the
70 of Connecticut and Ut them born the 9th
" side of the Atlantic thus 10 volunteer their symp
thy; and many manly eye Was nouFSted as t.
Dead March in Saul was played, followed by "I!om
Sweet Home" and rounded off with g Hail Columbia
ie The bells all over the city toied at >undOwn
a token of tie universal feeling that one Of tic mt
sacred inks that bind these modern days 10 :
irrevocabe past had been suddenly parted. Re
DR.. Ha''e suggested that monument be ected