Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-09-16
From N. Portland Advertiser.
Centennial Anniversary.

For more than $50 years, the entire terri
tory Of Maine was claimed under rival
grants. by the English and French, and the
savage and bloody war. which had Tor ma
nv years devastated the territory OF Maine,
were thereby terminated and along our en-
,irc frontier the rapid progress OF settle
mon, was witnessed, before the conclusion
Of the treaty Of peace, by which the CONT
nent Of North America was surrendered to
the English race.
No portion Of the continent. not even
Canada itself. va. 50 much affected by this
event as Maine.
A century Of peace has disArmed tho hos.
Utilities Of race, and planted higher civil.
izAtion over n region, that At the end OF an.
other century. will contain a population,
speaking common language, greater than
the present inhabitants Of Europe.
The deep interest attached to these events
by our own people, led the Maine lli''ori.
cal Society to propose some suitable obscrv'
nncc Of this anniversary, and twas propo'-
ed NJ one time that celebration should
take place in Portland.
The Grand Trunk and other Railroad
Companies, rendered tho use Of their roads
Tor the occasion. hut. I, was deemed adyisa.
bic that the celebration should be- merged in
that. which must take place on the arrival
Of tho Grea, Eastern steamer in our harhor.
This steamer may - expected TO arrive do.
ring the pre.cn, autumn, and before tho
close Of the present month. The exact mo.
mcnt Of her departure from Europe cannot
h known until the performance Of her iri'
al trip.
Although wo cannot to-day FIX on the
time Of her arrival a, Portland, enough Is
known TO render il certain that this l. her
port 81 destination. and that her frst visit
% America, will inaugurate new era in
Atlantic steam navigation. Cotemporane-
ou.ly with the completion Of this steamer,
!. the finishing Of the Victoria Bridge OF the
Grand Trund Railway OF Carada. events Of
themselves. calculated TO work important
changes in the history Of Canada. and OF the
northern sections OF the Union.
The progress Of this country. during the
lapse Of tho past century, cannot fail to
awaken the most pleasing reflections in all
inquiring minds. Ono hundred years ago
this day, according to Bancroft, dividing
tho continent OF North America into twen.
five parts, the French held twenty Of these,
the Spaniard four. and the English race hut
oNE. The capture Of Quebec by Wolfe, eS.
,ineui,hsd the French power in Amcrlca,
and gave to the English race the possession
Of a continent, twice in eIten, that Of al!
Europe.
On this broad theatre We have witnessed
in this shor, space Of time, the expansion Of
feeble colonies into mighty empire, and
the establishment Of peaceful aud friendly
intercourse. over regions then being deyas-
ta,ed by the nvagc- Of war. Another hum
dred years will draw more closely the bonds
of friendly relationship, and those speaking
common language IN America, will a,
the mex, Centennial Anniversary Of the Cap
tarc OF Quebec, exceed the presen. popula-
ton OF Europe.
Two hundred and fifty years ago Eng.
land, second rate power in Europe, had
not colonial possession on the globe.
Spain, France and Holland were then the
great maritime nations, and well did Sir
Ferdinando Gorgcs say in the House Of Com
mons. when called on 10 show why be- should
not surrender this charter Of New England
in 1924. that - valuable country could
not long remain unpo'sc.sed either by the
French. Spaniard, or Dutch" but for his
efforts here TO settle "a lourishing plan,a.
ton" From that simple beginning has
grown the vast colonial Empire Of Great
Britain, whose dominion extend, from New
Zealand. Ilcligoland and Hong Kong, to
both extremes OF the continent OF America,
drawing annually from the Imperial Treas.
ury moro than twenty millions OF dollar. in
support Of her forty.seven distinct colonial
administrations. The planting Of colony
in New England changed the history Of
mankind. and gave to tho Saxon race its
present prominence.
In the year lGil, the navy Of England
consisted Of - ships, the aggregate tonnage
Of which was %, Al tons, or less by 5000
than tina, Of the single ship, whose arrival
is soon expected at Portland When Lord
Bacon aimed at iuturi,y, he wrote in Latin
and DR.. johnson century ago, forbade Us
to hope that the English tongue could new.
er pass the Ganges or the Cliffs OF Caucas-
us. Now i, is spoken in every portion of
the globe. A century hence 1t must become,
from the force Of political circumstances,
and of its general excellence, the universal
language.
The year 1850, was the most memorable
OF any in the history Of England. In tina,
year we took Crown Point, Louisburg and
Cape Briton, Fort Frontenac, Forts Du
Quesnc, Niagara and Ticonderoga, and final
ly Quebec, which capiiula,ed, Sept. Il,
1859. In Africa, Senegal and the Island Of
GOrco fell into the hands OF tho English,
and in the West Indies they took Guada-
loupe. Marigalan,e. Granada and 81. Mar.
tins. In India, Give was everywhere vic
torious over the French, and on the CONT.
neni the victorious Marlborough raised the
national spirit Of England to position 1t
had ,.,er hef,re ATTAINED Al that time We