Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-08-19

After the opening prayer by father
Hall, in which he prayed for the Presi-
dent and his Cabinet that ''if they are
not gool men oh, Lord make them so."
and voluntary by the Band, Rev. DR..
Thurston, Orator of the day proceeded to
deliver his Grafton which was exceeding
ly interesting and appropriate, and was
listened to by the large concourse of peo-
pie with great attention.
The Grafton.
The desire for an acquaintance with
the history of ones ancestry. and ones
country, is common TO man. Hence,
nations have their written histories, care
fully treasurins up the fact of their ORR
gin and progress. Monuments are rais-
ed-rites and ceremonies are observed
to perpetuate the remembrance of impor-
tant events. 1t is fitting that great
epochs in history, as the settlement of
a country, or q nltion's birth, should be
commcmos ated BY appropriate observ-
anccs, annual and centennial. 1t is we'll
that we should acqua;nt ourselves with
the adventures and suffering Of the
early set,lers-what it cost them to pre-
pare for their descendants cultivated
fields, and smiling habitations. We
would 90 back and look in upon the
Dc nestle circle as it was in the begin
ming, and see how those hardy men and
women battle with privation and power
ty, with peril and hardship, and the var
ious Ills incident to pioneers life.
For such purpose we are assembled
this morning. 1t is now one century
since the white man erected, on the spot
we now occupy, a military tortiicatlon,
and the first permanent European settle
mcnt on the banks of the Penobscot
was effected In country SO new as
ours centennial celebrations have been
few. | am not aware that there has
hitherto been any such in the eastern
half of Maine. SO far as l know this is
the first occasion of the kind-the first
gathering of a people to commemorate
the settlement Of place one hundred
years after such settlement was effected.
1t will be appropriate to inquire, What
WAS the condition Of affairs in this region
prior to this event
What is the history of the establish
ment of this fort
Fhe. "sa "~n,e of the ,ealinr chances
which have since tranSpired
In respect to the first Of these inquiries
comparatively little is known. The
80 -, 2 81, noL1a a r;yor L,l ,olI,J ~,
by this roblc promontory for ages more
numerous than the "tcstimony Of the
rocks ever has yetrcvcalcd. In silent,
solemn majesty, rippled only by the
winds Of heaven, and the wild mans S
paddle, they had increasingly emptied
themselves into that great reservoir
which all the rivers of the earth have not
yet filed. 1t their depth the fish Of the
seal gamboled, and on their surface
sported the wild fow ,unawed and unmo-
Tested by their common foe. On the
land the primeval forest. grand and
gloomy, cast its dense shade, not only
over the valley Of the Penobscot, but
over an entire continent, stretching from
ocean to ocean. Through its deep glens,
and over its lofty mountains roamcd the
moose ana the deer, the bear and the
wolf, and multtudcs of smaller animals.
The fcathcrcl tribes jocund and joyous
hailed each returning String, and each
dawnins day with the voice Of song
Nature had displayed herself in all her
varying modes of silent grandeur, and
solemn majesty, OF Joyous summer and
gloomy winter. Months, and seasons
and years came and went with their
usual alterations Of heat and cold, OF
sunshine and storm, all paying mute
tribute to the power and greatness OF the
/ Creator.
The only representatives of the human
family for ages unknown, where the
wild savagcs OF the forests. Their orr
gin lemans to this day an unsolved
problem. Conjecture supplies the place
of certainty. 1t probably must supply
it the ages to come. They dwelt by
rivers and shores, and gainei a prccarious
subsistence by hunting and fishing
Our strong characteristic of civilized
nations was fully developed-a passion
for uar. So far as Indian history i;
known, they furnish this melancholy
proofthat they are Of the same race a.
civilized man. Tho different tribe
were often engaged in bitter ieuds an1
bloody striies.
Some formidable tribes of abort sine.
inhabited what is now the State o
Maine. Among these the Tarratines
dwelling on the shores Of the Penobsco
"a remant OF which still survive, ant
are now known a, the Penobscot trib'
held distinguished rank. They were
the most powerful nation in this part ol
the continent.
There are no certain traces of an.
permanent European settlement in al
this valley, prior to the building Of tn
fort on this point. 1t is said that clear
ed land was found at Sandy Point, ant
on the southeast end of Orphans Island
and it has been eonjecturCd that som(
French families once resided there. -
But no authentic record Of such tact
as | can learn, has yet been found. No
have learned that any traces, any sign
of the habi,ations of civilized man hae
ever existed there. By whom thes
lands were cleared or occupied, remains
a profound secret suggest the quer,
whether it be not probable that th
Indians had, at some previous day. mad
these places their residence, and found