The Portland daily press., 1863-09-03
POpham---Settlement, Memorial, and Cell
ehrafians.

the benefit of the community, what all this has
been for; what great event in the history of
our country has been celebrated, or what
streams have flowed out from the event cal
calated to swell the great tide of civilization
which, for more than two hundred years has
been rapidly submerging the barbarisms and
savage wildness of this western world? We
start with no desire to detract from the impor-
lance of any event that sheds one ray of lus-
ter upon the early history of our country, or
to strip from the brow of honor single laurel
that properly crowns it. But we have thought
and studied, conversed and inquired in vain
for anything to satisfy our mind that there was
anything peculiar in the abortive settlement
of Popham's so-called colony, on the sand spit
at the mouth of the Kennebec, which calls for
an annual out-pouring of the States homage,
or that is deserving of memorial observances.
True, we may be wholly in error, and our dull
apprehension may not be able to grasp all the
elements or greatness and merit that cluster
around that event of the year 1907, or therea-
bouts. We are willing to be enlightened and
set right, and desire to do justice to the brave
and deserving, and to this end we will state in
brief what we understand to be the established
facts in the case, and if there is anything
more of this matter, or if such events as are
established merit or demand perpetual memo
rial, then we hope some one will show it more
clearly than it has yet been exhibited to our
obtuse understandingl9A
1t is an admitted fact, we suppose, that
some dozen years prior to the landing of the
Pilgrims at Plymouth, a company-it is doubt
Jul if it rose to the dignity Of colony-under
he auspices Of an Engishman named Geo.
'opham, landed on the sand in the neighbor-
mood of the mouth Of the kennebec river; that
heir object was adventure and speculation
10 fish, trade with the Indians, &C.; that they
remained q brief period; that the enterprise
or some cause proved total failure; that
the company gathered up their effects and left
the place, and that no law, custom, statute
principle, or anything else, except vague ira
dtion, has been left as a memorial either of
the enterprise or the failure of the enterprise;
and even the exact location of the eompanys
exploits is unknown; the nearest approach to
old gentleman Of the neighborhood, that when
he was boy, his father told of hearing the
old people say that in a certain place, which
ne points out, ,ras once a fort, and that de-
preston in the surface indicated that there
night have been in that exact spot cellar or
l'olne other "hole in the ground" Whether
his "hole in the ground" and its corol,aries
are akin to the "ancient stone" found by Mr..
Pickwick, we do not assert, but the story of
hat affair affords such parallel to the Pop
nam question, that we shall be pardoned if
we recite it in this connection. "This ancient
tone, found at Gotham mot Popham) had up
IN it mysterious inscription
It -pshi-sm-ark"
which puzzled seventeen learned societies,
ausing many controversies, and many PAM
hlets to be written in various languages. The
ulgar Mr. Blotten produced evidence that
ne inscription was simply intended for .BiU
'tumps, his mark" but the seventeen learned
ocieties unanimously voted the presumptuous
'lotten an ignorant meddler; and forthwith
iet TO work on more treatses than ever And
this day the stone remains an illegible mon
ment of Mr.. Pickwick's greatness and last
ng trophy Of the littleness of his enemies,
One thing is quite sure; Popham's attempt
settlement was an utter failure. tits doubt
Al if permanent settlement was ever inten-
led, and this doubt is strengthened by the
.ct that the alleged locality is one of
most desolate and unpromislng character, and
suppose anybody would select such point
IT the foundation of colony-of a perrna-
cent Settlements by no means complimenta-
y to the good judgment of the parties.
There is another fact connected with this
'opham settlement so-called, of the utmost
Importance in determining whether anything
COMMUNICATING more than adventure
nd speculation-was at the bottom of the
lovement. 1t is this: the so-called colony
obtained neither women nor children There
isas not white woman within hundreds of
lilies of them perhaps not nearer than
JAMESTOWN In Virginia. A company of men,
Without the refining influence of wife or
laughter, sister or mother-without child
ood's voice and inspiring music, landed on a
terile spot in the month of August and left
without sign or trace in April following, and
his and this alone is what we are asked TO
old in everlasting remembrance as the first
.ettlement of New England The whole
hing appears to our clouded understanding
amazingly like stupendous-humbug II
hose settlers did intend to found permanent
''olony and perpetuate themselves on the
ands Of Sabine, they must have designed to
orm alliances with the Indian maidens-a la
iudsons Bay Company's agents and employ.
es-and thus lay the foundation for nation
T haH-breeds We are not prepared to be-
eve Popham's men were quite SO much given
pa species of apprehension so degrading 10
God taste as this supposilion implies we pre-
,r to believe they had no designs beyond
hose of speculation, and that thoughts OF
permanent settlement upon our New Eng
ind coast formed no part of their plan.
though Popham is said to have died at Sali-
ono slab marks his resting place; no mortal
an point out the spot; not SO much as a
ravestone has been left 10 show that the
blood of an Englishman' ever drenched those
arren sand heaps.
Not so with Plymouth. From her sterile
hores has sprung our noble New England in
titutions-our social and religious framework,
With its ribs of iron, its sinews of brass and its
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