The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-28

AS THIS queStl0n seems TO nave Deen 1OreclOS-
ed by the action OF the City Council, a further
discussion may be irrelevant and useless.
will therefore only offer in aid of the argument
ON the side of Square, the example of our prin-
cipal cities. In Philadelphia, where open areas
are very numerous, do not know of single
one which is called a Park. But on the con-
trary they have their Rittenhouse Square, Lo-
gan, Franklin Penn, Washington, Independ-
ence and many others, uniformly and officially
named Squares, either of which is much larger
than our acre and half Park. In New York
they have their Hamilton Square, their Union,
their Madison, their Stuyvesant, Tomkins
Manhattan and other Squares, and but two or
three spaces called Parks, only one of which,
the spacious Central Park, is entitled to the
NAME In Boston they have the Chester, Black
stone, Franklin and Worcester Squares, and
no Park, unless it be one on the Neck, some-
times called Chester Park to distinguish itfrom
Chester Square. #. af ..ur .f
But we are great people here in Portland
and magnify little things. Our acre lot is as
good as anybody's forty acres, and so we must
have Park in spite of definition, usage and
propriety.
WIN
given to it, is common and common place. Is
it in honor of President Lincoln, or our late
esteemed fellow-citizen, Royal Lincoln, or, as
some people may perhaps suppose, of Samuel
Lincoln, who, before the fire, kept grocery
store on the corner of Franklin street. opposite
the SQUARE, on which he has since rebuilt a
house? Why not take some historical name
associated with our territory, other than that of
an individual? 4...-.s.4 .
If it is intended to honor the memory of
President Lincoln by the application of his
name, we doubt the good taste of following the
prevailing mania of afiixing the name of this
beloved and lamented man to all objects, great
and small. throughout our Northern land. A
Some of our people have great fondness for
innovation, as well as imitation. One instance
of this kind was most happily rebuked when
the proposition to change the fine and long cs-
tablished name OF Congress street into the in
appropriate one of Broadscoy. But another
proposition is made to change the name of
Middle sire ct into that of Maine street. This
is more absurd than the other. This old name
has stood for one hundred and fifty years, has
never been varied as some other streets have
and has become identified by the titles of land
upon it, and dear from long usage. Let us not
be drawn away from cur ancient landmarks
and our cherished associations by modern fam
cies or servile imitation How would Bos-
tonian feelif the government of that city should
propose to substitute for his boosted and below
ed Common, the name of some fanciful Park,
or for his familiar Milk Pearl, State, fremont
and Summer streets, other names which they
might consider more musical in sound? Or
Londoner his Threadneedle stree, Picadilly and
Strand? When name has become by long
use associated with our homes, our business, or
our friendships, it ought not to be changed I'M
less for some substantial reason; never for fancy
or within. Let us in these things hold on to the
past, but not forget to make progress and inn
provement in things Of moral and vital inn
portance. b9daqtb ssH s-I95ol