The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-08
MAINE CELEBRATES.

Maine, although, comparatively, among |
the new states-having been admitted 10 |
1920, as the twenty-third state in the Union |
claims to be the birthplace Of the Eng |
fish colonization of America and of the first |
successful land and naval warfare in the
struggle for independence. Her first claim
Is founded on the fact that, after two un
successful attempts, Sir John Popham,
with a company of some one hundred and
twenty planters, landed August 10, 1907,
on the "Peninsula of Sabine" and there
founded colony. Though death and the
stars were against it, and the enterprise
f"'iod Mo;rn hissoriana claim that this
founding OF colony, under royal char
ter, established the English title to Amer-
ca, because that government contended
for the principle that, without possession,
there was no valid title to a newly discov-
cred country. They leave out of view or
fail to explain how the English could gain
any rights on the continent so long as there
was a claim of discovery ON the part of
France, and an actual settlement under
royal French charter E; and such an expla-
ton, we apprehend, becomes important,
when they attempt to invalidate the estab-
fishing of the English title by the posses
sion of the Elisabeth isles by Gosnold in
1909, and the settlement of jamestown,
May 10, 1607-the former because it was
settled before a charter was issued, and the
latter because the charter did not conflict
with prior French charter.
1t is not necessary, and perhaps would
not be profitable, to discuss the merits of
this claim if Maine takes any particular
pleasure in it, or derives peculiar comfort
In its celebration, we presume no one will
be found so hard hearted as 10 say her nay,
although they may protest against making
history in this way. In regard to this first
English colonization matter, we are in
clined to agree with Governor Emory
Washburn, of Massachusetts, who, on the
occasion of the first celebration, told the
Pophamites, that he could find no account
Of the colonization in "Popham's Reports, !"
but upon looking up his "Classical dicIion-
ary,' he found that SABINE was the place
where the early Romans were said to have
obtained their wives by rather rude kind
for the veritable wolf that Romulus was
said TO haye sucked, and was prepared to
celebrate that event. When, however, he
found what they really proposed to cele-
brate, he was inclined to protest, but, hay
ing been treated SO well, if any one insisted
that Noahs ark landed on one of the Maine
hills, and would get up a celebration to
commemorate it, he ''would come and take
part in it, without doubling it was true. u
Having been so successful with her
Popham celebrations, and her neighbors
treating her claim 80 good naturally,
Maine, this week, proposes to commemo-
rate what she imposingly calls the "first
naval battle of the revolution" the "Lcx.
ington of the seas" According to Maine
correspondent of the New York Herald, q
handful of men, armed with pitchforks,
captured June ~, 1775, off Machias, an
armed British schooner, and the centen.
NAL of this event is to be celebrated
Saturday. The story there told, is in the
highest degree sensational and somewhat
apocryphal, but as 1t has some foundation
In fact, was really an important event in
the so called commencement Of the revo
luton, and as 1t has been almost entirely
overlooked by historians. its "true story,
as Beecher and Tilton would call it, may
not be out of place.
Soon after tie "Concord fight" ont
Ichabod Jones, Boston rory, obtained
permission of the British admiral to freight
small vessel with provisions for Machias
on conditions that he should return with {
cargo of wood and lumber for the use Of
the kings troops. He started, with thu
well armed schooner "Margaretta," as {
convoy, under command of Captain
Moore. The vessel arrived at Machias tn,
provisions were unladen, and the LOADING
with lumber commenced, but the presenc,
of the armed schooner was looked upoI
with suspicion, and the inhabitants did no