The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-08
The Maine Historical Society

The Maine Historical Society.
Among the appendages of our city the estab-
lishment of the headquarters of this institu-
tuition here is one of the most important, and
the acquisition is very valua BILE one 1t has
already appeared that a new impulse has been
given to local historical research, and at no
period have its friends been SO jealous and per-
severing in its work as since the removal.
Though in no way connected with it, the wri-
ter may perhaps be pardoned for suggesting to
those who are, that an important field is open
to them in collecting materials for better per-
petuating the fame of Names most distin-
guished sons, whose names have never had
justice done them, and whose service merits
high place in the historic annals of our State.
Unfortunately for them and for the public, the
tendency at home has been to belittle the
character and services of Maine celebrities.
This has arisen, not for want of ample mate
rial with which to adorn our local history, but
must be attributed to the intensity of partizan-
ship which has always characterized the State
long anterior to its birth and down to the pres
emit time. The result is, the present genera
ton is not so we'll impressed as it should be
with the fact, that a faithful study of the bio
graphical history of our own men will Justify
both the wisdom and propriety of the inscrip-
tion on our State escutcheon, of the inspiring
word, "Dirigo." To verify this statement is
not the purpose of these observations, but to
invite others to do so, or else to admit that the
fathers made mistake in selecting their State
motto. Besides the work of perpetu alton, oc-
casions not infrequently arise for vindication
nf our nuhlio man in, ic in
point The August number of Harper con-
tains an elaborate article on the surrender OF
CORVALLIS, and our Maine veterans have just
honored themselves and the State by giving to
10000 people graphic description of the siege
of Yorktown In reading that article, a Maine
man naturally looked for some notice of one of
the most important personages who figured in
that occasion, and whose services were second
to those of no other in effecting the conquest
of CORVALLIS and his army. But Gen. Knox,
the confidential friend and advisor of Wash
ington, and the head and front of the revolu-
tionary artillery, is hardly named In the dia-
gram of the scene, place is assigned to his
guns, but his name and camp are not found,
while those of the other distinguished COM
manders are made conspicuous. This writer
is not one who concurs in the appropriateness
of selecting Gen. Knox as representative
Maine man to be sonored with statue at the
National Capital for, except ng that our soil
covers his ashes, he was never identified, par
ticularly, with our local history. He was
more Massachusetts than Maine man; born
in Boston; in business there until entering the
service, and generally reckoned as patriot of
the Bay State But, for all this, he performed
invaluable service on the occasion referred to;
the State authorities had adopted him as a
representative son, and any article on the
siege of Yorktown with but slight allusion to
him is much like the play of Hamlet with
Hamlet left out.
But the main point of this article is to direct
enquiry in the ranks of the friends of the His
toricai Society to the special field of saving
from OBLIVION the names and fame of those
who laid the foundation of this commonwealth
and performed a service which filial sons
should always cherish with respect, and whose
virtues cannot be initiated too closely. Two
generations have passed since Maine became
State. 1t is hardly too much to say that little
is now known by the present of the fathers, or
even their names, for little has been done to
perpetuate them MAINE,