The Portland daily press., 1882-02-28

burn, Messrs. Elwell, of the Transcript, Bur-
| rage of Zion's Advocate and others called
upon Mayor Senter at his room to consider
| what action would be most proper for the citi-
zens to take in order that the 10Th birthday OF
the poet Longfellow might be appropriately
celebrated. The Mayor thought some proper
recognition of the day should be made by the
| City Council, and on January 7th a special
meeting Of the City Government was held and
the following resolution unanimously adopted:
| Resoloed, That to give fitting expression to
the gratitude of our fellow-citizens for the dis
| tinction which the genius and fame of Henry
| Wadsworth Longfellow will ever bestow upon
| the city where he was born, the Mayor be IN
structed to tender to the illastrious poet pub
| lie reception to be held in City Hall, in Port
land, on the approaching anniversary Oh MS
birth.
AS result the following correspondence
| passed between the Mayor and the poet:
PORTLAND, January IS, 1882.
My Dear Sir-It is my great pleasure to en-
| close TO you copy of the resolve passed unan-
| imously by our City Council.
1t needs. no assurance on my part that it will
be very gratifying to your numerous friends in
Portland to greet you on the occasion.
The reception proposed is to be plain and
simple.
The details to be in manner agreeable to
yourself.
Hoping to receive an early reply of accept
ance, am; most respectfully, yours,
WILLIAM SENTER, Mayor.
Prof. H. W. Longfellow
CAMBRIDGE, January II, 1882.
My Dear Sir-I have had the pleasure OF re-
esiving your letter with its enclosed copy OF the
resolutions of the city authorities OF Portland
in reference to my seyenty-ffth birthday
hasten to thank you and them for the hon.
or conferred upon me-
I hardly need assure you, my Gear sir, that
this mark of consideration from my native
city is very gratifying to me, nd iegret ex-
treu1ely that on account of ill-health L am
forced to decline the public reception offered
me. My physician prescribed absolute rest
and l do not see any chance of my being able
to go TO Portland in February, SO slow is recoy-
cry from nervous prostration.
L am, my dear sir, with great regard,
Yours faithfully,
HENRY w. LoNGFELLow.
On account of Mr.. Longfellow's inability to
be present the celebration of the anniversary
was abandoned by the city authorities.
Afterwards several L.embers of the Maine
Historical Society requested the President to
call special nesting of that society on the
occasion This was especially appropriate as
Mr.. Longfellow was formerly member OF the
Historical Society, and was librarian and cabi-
net keeper at Brunswick in 1884. His father
was President of the society the same year.
As result the President called meeting at |
Portland on February 9th, and papers were as |
signed to members especially appropriate to
the occasion. The date is that of the poets |
birth, and the full particulars OF the meeting
will be found on the outside of the PRESS to- |
day.
In all parts OF the city yesterday flags and
other decorations were displayed in honor of
the poets birthday. Flags were hoisted upon
the old Longfellow house, corner of Fore and |
Hancock Streets City Hall, the Observatory
the Falmouth, Preble and United States He
tells, the engine houses, Cumberland Club house
aad other public buildings, and many pri-
vate residences were deeked with bunting.
The English steamers in port displayed their
bunting. Here and there window contained
portrait of the poet In the window of
George Thomas, ESQ., corner of State and
Danforth streets, were two portraits, one of
Lonfellow at the age of 50, a very rare paint
ing, and the other portrait taken few years
ago.
In the ShaiIer school an hour was devoted
yesterday to readings from Longfelow's works.
The following nlementoes of the poet and
his family we're loaned to the Historical Soce-
ty and exhibited at their rooms last evening:
Letter of Stephen Longfellow, of Newbury,
born 1855, the blacksmith and ensign.
Letter Of Stephen I'd, the schoolmaster, son
of the above.
Letter cf Stephen Sd, the judge, son of the
above.
Letter Of st phen 4th, the statesman, son of
the above and father of Henry, the poet.
The original letter OF Parson Thomas Smith,
rhnrl lrR1ac
Portland.
Autograph letter OF General Peleg Wads-
worth.
The 4th Of July, 1904, grafton, delivered by
Stephen L., father of the poet, MS. and print.
The first printed books by Longfellow, Man
uel de Proverbs Dramatiques, 1880: Coplas de
Don Jorge Manrique, 1888; Outre-Mer, 1888
The poetical works of Longfellow, two vol
umes quarto, splendidly illustrated and bound,
loaned by the publishers, Messrs Houghton,
Miffln & Co., Boston.
An autograph poem, entitled ''Venice, an
italian song,' one stanza, dated Portland
Academy, March II, 1920, and signed Henry
W. Longfellow, written at the age of thirteen
years.
Portrait of Stephen Longfelow, the states
man, painted by King in Washington about the
year 1926.
Portrait of Henry W Longfellow, painted
1880.
Sketch of the village smithy at Cambridge,
1910, with the chestnut tree
Photograph of the chair presented to the
poet by the children of Cambridge in 1879,
made from the wood of the ehesnut tree near
the village smithy.
Silver tankard and silver porringer, marked
rs. L. er dono Potris,' made in ITO
Stereoscopic views of the house built by
General Peleg Wadsworth in the town of Hi
ram, Me-, year 1900.
Silhouette portrait Of General Peleg Wads-
worth in 1884.
Sundry autograph poems of Longfellow.
A drawing of the Wadsworth-Longfellow
house on Congress street as it stood when COM
pleted E 1885, then only two stories.