The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-03-26
THE STYLE AND TITLE OF THE STATE OF
MAINE.
PREPARED BY VIM. H. SMITH.

1t may Interest some of your readers
who are not aware of the fact, that we
came near being called the Common
wealth of Maine. In the Convention
which framed our State Constitution, the
committee on the style and title of the
new State, were Hon. VIM. Pitt Preble,
ofPortland Mr.. Elisha Allen, of Sanford
Abial Wood, of Wiscasset Nathan Cut
Ter, Of Pennington; Simeon Stetson, of
Hampden VIM. Abbott, of Castine Ben
jamin Chandler, of Paris; Benjamin
French, of ST. Adams and VIM. Vance,
of Calais, who reported the style and IT,
tie to be the Commonwealth of Maine.
This report came before the Convention,
Thursday, October ii, 1919, when Mr..
Stephen Parsons, of Edgecomb, moved
and after much debate, participated in
by Parsons Allen, of Sanford ; George
w. Wallinglord, Of Wells and Hon. Geo
Thatcher, of Biddeford, in favor; and Cut
ler, OF Pennington; Hon. Daniel Cony,
of Augusta; Judge Preble and Joseph
Adams, of Gorham, against, the motion
prevailed by the close vote of | 10 in fav-
or, and lib against it. Then came the
question on the name of the State. James
ID. Tucker, of StandiSh, moved to strike
out Maine and insert Columbus. This
was favored by Judge Cony, and OPP
posed by Judge Thatcher and Mr.. Vance
During the debate, Leonard Jarvis, OF
Surry, advocated the ancient Scripture
name of Al. His idea was to save ink in
writing, and have the new State chris
tened from the Bible. The motion was
| lost.
There is one matter alluded to by
Judge Coney, in his remarks in favor Of
the name of Columbus, that will interest
many who have tried to ascertain how
our State, or rather territory, came to be
called Maine, or Mayne, when changed
from the name of Mavoshen, or Mavoo-
shen, the name given it by explorers in
1902 3 4 -J-6-7-S and ..
The Judge was then sxty-seven years
of age "a man Of the highest character
and learning. Oar State has been hon
ored 10y many eminent citizens, but none
We're superior to Hon. Daniel Coney
whose name and fame are treasured by
the sons of old kennebec, county that
has been blessed with many worthy
children. He said che was led by a view
Of consccrating the opening era Of the
new community, by rendering an act o
justice long delayed, to propose as sub
stitute the name of Columbus. By sue
ceSStul usurpatiOn of a mercantile adven-
turer, a Venetian manufacturer of maps
and charts, the real discoverer of the new
world had been forever detrauded of the
ali, Ia. "a
own name TO the western continent. Sir
what idea either great or distinguished
can be affixed to Maine. | have not beer
able to trace it to any satisfactory source.
Since that day, many others have beer
under the same embarrassment in regarC
to the matter as was the learned Judge
nearly sXty-siX years ago.
Hon. George Thatcher, Of Biddeford
favored the name Of Maine. This gentle
man like Judge Cony, was an able anC
distinguished citizen; he was the sole
member of congress from the district o
Maine from 1889 to 1893, and six years
after, had among his colleages from the
district, George Peleg WadsWorth, o
Portland, Henry Dearborn, of Pittston
Isaac Parker, of Castine, and Silas Lee
OF WlScasset: he served ten years as
Judge Of the Supreme Court of Massa-
chusetts was a graduate Of Harvard il
l16G, and died in 1924 He said she was
not disposed to deprive old Columbus o
any honors, but he did not think that il
was among them to give name to the
State of Maine. Columbus did not dis
cover this part of the continent, nor die
he know as long as he lived, that the
continent he discovered extended to these
iatitudes. This country was first discov
cred by Cabot, Gosnold and Others He
concluded by expressing tie wish thai
bis worthy friend Or. Cony) whose age
was about the same as his own, nigh,
have the pleasure with himself of passing
the remainder Of their days in peace anC
/ tranquility under the old name Of Maine
Tie motion was lost.
Then came a motion by Mr. Adams,
OF Gorham, to reconsider the vote tC
strike out the word Commonwealth
which he advocated as did Hon. join
Chandler, of Monmouth, Hon. Judah Da
ma, of Fryeburg, and Hon. James Bridge
of Augusta; and it was opposed by Judge
Thatcher, Mr.. Parsons, of Edgecomb
Hon. VIM. Moody, of Saco, and Hon
Nicholas Emery, of Portland. The mo.
tion to reconsider was lost; yeas l0I
nays 40. 50 the style and title was fix
ed as the State of Maine.