Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-04
HISTORICAL EXHIBIT.
E. and Mrs. ShiplsJ's Ideas
Cab Il to be Rscosnizsd

Cab Il to be Recognised
Western British American. Chicago, Sat
! uYday, Jan. "a. 1911
The following propositions are respect
fully submitted BY the urdefsiyGed to the
National Commission and Directory Of the
Worlds Columbian Exposition, to the citi-
zeas Of Chicago. and 70 the nation .. large
!. To extend the historical scope Of the
approaching Worlds Fair by getting
together IN exhibit, or series Of exnibits.
which shall form an objective display OF
the whole subject OF the discovery and col
onizstion Of North America in it's various
stages. from the Morse discovery Ia the
/ year 1000 TO the consolidation of the nation
In 1916
2. This exhibit to be formed in such q
manner that the greater part of the objects
comprised in il, or reproductions Of than,
can be retained in this city, together with
the buildings in which they will be coz
tanned, 20 ~ - form 3 nucleus Of per
msnent museum Of history, sdoriing H.
Americans . tue and realizing sense of
| the origin OF this nation 10 more object
/ I've form than has ever before been al
tempted,
| We, the undersigned. have given long
and earnest stndy to these subjects, and
| have formed definite plan for the cary
ing out Of this proposition, for which pur
| Toie we should desire TO obtain official
exhibits, ~ from the various colonies,
| nov states Of the union, and their historics
| societies, together with the abundant aid
| that can be furnished By private collections
| ~ from the especial mother country frou
which each of these colonies sprxng. illus
tratinz The life in that country At the Tim
! when each colony was founded.
This would elicit IN every instance A.
exceedingly fine native ~ we'll as foreigu
display. for il would be the highest p,ide
| Of both our own aud foreign states TO reves
| the treasures of their past.
The Various Colon zatiors
The principal coloniz atoms to be illus
| trsted would be:
!. The Morse c0loniz alton from A. ID
1000 to I3i7, BY reproduction, as far As
may be, of the brilliant Viking Age of thu.
scandinavian North; the whole exhibit b.
be contained in a noble and spacious Vikin.
| hall modelt upon the ancient banqueting
halls of Zealand, and filled with relics from
the Viking period preserved at Stockholm
Christisnis and Copenhagen, as well IS in
AStA3hbf WtLt NV oSAhs hsA otHcl hsItRI
records De seribihg the discovery and earl
| settlement of Vialand.
II should be especially noted. as salen
feature Of cur plan, that in many cases,
especially ia those Of the more bulky or
more valuable articles, which could net OF
themselves be brought to the exposition,
reproductions would be made BY native
artists accustomed 70 the work, and these
along with the Viking Hail itself, woul5
remain here as permanent museum of tn
colonial history OF the couhtry, and as =
permanent ornament to the lake front OF
Chicago.
?. The discovery and sui s'quent color
IL ton of Newfoundland and the adjacent
land. by John and Ssba-tsin Cabot, apd
the English from Bristol. l497-l503
3. The various voyages undertake
during the reign of Elizabeth (i55s-l603l
for the purpose # colonizing Virginia
Newfoundland aud othrs parts Of America
The esrly Dutch settlements in New
ork New Amsterdam.
8. The colonization of Pennsylvania
sr.t by the Swtdes, and afterwards b,
William Penn.
g. The Pilgrim Fathers Of New EGG
land
Z. The Spanish settlements 10 Fioridx
8. The French settlements in Canada
Ard along tie Mississippi, besides many
others.
A History OF Hepublicanism.
This exhibit would also be in part dis
play of the history of Republication, for
at the tine of the Morse colonization of
America. Iceland was republic. a. the
height of her political and intellectual
power; while the settlers of Greenland and
Vinland also adopted Republican institu
tons. The decay OF these colonies did not
occur until after they had passed, along
with Iceland, under the sway Of the Nor
weRian crown.
The Enslsh colonies were planted at e
brilliant period Of English history, which
can be illustrated by imposing displays
from the Elizabethan AMI Stuar. periods
the Commonwealth, etc, during which
popular rights asserted themselves as sups
rior to despotic authority.
The Dutch had schieved their indie
pendence from Spanish oppression. and
ha made Themselves the most formidable
rivals of England on the seas, when they
founded New Amsterdam. now New York;
and this fort in the New World was but
an EXPIRE ssion of ths, necessity for expan-
sion that springs from the vigorous spirit
OF republicanism.
The Swedish colony on the Delaware
was the cheriehed project Of the Swedish
king, Gustsf Adolf, during the period of
Sweden's greatoess; and, monarch as he
was. he designed il to be il all essential
respects republic, and refuge for the
oppressed Of every land. The museums
of Sweden are very rich in relics from
this period.
The educational advantages Of such An
exhibit can scarcely be exaggerated; these
Advantages would be entirely lost if these
different portions were scattered through
the exhibits of the various countries con-
cerned. 1t is the steady progress Of the early
development, first Of knowledge concerning
this Continent. and then of civilization 10
this country, that il intended to be shown
forth by this exbibltin way that has never
been done on airy previous occasion.
The Early American Colonies.
Bys rare combination Of events. xll of
the early American Colonies, simple ami
primitive a. was their origin. stood forth
from a background OF mstchless Earopesn
.pleudor, their very effort far freedom
having been the frui. Of an earlier aud
| greater struggle for freedom in the Old
World. Back Of Vinlapd WAS the Golden
Are of the Scandinavian North. during
which Iceland and Normandy we're
settled by the Morse race; back of
! virginia was the Elizabethan age !:
back of Pennsylvsuia aud Delaware. fret
named New S~edsn, the period of
| Sweden's greatness a. a power, when the
immortal Gustaf Adolf fought on the bas-
tie fields of Germany for freedom OF COZ
science. ard preserved it, not only for the
| Scandinavian North. but for the world /;
back OF New York, the tame glorious
| struggle on the part Of the Netherlands
against the same spiritual despot Welding
temporal power, q struggle IN which the
Dutch we're victorious. or they could not
have settled in Ne~ York; back of New
England, the trump liant resistarce of Old
England in the self same conflict. one that
had conyul.ed Europe for many decades.
| Each Of the thirteen American colonies was
like a peaa o: triumph, and sprans into
| life from the very exusefsnce OF the
| moral vitality and genius Of the motherland
that ushered il into being.
/ Thus, when each of the countries Of
Europe that founded colonies in tie
preseot United States of America takes
/ psrt in the exhisi; that is to form the
srandest national feature of the World E
Fair, blending the national and interna
,ionnl a. never before, the mutull exhibit