Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-11
AN IMPORTANT PUBLICATION.
Mr.. Nash's New Edition Of the Constitutional
Convention Of Maine.

| been Perleys Debates so called for
short, being the debates, resolutions
and other proceedings of the convention
of delegates, d which met in Portland in
October, 1919, for the purpose of forming
a constitution for the State of Maine.
This work was prepared by jeremiah
Perley, Esq, and was printed in ~
mo- volume of 300 pages, by A. Shirley,
Portland, 1920. While the original book
is by no means rare-as many copies are
in the hands of old lawyers and book col
lectors-it is yet so scarce that copy is
almost never found lying about, or noted
in the catalogues of dealers in old books.
Among the copies owned in this city is
one in the original boards, uncut, in
very good condition, and containing both
on the fly-leaf and upon the title-page the
autograph of "E Lincoln's, being
that of Enoch Lincoln, fourth governor
of Maine in 1927. And as showing what
strange wanderings books sometimes take
1T may be mentioned that this particular
copy contains within it's fly-leayes the
stamp of second hand book dealer in
Maryland, where it was picked up by Mr..
Cole, the well known old book dealer in
Washington, d. c., by whom it was sent
to the gentleman in this city who justly
regards it as quite a gem" In seventy
four years good many books become
scarce. Even within the period of thirty
eight years many books are scarce that
were at the first common enough This is
true of the document containing the
journal of the constitutional convention
of the district of Maine, with the articles
of separation and Gov. Brooks Proclama-
ton" which was printed by the state so
recently as 1885, and for years has been
so scarce that not a copy could be obtained
anywhere
With the commendable instincts of the
true antiquarian-tha desire to rescue
from oblivion and place securely in
printed form for the use of the future
student whatever contribution to history
is liable to become extremely scarce, and
yet is of so much Importance as to deserve
experimentation Charles f. Nash of
this city. (who unites in happy degree
the passion of the historian and anti
quarry with a fine taste in the art prcser-
vative OF all arts, y has just published in
u splendid volume, not only careful re-
| ~, Of bot nhn n rec
books. but has enriched the same with
mass of most important illustrative
matter, which will cause tho work to be
over regarded as truly monumental one
relating to the history of Maine In addi-
ton to both these rare and important
books now put into n beautiful and com
pact impression, the volume contains
history of the Brunswick convention of
1860 from the pen of the late William
Allen, Esq, of Norridgewock, who was
member of the convention, based upon
minutes which he took at the time, but not
written out till he was over eighty years
of age: fac SMILES of the signatures of
members of the convention of 1919, who
signed the new constitution iron the
original document,) and especially en-
prayed for this work; the constitution OF
Maine as it exists today, with amend
ments: biographical sketches OF two hun
dred and ninety six members of the con-
vention; an index to the whole work COW
cring forty pages-all prefaccd by an IN
PRODUCTION in which the compiler gives a
most graphic sketch of the history and
Importance of the work of the convention;
it's notable personnel; a biographical ac-
count of Mr. Pcrley, author of the de
bates, and reference to the grand docu-
mcnt itself our noble constitution,
which. as he says lis worthy to become
text book in our public schools In
decd. it may be Justly said that SO not
able a contribution to the history of our
] State has not appeared from the press OF
Maine for many years. 1t is work that
should ut once find place in every pub
lie law and school library in the State;
while members of the legal profession
will welcome it as a constitutional man
nal they have long desired to possess, ana
no one can consult it without giving Il
high need of praise to the scholarly print
cr-publishcr, editor, that his part in all
the divisions of the work has been so adj
mirab,v done 1t is printed on fine pa
pcr, in clear typc-much in the style OF
the Maine rcports--and is durably bound
in the usual manner of the most-uscd law
books The volume contains total oil
769 pages.
ECLIPSE OF THE MOON.
sa n.e... cIrintiu nm Lime and is