St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-01-22
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Historic Frigate Constitution
Receives Attention.
AppeaI of Massachu setts Historical Society.
Public buildings For New England and
Their prospects GIeanings


New England and her many and va
ried interests have been strikingly to
the fore during this week in the national
capital.
The historic frigate Constitution, now
lying at the Portsmouth, N. H., navy
yard, in deplorable condition, has re-
ceived marked attention at the hands Of
the national legislators during this and
last week. For a long time it has been
known to the good citizens of New
Hampshire that the historic old boat
was in need of repairs, and movement
along that line has for many years been
on foot, but it was not until lately that il
eliminated in anything actively being
done in Washington.
or course all New England is deeply
Interested in the welfare and preserva-
ton for all time of the Constitution.
Accordingly, the Massachusetts Histori-
cal society, at its recent meeting, dis
cuSsod the matter and decided 10 invoke
the aid of Massachusetts, representatives
In awakening congress to a realizing
SENSE Of how bad Il condition the Con-
stilutlon Is in. Senators Chandler and
Gallinger Of New hampshire, being al
ready aware of the fact, needed no urg
ing, and with the assistance Of Senator
Hoar, the movement looking to having
the Constitution repaired and trans
ferred to the national capital as naval
museum is now well under way, and will
soon receive attention at the hands of
congress.
The appeal of the Massachusetts His
torical society was so patriotic that its
reproduction is well worth the reading of
all New Englanders. Here it Isl
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tivcs Of the United States:
Your memorialists, representing the
Massachusetts historical society, and
acting under instructions from it, would
represent that it has come to the knoWl-
edge of the society that the U. S. frigate
Constitution, now lying at the navy yard
in Portsmouth, N. H., has, through age
and lack of adequate renewal, reached q
condition when she must be either prac-
tically rebuilt or broken up, as the alter
native to sinking at her mornings
The Oldest society of the kind in Amer
lea, the Massachusetts Historical Soci-
ETY., and the frigate Constitution are
almost coeVal for while this society was
still young in years, the Constitution
was launched from the ways of wharf
In Boston, still named "Constitution
wharf" in grateful memory of the event;
and when, in 1922 her destruction was
ordered. it was the spirited lyric of Oil
yer Wendell Holmes, subsequently for
many years prominent member of the
society, which led to the revocation of
the order and the preservation of the
historic. SHY. The Massachusetts His
torical sOCle y thus leeis a peculiar and
almost personal interest in and rever-
ence for the frigate Constitution.
Your memorialists would further rep
resent that an historical interest at
taches to the Constitution which attach
es to no other ship in the maritime ar =
nails of the English speaking race in
America; for 1T has been truly asserted
by an American historian that it was
the broadsides of the Constitution which
on the 29th day of August, 1912, in the
conflict with the British frieate Guer-
riere, in the space of one short half
( hour et.Va t.e 'nited ates into tie
rank of first-class power. The Constitu
| ton is aiSu 49, tue popular mind of the
country associa ed with feats of dev,
ton and daring than which none In
our naval history are more skillful, more
glorious or more worthy of commemora-
toin. Her name is synonymous with sea-
nanship, courage and unbroken tri-
umph. In the view of your memorial l.
lists. therefore. as in the view of large
portion of the patriotic citizens OF
the United states, and especially of Ney
England, the same interest should at.
tacb to the Constitution which in Great
p,.ft IN nt4 fn hn old
though hardly more famous, line-of-
battle ship Victory, which bore the flag
of Nelson at Trafalgar
Under these circumstances your
memorialists would pray that adequate
provision be Immediately made for Tt.
newing the Constitution and for here
after preserving her, representing, as
she ever will, form of naval architec-
ture now extinct, and associated, as she
Is and ever must be, with many of the
most cherished recollectons of the
American people. The Victory Is care
fully perpetuated by Great Britain as
an historical relic of unsurpassed value
and abiding interest, and the American
people regard the Constitution as tc
them in no way less precious.
Under Instructions of the society they
represent, your memoriaists, constitut.
]
therefore respectfully pray that the Con
stitution, when renewed, may be per
manently placed at the Washington
navy yard, where she may In future b,
easily accessible to that large number
of American citizens who feel a patriotit
and abiding interest in the associations
she must forever recall, and that, likt
the Victory at Portsmouth, she be ther
hereafter kept in complete repair anc
used as naval museum, free to all.
Secretary of the Navy Herbert Is al
earnest advocate of the plan for thu
preservation of the frigate Constitution
and her removal to the Washington
navy yard, where she can be viewed ant
honored by all American citizens.
asked him the other day what he though
Of the matter, and he said:
"Of the old revolutionary navy we still
have two precious relics-the Constitu
ton and the Hartford. The old Consti
tuition, so glorious in the war of 1872 lay
rotting at the Portsmouth navy yard
In my annual reports l have repeated,
recommended that a sufficient sum O
money be appropriated to repair an,
insure her preservation, but the appea
has been unheeded.
ut was my pleasure to report the bill
In congress that was to take the Hart
ford out of the usual category of decay
ing wooden ships and insure her preser
walton as a memento of the splendi
achievements of Farragut and the heroe
who trod her decks in the brave days o
the civil war; and 1t has been my priv
lege to direct the repairs upon her unit
they are already nearing completion
But congress has so far ignored all m
appeals in behalf of the Constitution.
when many years ago the navy de
pnrtment contemplated breaking I'M tb