The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-01-22

Public Bu ,Lings For New England ahC
Their Pro poets GeaninGs.
FIR III Our Corresp Indent
New England and her many and va
Ried interests have been strikingly tc
the fore during this week in the national
capital.
The historic frigate Constitution, now
lying at the Portsmouth, N. H., navy
yard, in a deplorable condition. has re-
ceived marked attention at the hands OF
the national Legislators during this and
last week. For 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.
cussed the matter and decided to invoke
the aid Of Massachusetts representatives
III COnSTeSS 10 d IedlIZlHS
sense of how bad a condition the Con-
stitution 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 a naval
museum is now well under way, and will
OF of ha hop dc 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 is:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States:
Your memorialiStS, representing the
Massachusetts historical society, ar1
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 a
condition when she must be either prac-
tically rebuilt or broken up, as the alter
native to sinking at her moorings.
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 a wharf
In Boston, still named Constitution
wharf" in grateful memory of the event;
and when, in 1929 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 ship. The Massachusetts Hii-
torcal society thus 1eels 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 an
nails of the English speaking race in
America for 1T has been truly asserted
ny an American historian that it was
tHe pFoadSlues OF the constitution which
on tne 13ln uay OF august, l6lZ, IN the
Conl'lc. WIN tbe brltish frlFate Guer-
iiele' III tne space Oh one snort halt-
l"U .'Sl.''fb w. Hte" -" Il lhlt the |
rank or nrst-class power The Constitu-
roh IS also :" lte bo.ui". NINA or the
cnuhtry associa Ell win reats OF deVo-
tloh ana DARING IMAM Whlch none In
Out nave d history d. more Shlillul' more
SioflouS OF more worthy Oh commemora-
tom. iief Name Is synonymous Win sea
hlansIlp, cIurase ana unprokeh tri-
ISIS. thcreIoie, as III tne view OF larg.
iortlon OF the patrlotlc citlzens OF
tne Chlteu STATES ana especially OF New
tnn5 ~ tbe Sonatitutio, ,vbio1a w go
britain attaches to fine equally old
though hardly more famous, line-of-
battle ship Victory, which bore the flag
of Nelson at trafalgar.
Under these circumstances your
.,i,i, b nc. ee,.
rau,;ng Tho CONSERVATION and fo, barc-
after preserving her, representing. az
she ever will a form of naval architec-
ture now extinct, and associated, as she
Is ana ever must pe' win many OF the
iilosl cue Ielltu M, vi me
F,,Ii,, DISQUALIFICATION Nv cra,t 4ritoin &c
an historical relic of unsu,.nasse value
and abiding interest, and the American
people regard the Constitution as to
them in no way less precious
Onuer Instructions OF the society they
represent, !"ui meme 'ilotS'
tts',.of,o ,asran+f,,IiI, ma, tbott be Co..
Stitntion when renewed NAV he ner-
noanentlv placed at the washington
navy ward, where she may in future be
easily accessible to that large number
of American citizens who feel a patriotic
ano aDldlng interest IN the associations
-eIe mus I'Ie'6l !cOn'i' anu LA I'M