The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-01
THE LOCI OF THE MAYFLONER
THE HISTORICAL BOOK TO BE PRE-
SCENTED TO THE UNITED
STATES.
DECIDED At CONGN0R|AL COURT
OF Diocese of LOndon-RecOrds of
Vessel That Carried the Puritans
to Plymouth VIII De Turned
Over to Mr.. nayard.

London, March 25.-(Copyrighted, 1897,
by the Associated Press.)-The consisto-
rial court of the diocese of London as
sembled today in the old chapel of st.
Pauls cathedral in order to determine
the question of the restoration of the log
of the Maytlower to the United States.
The chancellor of the diocese. Mr..
Thomas II. Tristan, queens counsel. pre-
sided.
United States Ambassador Bayard was
represented by Mr.. Arnold Strathan, a
barrister, who opened the proceedings
by reading petition from Mr.. Bayard
in behalf of the president and citizens of
the United States, which set forth the
history of the book and the Prescriptions
as to how it came into the possession of
the see Of London.
Mr.. Strathan then called ii. II. Lee,
legal secretary of the bishop of London,
who undertook, in behalf of Mr.. Bayard,
to use every means in his power to safe
guard the log and deposit the same in
Pilgrim Hall. Plymouth. Mass, or some
other place selected by the president of
the United States, and also to deposit a
Photographic copy of the registry of the
diocese of London.
The chancellor read long argument,
during which he set forth that the log
was part of large number of manu-
scripts in Fulham palace relating to the
English possessions in the American col
tbn do la ,nt in,, ,f n,
dependence, formed part of the diocese of
London.
In the history of the diocese, the chan
cellor continued. there was but one prece-
dent to n petition such as this on the
ground that it was a matter of public in
terest., In 1858, he explained Lord John
Russell petitioned the diocese of London
to restore to France the will and codicls
of Napoleon |. The present application
differed from that of Lord Russell. be-
cause the log of the Mayhower, being a
register of births, marriages and deaths,
concerned the property of the descendants
of the pilgrims. Their interests must be
safeguarded, and the court would there
fore follow the custom prevailing when
new diocese is offset from an old one
in which case the registers of births
deaths and marriages were transferred
to the new diocese. He added:
II order on the undertaking given by
Mr.. Bayard, to place the log in fit place
where persons concerned can have access
thereto, and upon proper certified copy
being deposited at Fulham, that the origi
nal be given up to Mr.. Bayard for trans
mission to the president of the United
States, and that a copy of this Judgment
| under seal, be sent with the book when
ever Mr.. Bayard or some one from thu
United States embassy can attend"
After these proceedings the representa-
tive of the Associated Press had an in
terview with the archbishop of Canter
bury, Dr. Temple, who said:
st was always my desire when bishoI
of London to restore the book, which hat
been handed down by successive bishops
and which had always been guarded in
the strictest manner. In fact. Americans
were so fond of it that my predecessors
kept it in secret drawer, to which the
bishop only had the key. / am glad the
book is returning to America. 1t will bt
an evidence of our love, sincerity and adj
rairation for America. and of our desire
to draw closer together"
The bishop of London will deliver the
book to Mr.. Bayard personally.