The Portland daily press., 1898-02-25
APOSTLE OF PEACE.
Interesting Sketch of the Life of Will
liam Ladd.

chanic Falls at the Meeting of the
Maine Historical Society-Other Inter
esting Papers on Matters of Historic
Interest.
A meeting of the Maine Historical
Society was held yesterday afternoon at
$50 o'clock in their library hall. hon.
James P. Baxter presided and the first
papers was read by John W. Penney OF
Mechanic Falls, his subject being "A
Sketch of the. Life of William Ladd, Ethe
Apostle of Peace. -
He referred Z to the factl that helsfirst
comprehensive plan for organized effort
for the promotion of peace in the world
was promulgated by Benjamin Rush in
about 1890 while we were engaged in a
frontier war with Indians. Giving brief
sketch of DR.. RIsh's life with an alb
stract of his plan for peace he passed on
to a biographical sketch of Capt. William
Laddss who wasJ born in Exeter, N. H.,
May 10, 1878, and died in Portsmouth,
N. H., April 9, 1s4l. His early life in
college and his subsequent career as one
Of the highest esteemed sea captains of
New England, were traced. The pur-
chase of the "New Farm" in 1918, what
is now known as Minot's corner, for ST.
$50, was looked upon "as round sum
for farm at the time that a hostile
British fleet stood in tie offing of Port
land harbor and Munjoy Hill was COW
cred by the state militia
20
Corner seemed to be turning point in
his life, for he had thought of entering
the navy, but here, surrounded by the
quiet and peaceful beauties of nature and
scenes bucolic, he was led by peculiar
train of providential circumstances into
a path that led directly opposite to that
which he was passing, and which ulti-
mately brought to him the high and hon :
orable distinction of worldwide recog-
milton as philanthropist and the Ameri-
can Apostle of Peace.
Capt. Ladd pondered the principles OF
peace and finally committed himself to its
advocacy. He was the means under God
of..giving an impulse to the cause of peace
which was felt throughout the world. 1t
was his conception of putting an end to
war by means of a Congress Of Nations
which should have power to establish an
international code, and also High Court
of Nations which was to be permanent
body like the Supreme Court and to hold
periodical sessions for the adjudication
of international disputes. His scheme,
with some notifications, stands before
the world today as the best thought OF
the century for bringing perpetual and
universal peace among all nations. Not
only in the United States, but through
ont Europe was he hailed as the Apostle
of Peace.
| His essays on peace, 80 in number, were
first published in the Christian Mirror.
to which reference was made and the pa
| per concluded with glowing tribute to
the memory of Capt. Ladd.
Rev. Henry o. Thayer next read pa
per on "The Indians Administration
of Justice, a sequel to the Wiscasset
tragedy"
| AS mentioned at the outset, Bancroft's
remark that IF the North American In
dians, their forms of government grew
out of their passions and their wants,
and that in the lack of public justice each
| man was his own protector and became
his own avenger.
| He went on to say that the wanton
| murder of an Indian at Wiscasset led to
the captivity of nearly score of persons
on Swan island and vicinity. The
captivity was acknowledged by the Indi-
ans as their reprisal and revenge for that
unprovoked murder. The article gave
the list of the captives who were sold in
Montreal and Quebec, and gave the prices
averaging 200 livres, about pounds and
Is shillings sterling. A detailed account
was given of the efforts for the recovery
of the captives, a part of whom were re-
turned.
Rev. DR.. Henry S. Burrage gave d
sketch of Col. Nathaniel Sparhawk of
Kittery, descendent of Nathaniel Spar
hawk, who came with his family to New
England and settled at Cambridge as
early as 1858. Col. Sparhawk was son
of Rev. John Sparhawk of Bristol, Il. 1.
He married Elizabeth, only daughterssof
Sir William Pepperell OF K1ttery, and
henceforward made Kittery his home,
entering into large business interests On
| the death of Sir William Pepperrell he
became his successor in many public
and military offices. In the paper large
use was made of letters written by Col.
Sparhawk to Sir William Pepperrell,
| and also to Thomas Cults, his clerk.
These last were sent to DR.. Burrage by
BENZ. N. Goodale of Saco, while the let
tiers from Sir William Pepperrell were
| from the Fogg collection.
Mr.. N. 6. Goold then read paper pre-
pared by DR.. Charles e. Bankseon the
| burial place of Captain Henry Mowat
The writer expressed pleasure in pre-
senting to the society photograph of
the gravestone of Capt. Mowat in the
church yard of the Episcopal church in
Hampton, Va. AT the time of his death
Capt. Mowat was in command of FL er
Majesty's ship and was probably crnis-
ing in the vicinity of Ches speake when
| he was Suddenly strickan with anop1exy