The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-02-23

0oaiAh H OAutAiAVhAt A4uGbsH MIX
Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. F. King, NJ. NJ. Duroy
Mary E. Robinson, SiDyl Merrill
Paine, Franklin Robinson, Mrs. Frank
lin Robinson, w. p. Carr and wife, Mr.
and Mrs. Shurtleff, VIM. r. G. Estes,
Skowhegan; Mrs. J. L. Crandall
Albert S. Mitchell. Mrs. A. ,
Mitchell, Mr.. and Mrs. A. Keith, y
Ambrose Merrill, Nathan Goold, Henry
Deerinq. WIN. G. Ellis, Gardiner; Charles
Hutchinson. Mrs. o. II. LeGrow, Miss
A. L. Mcdonald. C. J. Mcdonald and
wife, Mrs. VIM. S. Corey, Eben Corey.
Cara 7. Hunt. W. NJ. Vinton, Gray
Miss Ella Z. Starr, Mrs. Chas. Hutchin-
son.
When coffee had bean served President
Moulton CALLS the assInhlags TO order
and made y very interesting address. lie
said In substance that ten years ago
Thursday the Maine society was organ
ICED by few gentlsmeu who gathered In
a room in .he historic Pfetls house for
that purpose aud he read a list OF tho
charter members OF the organization
many OF whom were present at yesser-
days meeting. He said that 1t was hitting
at this time to call attention to the per-
manent WORK the society has done In
these years. 1t began with thirty three
members ct the end OF the first year, and
now has 43l members after ten years OF
existence. Its most valuahls work has
been In thu line Of. historical research
Mine valuable volumes have been pub
llsned by the society including histories
and records OF the revolutionary regi-
ments from Maine and history OF the
Bragaduos expedition and Of the town Of
Falmouth during the war. The value Of
these histories is not fully recognized to-
day. but will be better appreciated rs the
years pass.
"Why are we assembled here today"
asked Mr. Moul ION. 1--WE have come to
the American revolution, q
revol alton which confessedly marks an
epoch in the history of the world as well
as of the history OF this country. 1t was
the tide which changed the face not only
of America, but of the whole civilized
woI1i and whose influence was felt all
over Europe, and is felt today. The lss-
sons to be derived from this revolution
may be taught with profit today and can
be brought back to each one OF us year
after year.
Mr.. Moulson then said that it would
be well co consider some of the phrases In
the Constitution of the United States
which meant so much to our forefathers,
but which to us are apparently meaning
less He referred 20 that paragraph which
says that the writ OF habeas corpus shall
not be suspended unless in cases of in
surrectlon or invasion the public safety
may require 1t. 10 us that phrase is only
indefinite and refers to the dark shadows
of the past which we cannot understand.
But to the men who framed this Constl.
tuition, TO the men who fought for our in
that phrase meant a great
deal 1t meant that man oouli not be
deprived OF his liberty to enjoy property
and life without dus process OF law. IL
refers to the black days OF star chamber
trials when men were ken from their
homes without knowing the cause for
their arrest ana shut up for days and
even years in gloomy dungeons. That is
what the writ of habeas corpus meant to
thess trainers of the Constitution and
with this one phrase was swept away for
ever those wrongs which have blaokened
the records of the past.
Another phrase in this Constitution has
littls meaning for us. 1t lie that no bill
of sttainder shall be- passed To-day we
nsnnot appreciate what that means.but TO
the men who framed this Constitution
and who fought for IL 1t was not mean
Inglsss phrase for within their reoollso-
ton it had happened that parliament had
passed bill OF attninder by the efforts Of
an arbitrary king depriving at ons time
two thousand men of life, liberty and
property without trial and with this
phrase that huge wrong ia made forever
impossible in this country. Another
phrase, mo attainder of treason shall
work corruption OF blood" cannot be I'M
derstood by us but to those men who
famed this Constitution it meant that
no wife, mother or chilli OF a person
found guilty Of treason could be deprived
of life. liberty OF property. Looking over
the records OF the dark days instances
may be found when whole families were
turned out into the world, their property
without cause and without
trial. This brief sentence swept with one
stroke OF the pen wrongs which to us
seem incomprehepsibls,
In this manner the speaker took mp
many more phrases in the Constitution
which the present generation does not
fully appreciate and showed how much
the American revolution had accom-
pllshed for humanity and the world.
.. The destructive portions OF the Consti-
tuition righted many wrongs while the
part tells how this govern
ment shall be conducted. The speaker
then said that the trainers OF this oonttl-
tuition were respecters Of law and from
them we can well lsarn lesson, 1t lie
an impressive fact how little some people
In this country respect the law of the
L and when we see even In high quarters