Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-18
4 MONSTER PETITION
To Which. Are Affixed Thirty
Thousand Signatures.
PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE
By Representative Mccall of Massa-
chusetts Today.
TO SAVE "OLD IRONSIDES'
Resolution Afterward introduced
Looking to an Inquiry Into Present
Condition of the Ship.
PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE
TO SAVE "oLD IRoNsDEs''

The monster petition, signed by thou
sands of citizens of Massachusetts, urging
Congress to take steps to preserve to pos
tertty the frigate Constitution-'Old IRON
sides"-which was brought to Washington
yesterday by Eric Pape OF Boston. was
placed on exhibition today on the floor of
the House
The petition was first on motion of Rep
resentative Mccall Of Massachusetts. and by
house. and Mr. Mccall then made a speech
on the subject
Chaplain Couden of the house had pre-
viously offered UP prayer for the
preservation of the historic frigate.
Size of the Petition.
The petition Is forty-two inches wide
and the names are written ten on a line
If placed one below the other the petition
would make scroll that IL upended
would be three times as high as the
Washington monument. The first name
on the list Is that of ex-Gov Douglas Of
massachusetts,, and the next that of Cur
tbs Guild, jr., the present governor Of that
state. Among the other sfgners are six
ehh-governors. seventy mayors of Massa
chusetts cities, all the councilmen and
aldermen OF the seacoast towns of the
state, all the members OF the Massachu-
sets senate and house. many college
prestdepts and professors Curtis Guild.
ST.. father Of the governor of Massachu-
sets and president of the Bostonian So
ciety; Gen. Francis Appleton, president
general OF the Sons Of the American Rev
olution: Thomas Bailey Aldrich, the au-
thor; Thomas Wentworth Higginson, for
mer Secretary Of the Navy Long, Julia
ward Howe, author of the Battle Hymn
scendants of Commodore Balnbridge,
Stuart and Hull. who were the famous
commanders of the famous frigate; a
daughter of the ffer of Old Ironsides
let lx;n
granddaughter and two grandsons of the
sailing master Of the frigate a grand
daughter OF the chief gunner Of the Con-
stitution, who shot the mainmast out of
the British frigate Guerrero; a grand
daughter OF the quarter gunner, twenty
nVe members Of the Massachusetts, 9Th
regiment who were thanked by Con-
sress for their work in saving the hulk
or the frigate from the confederates dur
ing the civil war. and by many other
prominent persons.
below striking oil painting fourteen by
ten inches Of the Constitution putting the
finishing touches on the Guerriere on the
afternoon of August 10, 1872, when Old
Ironsides won such a signal sea victory
The painting is by Eric Pape, and is on
drumhead forty-one inches wide. Beau
tfful scroll lettering appears on the
parchment and the head Of the drum is
fastened by gold cord to a Union Jack
At the head of the design is the figure of
an eagle surrounded by thirteen stars. the
showing tilted shield, indicating the un-
certainty at that moment as to the victory.
Wording Of the Petition.
The wording of the petition was done by
Francis Hurtubis, former secretary to
Governor Bates, and is as follows:
1--WE, the undersigned citizens of the COM
monwealth of Massachusetts, respectfully
petition your honorable body to enact such
legislation as may in your wisdom be nee
eSSary TO and DreSprVe from deStruc-
ton and decay the ancient and renowned
frigate Constitution, known as Old Iron
Sides in order that we and our posterity
may be permitted to behold this precious
relic of our first American navy and there
by be reminded of and inspired by her
glorious history.
Your memoriaHsts further represent that
to the citizens of the United States an his
torical interest attaches to this old Ameri-
can frigate such as attaches perhaps to
no other ship in maritime annals, and as
there is demand or necessity for its
demolition, we most earnestly pray that
you save the Constitution"
Mr.. Pape, who started the movement,
made extensive research into the history of
the vessel and this is briefly given below
the above wording There first appears in
large illuminated letters the date August
49, 1872 upon which the Constitution won
her victory over the Guerrero. Then ap-
pears the following statement:
1.-THE Constitution Old Ironsdes, Ameri-
can frigate of 1.5T6 tons, A guns. built a.
Boston, Mass, 1886" Then follows a re-
cital of the various battles in which the
Constitution took part and in which she
was uniformly successful, and closes with
the statement She was stored at the
United States navy yard, Charlestown,
Mass in 1897, and used as a barrack ship
and her deck drill room for recruits.
This famous frigate is now slowly rotting
at a wharf opposite to which she was
launched 100 years ago.