Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-17
Charter Hidden in Historic Oak 229
Years AGO

, IL ID IdtIlSI SdS uC III eAAS AAAAAAu VI Yin
majority of readers as to whether OF
not the story of the charter oak OF
| Connecticut is authentic or whether il
! is merely one of the imaginative
stories concocted by enthusiasts.
At any event, whatever the founda-
ton for the story, Connecticut history
has generally given it credence, and in
1909 the Society of Colonial Wars OF
Connecticut marked the spot where
the oak is supposed to have stood with
! monument, on which is inscribed:
Near this spot stood the charter oak,
memorable in the hisotry of the colony
of Connecticut. as the hiding place of
the charter October 81, 1857. The tree
fel August 81, 1856"
When in 1886 Sir Edmund Andres
arrived in Boston, commissioned as
governor of all New England, he was
bent on abrogating the charter.
Scarcely had he established himself
when he sent letter to the governor
and company of Connecticut acquaint-
ing them with his appointment and
informing them that he was commits
stoned by the king to receive their
charter.
Appeal Made to England
from Andres the general court was at
once convened, and by it's direction a
letter was addressed to the English
secretary of state earnestly pleading
,, for the preservation Of the privileges
; that had been granted to them For
the first time they admitted that their
petition might be denied. and in that
case requested to be united to Massa-
chusetts.
This was construed by Sir Edmund
as a virtual surrender, but as the days
went by and he saw that he had mis-
taken the spirit and purpose of the
colony Andres finally decided to go in
person to Connecticut. He arrived
at Hartford the last day of October.
attended by a retinue of 60 officers
and soldiers. The assembly, then in
session, received him with every mark
of respect. 9
After the formal exchange of cour-
tesies Sir Edmund publicly demanded
the charter and declared the colonial
government dissolved. The tradition
relates that Gov. Treat in calm but
earnest words. demonstrated against
this action The debate was continued
until the shadows of the early autumn
evening had fallen. After the candles
were lighted the governor and his
council seemed to yield, and the box
supposed to contain the charter was
brought into the room and placed upon
the table.
Lights Are Extinguished.
Suddenly the lights were extin-
guished. Quiet reigned in the room
and in the dense crowd outside the
building. The candles were soon re-
lighted, but the charter had disap-
peared, and after the most diligent
search could not be found.
The common tradition has been that
the charter was taken under cover Of
darkness by Capt. Joseph Wadsworth
and hidden by him in the hollow trunk
of venerable and noble oak, standing
near the entrance gate of Gov. WHY'S
mansion. The charter taken by Capt.
Wadsworth was probably the dupli-
cate and remained safely in his po-
session for several years.
There is reason to believe that some
time before the coming Of Andres to
Hartford the original charter had been
carefully secreted, and the tradition
OF later times makes it probable that
while the duplicate charter that was
taken from the table was hidden else
where, the original charter found a safe
resting place in the heart Of the tree
that will always be remembered as
the charter oak"
The oak tree was several centuries
oid and had reached a diameter of Z
Ieet when it was blown down by a
storm in 1856. The monument that
marks the spot is granite obelisk en-.
circied by oak leaves and resting upon
eione' which in turn rests upon four
ooiphins.-Washington Post.
philosophy and Motorboata
L