A brief history of Maine, Part 18

Author: Varney, George Jones, 1836-
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Portland, Me., McLellan, Mosher & Co.
Number of Pages: 674


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24



246


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1820


of Fundy to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1825 the Water- ville had the honor of conveying the nation's quest, the noble Lafayette, who at that time made a brief visit to Augusta. These boats in the course of a few years were succeeded by various others, built at home or pur. chased abroad; and among the latter, in 1833, came the Chancellor Livingston, built under the direction of Robert Fulton, the father of steam navigation.


What caused a depression in business soon after the close of the war? Whither did many of the people of Maine emigrate ? What was the population of Maine in 1820? For what did our people vote in 1819 ? What delayed the admission of Maine into the Union ? When did the admission take place ? Who was elected first governor ? What college was chartered by the first legislature ? State what religious societies and other organizations existed in Maine at this time. At what date were mail coaches first used in this State? What happened in Portland in 1823 ? What distinguished foreigner visited Maine in 1825 ?


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1827


AFFAIRS AFTER THE SEPARATION.


247


CHAPTER XXXI.


1. Albion K. Parris, elected second governor of Maine, took his seat at the opening of the year 1822. He was a native of Hebron, in this State, where he worked on his father's farm until he was fourteen years of age. A year later he entered Harvard College, and graduated in due course. In 1809 he was admit- ted to the bar, commencing practice at Paris, in Oxford county. At the age of twenty-eight he was elected Representative in Congress, at thirty he was appointed judge of the United States District Court, and was but thirty-three years old when he became governor; and he held the office for five consecutive years. The attainment of such high honors at so carly an age is unusual. In looking for the cause of his popularity we find that he was without brilliant talents ; and that the secret of his success lay in his industry and close attention to the duties of every office confided to him- in his promptness, fidelity, sagacity, and his uniformly courteous manners.


2. Governor Parris was, in 1827, succeeded by Enoch Lincoln ; who had also been his successor in legal practice at Paris, and as representative in Con- gress. Mr. Lincoln was a popular and upright chief magistrate ; and his messages and other communica- tions were noted for their suggestiveness, point, brevity and good taste. Ile died near the close of his third term, being the only one of our governors who has died in that office.


In the term of his successor, Jonathan G. Hunton, of Readfield, was opened the only considerable canal in the State, by which Sebago pond was connected with Casco Bay. In 1831 Samuel E. Smith, of Wis-


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248


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1827


casset, assumed the gubernatorial chair, to which he was annually re-elected until 1834.


3. The matter of our northern boundary had attracted the attention of the State government very soon after the separation; and, during the term of Governor Lincoln, Maine took the stand which she afterward maintained upon the question. The United States and Great Britain, being unable to agree as to the location of the boundary line described in the treaty of 1783, at length referred the matter to the king of the Netherlands; who, in 1831, rendered his award. But instead of determining what, by a fair construction of the treaty, was the true boundary line-which was the question submitted-he declared that the line ought to extend north from the source of the St. Croix river, to the middle of the channel of the St. John's, thence to the St. Francis, at the extreme north, and through the middle of that river to the source of its southwest branch. This was a singular departure from the plain language of the treaty, which as my readers will have observed, placed the line upon a ridge of highlands-not in the bed of a river ; and the decision of the umpire, of course, made the people of Maine very indignant. Yet this boundary certainly had the advantage of being more definite than that of the treaty. Then followed a lengthy correspondence upon the question between Governor Smith and the authorities at Washington ; and the latter, being desir- ous of accepting the award, offered to reimburse the State by money or land equivalent to the territory lost. But the Madawaska settlements had at this time a representative in the legislature; and Maine took the ground that she could not in honor relegate her inhabitants to Great Britain; therefore the award was repudiated.


4. Another event of importance during Governor Smith's term was the removal of the seat of govern- ment from Portland to Augusta. The legislature hekl


249


1837


AFFAIRS AFTER THE SEPARATION.


its first session in the State House in 1832. The build ing and furniture had cost a little more than $125,000 ; about half of which was paid by the proceeds from the sale of ten townships of land. The architect was Charles Bulfinch of Boston; and the external design was a reduced plan of St. Peter's Church, at Rome. Few who approach the capitol fail to perceive its ele- gance ; and, although not faultless, it is certainly a noble specimen of architecture. Constructed of the beautiful granite of the neighborhood, its massive foundation seems but a part of the fine eminence upon which it rests ; and the great Doric pillars of the front, each a solid shaft of the same fair stone, can hardly fail to give an impression of grandeur.


In 1834, Robert P. Dunlap of Brunswick suc- ceeded to the chief magistracy; and, by re-elections, held that position for four years. The chief measures for the benefit of the State during his term were the foundation of an asylum for the insane, and our first scientific survey.


5. In the month of June, 1837, an officer of Maine, while taking a census of the Madawaska settlements, was arrested by order of the governor of New Bruns- wick, and conveyed to Fredericton on a charge of exciting sedition. These settlements were on the St. John's river, at the extreme north-eastern part of the State, and within the limits of the treaty of 1783-by which Great Britain acknowledged our independence. The officer had acted with entire propriety ; and the British authorities simply meant to show that Maine would no longer be permitted to exercise authority in this region. The claim of that government extended southward nearly to the forty-sixth parallel of latitude ; which, if allowed, would rob Maine of about one-third of her territory. Governor Dunlap immediately issued a general order declaring the State to be invaded by a foreign power, and notifying the militia to hold them- selves in readiness for military service. But as no


250


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1837


other act of hostility occurred, and the officer was released on parole, further hostile acts were, for the present, averted. Some attempts at revolt against British rule had already occurred in Lower Canada, and all through the season independent bands com- posed of Americans and outlawed Canadians hung about the great lakes; and in some disturbances at Navy Island in Niagara River, the American steam- er Caroline was burned by the British, and a num- ber of persons killed, among whom was one or more American citizens. This also occasioned some altercation between the governments; and there was good reason to apprehend another war from the boun- dary disputes and these repeated breaches of the peace. In the autumn of this year, therefore, the na- tional government completed the military road in north-eastern Maine, making a continuous line from Bangor to the Madawaska settlements, in readiness for possible events.


6. In the term of Governor Dunlap also occurred the first conflict of Maine with the slave power. It was caused by the escape of two slaves from the State of Georgia in a Maine vessel. The governor of that State sent a requisition upon the executive of Maine for the master of the vessel; but, as it appeared that the negroes had concealed themselves on board un- known to the captain, Governor Dunlap refused the requisition. In 1838 Edward Kent of Bangor suc- ceeded Mr. Dunlap as governor. Ile, also, refused to yield up the shipmaster; therefore Georgia, in retalia- tion, put all Maine vessels visiting her ports under peculiar restrictions, contrary to the constitution of the United States.


Another event connected with national politics in which Maine was deeply concerned, also occurred in the term of Governor Kent. This was the death of our representative in Congress from the Lincoln dis- trict, IIon. Jonathan Cilley, in a duel with Mr. Graves,


251


1838


AFFAIRS AFTER THE SEPARATION.


a member of the House of Representatives from Kentucky. There was no personal enmity between the two men; but some words used by Mr. Cilley in debate reflected upon the editor of a New York politi- cal journal, a friend of Mr. Graves, who espoused his cause. Mr. Cilley reluctantly accepted his challenge; and they fought with rifles at a distance of seventy yards. Three times the men had fired at each other without effect, when Cilley's friends endeavored to reconcile the combatants; but the seconds of Graves repulsed all efforts for a bloodless settlement, and the conflict was resumed. Cilley fell at the next fire, and expired instantly.


7. This duel was remembered in Maine with much bitterness. The principal blame fell upon the political friends of Graves; but the latter soon retired from Congress, and years after was reported to be still a very unhappy man.


In home affairs this year the events of note were the formation of Franklin and Piscataquis counties, and the completion of the first scientific survey, begun in 1836. A large portion of the work in the Aroos- took region was done in the first year by Dr. Ezekiel Ilolmes, under the direction of the governor, with special reference to the boundary claims. Dr. Holmes was a great benefactor of the agricultural interests of the State, in the promotion of which he had already made his influence felt. The survey in other parts was in charge of Dr. Charles T. Jackson of Massa- chusetts; who, with his assistants, visited nearly every river and mountain in the State. Attention was thus called to our valuable mines of ore and quarries of limestone and slate; and a cabinet of 1600 mineral and geological specimens was collected, which is now to be seen in the State House at Augusta.


What important question began to occupy the attention of Maine soon after the separation ? To whom was this question referred


252


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1839


for decision? Was the award accepted or rejected ? In what year was the seat of government removed to Augusta ? Where are the Madawaska settlements ? How far south did the British claim possession of Maine? What disturbances happened in 1837 ? What difficulty occurred between Maine and Georgia ? What con- gressman from this State fell in a duel ? In what year did the first scientific survey of Maine begin ?


CHAPTER XXXII.


1. In 1839 Mr. Kent was succeeded as governor by John Fairfield, of Saco. Scarcely had the latter taken his seat when hostilities began in Aroostook between intruders from the British Provinces and the civil authorities of Maine. Early in February a dep- uty of the land agent reported to the governor that a large number of lumbermen from New Brunswick were engaged in robbing the disputed territory of its best timber; whereupon Sheriff Strickland, of Penob- scot county, was ordered to aid Land Agent MeIntire in dislodging the trespassers. With a posse of about two hundred men the officers proceeded to the Aroos- took for this purpose. The trespassers, having got news of this movement, supplied themselves with arms from the Province arsenal at Woodstock, and prepared to maintain their ground. There were near three hundred of them ; but when they found the sheriff had a six pound canon, they concluded to retire. The land agent followed them down the river, capturing about twenty men, who had been at work further up the stream. The posse encamped for the night on the Aroostook River at the mouth of the Little Mada-


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1839


THE AROOSTOOK WAR.


253


waska, while Land Agent McIntire, with four com- panions, repaired to a house about four miles down the river, under an appointment to meet Mr. Mc- Laughlin, the warden of the British in the disputed territory. The trespassers somehow learned the situa- tion of the land agent; and during the night about forty of them made a descent upon his lodgings, and made him and his company prisoners. They were tak- en on an ox-sled to Woodstock, where they were turned over to the civil authorities, who conveyed them to Fredericton jail. Early the next morning the sheriff's force learned of this capture, and at once retired to Number Ten, where they fortified themselves in ex- pectation of an attack. But the sheriff himself started for Angusta as fast as relays of galloping horses would carry him. He reached Bangor the next day, having accomplished within the time the surprising distance of above one hundred and twenty miles.


2. Governor Harvey of New Brunswick now issued a proclamation ordering the arms which had been ille- gally taken from the arsenal to be restored; and de- claring that hostile invasion would be repelled by the civil authority. He also ordered a draft from the militia for immediate service. When the news of these events reached Augusta, the people began to see that the matter was growing serious, though at first it had been made a subject of ridicule; and on Sunday a company of fifty volunteers set out from that place for the scene of conflict. A messenger was sent by the governor to Washington; and 1,000 men of the Eastern Division of the militia were ordered out. That night a message was received from Governor Harvey demanding the recall of the State forces from the Aroostook, and announcing that he was instructed by his goverment to hold exclusive jurisdiction over the territory in dispute, and that he should do so by mili- tary force. On Monday these facts were laid before the legislature, which immediately passed a resolve to


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254


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1855


protect the public lands, and appropriated $800,000 to carry it into effect. The next day the goverir ordered a draft of 10,000 men from the militia, to be held in immediate readiness for service.


3. Meanwhile New Brunswick was marshalling her forces, and our own were sent forward as rapidly ::- possible. Our chief towns were filled with the sound- of war from the passage -of troops, or the repair of decayed defenses. Early in March the national house of representatives passed a bill justifying the action of Maine in repelling the invasion of her soil. They also authorized the president, in case the governor ( f New Brunswick proceeded to carry out his threat of' maintaining exclusive jurisdiction, to raise 50,000 vol- unteers for a term of six months-appropriating Sle. 000,000 to defray the expense. On the 6th of March General Scott with his staff arrived at Augusta, an- nouncing that he was "specially charged with mail :- taining the peace and safety of the entire northern and eastern frontiers."


Our troops were now well on their way toward the Aroostook. The sheriff's force, having been increased by volunteers from Bangor and other towns to the number of about 600, again moved down the river. They captured a number of ox-teams, their drivers. and MeLaughlin, the British land warden; but so little opposition was discovered that it was concluded that, for the present, the British had abandoned the river.


4. Immediately on his arrival General Scott open- ed negotiations with Sir John Harvey of New Bruns- wick, and Governor Fairfield of Maine; and present !: the former gentleman was led to declare that, under expectation of the peaceful settlement of the question between the two nations, it was not his intention. without renewed instructions, to take military posse- sion of the territory, or seek to expel therefrom the civil posse or the troops of Maine; while Governor


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255


1839


THE AROOSTOOK WAR.


Fairfield was, in turn, invited to declare that he should not, without renewed instructions from the legislature, attempt by armed force to disturb the Province in its possession of the Madawaska settlements, or to inter- rupt the usual communication between New Bruns- wick and Canada; and that the troops should be with- drawn, leaving only a civil posse to protect the timber from further depredations. Presently the prisoners on both sides were set at liberty; and in a few weeks the troops were dismissed and returned to their homes rejoicing. Thus ended the bloodless Aroostook war. The promptness with which our forces were put upon the ground gave us an advantage in the situation, which, no doubt, had much influence in the negotiation by which the peaceful arrangement of the difficulty was so easily brought about. General Scott soon de- parted; and for a long time after the good people of Maine humorously styled him the "Great Pacificator."


The Aroostook region, being now freed from inva- ders, was in March erected into a county, having been previously included in Penobscot and Washington.


5. Two years passed away, and still the boundary of the State remained unsettled, though the question continued to be discussed by the two governments. On the accession of William Henry Harrison to the pre- sideney, in 1841, Daniel Webster became his Secretary of State. The boundary question and its connected disturbances had now come to a crisis; and the new see- retary took hold of the question with vigor. A month after his inauguration President Harrison died, and was succeeded by the Vice-President, John Tyler. Yet it was thought of so much importanee that the matter should be brought to a conclusion by Mr. Webster that, though differing in politics with Mr. Tyler, he still continued to fill the office of secretary.


In the spring of 1842 arrived the new minister from England, Lord Ashburton, accredited with powers to form a new treaty in settlement of the boundary diffi-


ยท


1842


256


HISTORY OF MAINE.


culties. An extra session of the legislature of Maine was called on the 18th of May, for the purpose of choosing commissioners to confer with Lord Ashbur- ton and Secretary Webster upon this subject. On the 22d of July the commissioners sent in their ad- hesion to the line agreed upon between the Minister and Secretary. As in the award of the king of the Netherlands, this Jine extended north from the source of the St. Croix River to the St. John's, and along the middle of this river to the St. Francis at the ex- treme north, and through the middle of that river to the source of its southwest branch. From this point, instead of following the highlands which divide the waters falling into the St. Lawrence from those empty- ing into the Atlantic ocean, it went in a straight line southwesterly, with but one angle, to the southwestern branch of the River St. John, whence it continued in an irregular line between the waters, as in the former treaty. We were also secured in the free navigation of the St. John's throughout its length.


6. By the change in the boundary we lost a con- siderable tract; a large portion of this, however, was of little value to us either from its position or the quality of its soil. The inhabitants on the north of the St. John's had for some years ceased to send any representative to the legislature of Maine; conse- quently our government felt little hesitation in yield- ing these settlers to the government of their choice. For the territory surrendered from Maine, the United States received tracts of much greater value to the nation on Lakes Champlain and Superior. To recom- pense Maine for this loss of territory, she received from the general government 8150,000; Massachusetts also receiving the like sum, as she was still the owner, by agreement at the separation, of one half the public Jands in Maine. Maine also received $200,000 to reimburse her expenses in the boundary disturbances. This treaty was ratified by the Senate of the United


257


1842


SETTLEMENT OF BOUNDARIES.


States on the 20th of August, 1842, and the exact limits of Maine were thereby definitely and finally settled.


7. In 1841 Edward Kent again occupied the guber- natorial chair ; but in 1842 he was for the second time succeeded by Governor Fairfield, who, therefore, bas the honor of having guided Maine through the most critical period of her history.


With these events closes the formative period of our State : all disputed questions between her and other States were put to rest; the form of her po- litical organization had been decided; and she was now free to pursue plans for the development of the wealth contained in her soil, the utilization of her immense water power, and the extension of her com- merce.


8. Within half a dozen years preceding 1842 we may note also the first stirrings of those important movements whose beneficial character has since been realized in our State and nation. During the term of Governor Dunlap the subject of humane institu- tions was urged, especially the establishment of an insane asylum ; in 1836 our first scientific survey was begun, and our first railroad charter granted. In 1837 occurred our only special conflict with slavery ; while in 1841 was commenced that energetic and beneficent movement against the use of intoxicating liquors, which at length culminated in the prohibi- tory laws.


What disturbances occurred in Aroostook in 1839 ? What mes- sage did Sir John Harvey send to the governor of Maine ? What captures were made by each party ? What was the action of Congress on this matter ? What was the mission of General Scott? What was its result? By what treaty and in what year was our boundary finally settled ? Give the boundaries as defined by this treaty. What compensations did Maine receive ? Who was governor of Maine at the time of the disturbances and of the treaty ? Of what period in our history do these events mark the close ?


258


THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.


1810


CHAPTER XXXIII.


1. The abuse of alcoholic liquors had at this time become so great that its effects were everywhere traceable in ruinous dwellings and neglected farms, in coarse manners, and in the prevalence of vice in all classes of society and in all the states of the American Union. The pressing need of reform in drinking customs had, in 1813, induced the formation of the Massachusetts Society for the Suppression of Intem- perance, in which Maine participated. This led to the formation in Boston in 1826, of the American Temperance Society, in whose platform of principles distilled liquors were prohibited. In 1833 the Massa- chusetts Society adopted a new constitution, with a pledge of total abstinence.


2. In May of the same year the first National Tem- perance Convention assembled in Philadelphia, being composed of 400 delegates from twenty-one States. This convention took no stronger ground than to declare that " the traffic in ardent spirits as a drink. and the use of it as such, are morally wrong, and ought to be abandoned throughout the world." At this convention the United States Temperance Union was formed, having for its object the diffusion of knowledge and the exertion of moral influence for the extension of temperance principles.


There had been laws regulating the sale of intoxi- cating liquors in Maine, as in other parts, from the first establishment of civil government ; but the declaration of the National Convention pointed to a restriction of the traffic, which finally took the form of prohibiting absolutely the sale of intoxicating liquors for the common purposes of drink.


259


1840


THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.


3. The first extensive reform of intemperate per- sons in Maine began with the introduction of the Washingtonian temperance societies. The leading principle of the Washingtonians was total abstinence from all that could intoxicate ; and their method was to convert the drunkard and drunkard-maker by moral suasion. Their first organization was formed in Baltimore in 1840. The famous temperance lect- urer, John H. W. Hawkins, was associated with it from the start, and the still more famous John B. Gough became identified with the movement a few months later. At the first anniversary of this society more than one thousand reformed drunkards marched in procession ; and its results in all parts of New England were very great.


4. But there were so many who were determined to indulge their appetites for strong drink, and so many who found profit in the traffic, that only a com- paratively small number could be rescued from the degrading bondage. Therefore it became evident that the traffic must be restrained by law, in order to diminish the use of intoxicants and to remove tempta- tion from the way of the weak. In most of the northern States efforts were make to awaken the ininds of the people to the evils of strong drink, and to regulate its sale.


In Maine, temperance tracts were distributed, and there was no town hall, country church, nor district school house, where the people were not called to- gether to consider this subject. Several of the States adopted license laws, but prohibitory laws were not thought practicable except in Maine. There was also an honest scruple in the minds of many person- ally temperate people in regard to interference with the liberty of the individual in the use of beverages.




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