The Rutland Daily Globe

MAINE CELEBRATES.

Maine, although, comparatively, among the new states—having been admitted in 1820, as the twenty-third state in the Union—claims to be the birthplace of the English colonization of America and of the first successful land and naval warfare in the struggle for independence. Her first claim is founded on the fact that, after two unsuccessful attempts, Sir John Popham, with a company of some one hundred and twenty planters, landed August 19, 1607, on the "Peninsula of Sabino" and there founded a colony. Though death and the stars were against it, and the enterprise failed Maine historians claim that this founding of a colony, under a royal charter, established the English title to America, because that government contended for the principle that, without possession, there was no valid title to a newly discovered country. They leave out of view or fail to explain how the English could gain any rights on the continent so long as there was a claim of discovery on the part of France, and an actual settlement under a royal French charter; and such an explanation, we apprehend, becomes important, when they attempt to invalidate the establishing of the English title by the possession of the Elizabeth isles by Gosnold in 1602, and the settlement of Jamestown, May 13, 1607—the former because it was settled before a charter was issued, and the latter because the charter did not conflict with a prior French charter.

It is not necessary, and perhaps would not be profitable, to discuss the merits of this claim; if Maine takes any particular pleasure in it, or derives peculiar comfort in its celebration, we presume no one will be found so hard hearted as to say her nay, although they may protest against making history in this way. In regard to this first English colonization matter, we are inclined to agree with Governor Emory Washburn, of Massachusetts, who, on the occasion of the first celebration, told the Pophamites, that he could find no account of the colonization in "Popham's Reports," but upon looking up his "Classical dictionary," he found that Sabino was the place where the early Romans were said to have obtained their wives by a rather rude kind of courtship, and he looked, on his arrival, for the veritable wolf that Romulus was said to have suckled, and was prepared to celebrate that event. When, however, he found what they really proposed to celebrate, he was inclined to protest, but, having been treated so well, if anyone insisted that Noah's ark landed on one of the Maine hills, and would get up a celebration to commemorate it, he "would come and take part in it, without doubting it was true."

Having been so successful with her Popham celebrations, and her neighbors treating her claim so good naturedly, Maine, this week, proposes to commemorate what she imposingly calls the 'first naval battle of the revolution," the "Lexington of the seas." According to a Maine correspondent of the New York Herald, a handful of men, armed with pitchforks, captured June 12, 1775, off Machias, an armed British schooner, and the centennial of this event is to be celebrated, Saturday. The story there told, is in the highest degree sensational and somewhat apocryphal, but as it has some foundation in fact, was really an important event in the so called commencement of the revolution, and as it has been almost entirely overlooked by historians. its true story," as Beecher and Tilton would call it, may not be out of place.

Soon after the "Concord fight," one Ichabod Jones, a Boston tory, obtained permission of the British admiral to freight a small vessel with provisions for Machias, on conditions that he should return with a cargo of wood and lumber for the use of the king's troops. He started, with the well armed schooner "Margaretta," as a convoy, under command of a Captain Moore.

The vessel arrived at Machias,the provisions were unladen, and the loading with lumber commenced, but the presence of the armed schooner was looked upon with suspicion, and the inhabitants did not propose to furnish supplies to the enemy. On a Sunday, which intervened, the officers of the schooner attended church in the village, while the "deacon" and most of the men were absent concerting plans for the capture ot the officers and vessel. As they were considering the matter, in order to cut short the discussion, a Colonel Foster jumped across a brook, running near, and invited every man who was in favor of the capture to follow him. They all followed, but were observed from the church, and Moore and his officers jumped through the window, made for the boat, and reached the schooner in safety, and immediately weighed anchor, thus escaping capture at the time. 'The Machias men took possession of Jones's sloop, procured another, and with forty armed men started in pursuit of the "Margaretta."

One O'Brien was chosen commander, and an attempt was made to capture the schooner by boarding it, but Moore crowded all sail and,thwarted the attempt. O'Brien called on Moore to surrender, and, on his refusal, and the pursuit being continued, opened fire which was promptly responded to. During the firing the vessels gradually drifted toward each other, and Moore was shot down, the "Margaretta" boarded and captured—with a loss to the Machias men of two killed and three wounded, and to the British of five killed, two or three wounded, and the remainder taken prisoners.

This is the event, Maine proposes to celebrate Saturday, and it would be useless to remind her that Providence, Wednesday, commemorates the capture and burning of the armed British schooner, "Gaspee," one hundred and three years ago that day, as she would doubtless reply, as we are answered when we claim that the first blood of the rebellion was shed at Westminster, March 13, 1775, that 'that was before the revolution." The reply would be equally true and equally at fault in each case. We take it that all those acts were part of a common revolt, all encouraged the colonies to resistance, all made revolution possible, and all contributed to render independence certain. Yet not one of these acts was intended as an act of revolution; no one dreamed of independence, and it is problematical whether the colonies would have accepted independence if Great Britain had offered it. We have become so much in the habit of dating the revolution from the "Concord fight," that we are apt to forget that there were other events equally important as tending to secure independence,and which occurred prior to the affair at Concord; and we, also, forget that separation was not aimed at, our fathers simply striving to do that which in these latter days we are told must be done—secure reform "inside the party" but they were compelled to cut aloof from Great Britain in the end; and the events prior to as well as after April 17, 1775, were all one series of events, and all of the same kind—but just when the objective point was changed, it is impossible to tell. But Maine and Rhode Island each have their celebrations—they commemorate victories, while our neighbors of Massachusetts have nothing but defeat to rejoice over.