The Popham Colony : $b a discussion of its historical claims, with a bibliography of the subjectPoole, William Frederick
History
The Popham Colony : $b a discussion of its historical claims, with a bibliography of the subject
Poole, William Frederick
Maine -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Ex-Governor Washburn, of Cambridge, in a speech he made at the first
Popham Celebration in 1862, suggested that if they would set up the
claim that Noah's Ark landed on one of the adjacent hills, and arrange
a Celebration in honor of the event, he would volunteer to come and
take part in it, without doubting it was true (Pop. Mem., p. 157). The
suggestion is worthy of the serious consideration of the Pophamites.
The historical difficulties in the way are but mole-hills compared
with the Alpine absurdities of their present theory. Noah's Ark was an
important fact in the history of the human race. Noah and his family
were respectable persons. The only circumstance we know, to the
discredit of the old patriarch, is excusable on the ground that there
was then no "Maine Law," or even a "judicious license system." The
prejudice attached to the descendants of one of his sons, has been
neutralized by the Emancipation Proclamation, and the passage of the
Civil Rights Bill over the head of President Johnson. The coast is now
clear for Noah's Ark. Let the Celebration come off by all means. Why
is it more unreasonable to suppose that the Eastern Continent was
settled from the Western, than _vice versa_? Much as we hate
celebrations of all kinds, we also volunteer; and, if we cannot
attend, we promise to write a letter, developing still further the
theory; and "Sabino" shall have full permission to print it as an
Appendix to the public address.
"Sabino" is evidently in trouble about the "cannon story," and well he
may be. He says "Williamson is inclined to discredit it." Williamson
has this inclination, not on the ground of lack of evidence that it
occurred; but on the ground of its shocking inhumanity, and the
discredit it throws upon the colonists. We are inclined to discredit
it, because of the disgrace it casts upon the human race. But the ugly
fact still remains (to use Williamson's words) that it was "believed
to be true by the ancient and well-informed inhabitants on the
Sagadahoc." Again "Sabino" would have us believe, that, whereas the
Indians, several years later, told the Jesuit missionaries some of the
outrages they had suffered from the Popham colonists, and did not tell
them this, therefore the story was invented in Massachusetts, seventy
years after it was alleged to have happened. The Jesuits, in their
Relations, were describing the friendly feelings of the Indians
towards themselves. They doubtless heard, with the other cruelties
mentioned, the cannon story; but they rightly judged, that, while it
would not contribute to the point they were illustrating, it would
appear to readers so inhuman, and hence so improbable, as to weaken
the credibility of their other statements. Besides, "Sabino's"
argument founded on an omission, if it proves anything, proves too
much for him. It proves that not one of the many propositions set up
by the Pophamites are true, for not one of them is mentioned in the
Jesuit Relations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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