In the Index is found" Dedimus Justice" and a reference to this act; the word Dedimus nowhere appears in the text of the Statute. No one that I have found knows anything of its history. Its name clearly indicates an old law Latin writ beginning "Dedimus potestatem." Maine was a part of Massachusetts prior to 1820, but no such office is known in the jurisprudence of Massachusetts. Whether there was a Statute of this sort applicable to Maine alone before its erection into a State I have not ascertained, but one of the Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court informs me that neither he nor one of his brethren whom he consulted knows anything of this office in Massachusetts. One of the Dedimus Justices has kindly allowed me to copy his commission which I give herewith. STATE OF MAINE; STATE OF MAINE. TO GEORGE O. PLAISTED, You are hereby authorized and empowered to administer (and receive subscriptions to) the Oaths or Affirmations, prescribed by the Constitution of this State and a law of the United States of America, to each and every of the Civil Officers in our County of York, who have been or may be elected by the people, or appointed and commissioned by our Governor, with the advice and consent of our Council: and also to such persons as may be appointed to act as Deputy Sheriffs in our said County and to officers chosen by either branch of the Legislature. And you are to make return of your doings herein unto our Secretary's Office as soon as may be in all instances, after you shall have executed said trust. In testimony whereof, We have caused our seal to be hereunto affixed, Witness-Joshua L. Chamberlain our said Governor by and with the advice and consent of our Council. J. L. Chamberlain: Given at Augusta, this twenty-seventh day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixtyseven and the ninety-first year of the Independence of the United States of America. By the Governor. EPHRAIM FLINT, Secretary of State. Filed, "Dedimus Potestatem Commission." I do not understand that Dedimus Justices have any trial powers or even that they can take acknowledgment of deeds, or do other ministerial acts which are usually performed by Justices of the Peace. Their powers seem to be limited to administering oaths to civil officers. The above was written several years since and laid aside but recently I have found, in the Leavenworth Genealogy, page 158, that Dr. David Leavenworth of Great Barrington, took the oath of office as a Justice of the Peace before Moses Hopkins and Gen. John Whiting, thereunto empowered by a "Dedimus potestatem." This was June 18, 1819, the year before Maine became a State. Blackstone says, Vol. 1. page 352 "When any justice intends to act under this Commission (the King's commission to him as justice) he issues out a writ of dedimus potestatem from the clerk of the Crown in Chancery empowering certain persons therein named to administer the usual oaths to him, which done, he is at liberty to act." So it appears that, in the earlier days, Massachusetts, which included Maine, copied this usage from England, and that in Maine they issued the writ to persons who might at any time be applied to, to administer the oath rather than have an application necessary on each particular occasion. So the whole question appears to be answered. Still so far as I know, Maine is the only State which retains this office or custom. In most, if not all, of the other States, any magistrate or notary has the power to administer an oath of office. FREDERICK J. KINGSBURY. In the librarian's report of October 21, 1897 appears the following: "On the 20th of October 1847, Edward Everett Hale of Worcester was by vote of the Council recommended for membership in the American Antiquarian Society and on the 23rd of the same month was duly elected. I beg leave to tender him on the eve of his semi-centennial an expression of our most affectionate regard." One week from to-day-October 23rd-our President and friend will have given to this Society sixty years of distinguished service. Respectfully submitted, EDMUND M. BARTON, Librarian. Givers and Gifts. FROM MEMBERS. ADAMS, CHARLES FRANCIS, LL.D., Lincoln.-His Address upon the Centennial birthday of Gen. Robert E. Lee. BARTON, EDMUND M., Worcester.-"St. Andrew's Cross," in continuation. BEDDOE, JOHN, M.D., Bradford-on-Avon, England.-His "Notes on Crania found on the Site of the Carmelite Friary." BOWDITCH, CHARLES P., Boston. Three of his own publications. CANTON, RODULFO G., Merida, Yucatan.- Alomia's "Historiadores de Yucatan." CHURCH, ARTHUR H., D.Sc., Shelsey, Kew Gardens, Eng.-Two of his own publications. CHASE, CHARLES A., Worcester.-Forty-three books; two hundred and thirty-eight pamphlets; and five engravings. DAVIS, ANDREW MCF., Cambridge. His "Jackson's LL.D., A Tempest in a Tea-pot;" and his "Confiscation Laws of Massachusetts." DAVIS, Hon. EDWARD L., Worcester.-Fifteen books; and twentyseven pamphlets. FOSTER, WILLIAM E., Librarian, Providence, R. I.-His report of the Providence Public Library, 1906. GAY, FREDERICK LEWIS, Brookline.-Lodge's edition of the works of Alexander Hamilton, in twelve volumes; and Bigelow's edition of the works of Benjamin Franklin, in twelve volumes. GILMAN, DANIEL C., LL.D., Baltimore, Md.-Two of his own publications; and five pamphlets. GREEN, Hon. SAMUEL A., Boston.-His "Lawrence Family of Groton"; twenty-four books; one hundred and fifty-eight pamphlets; and "The American Journal of Numismatics", in continuation. GREEN, SAMUEL S., Worcester.-His "Some of the Roman remains in England"; and his Worcester Free Public Library Report for 19051906. HALE, REV. EDWARD E., D.D., Roxbury.-His Whitsunday Sermon, May 19, 1907; and seventy pamphlets. HALL, Rev. EDWARD H., D.D., Cambridge.-His "Paul, the Apostle, as Viewed by a Layman." HAYNES, GEORGE H., Ph.D., Editor, Worcester.-Seven numbers of Journal of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute to complete file. HUNTINGTON, Rev. WILLIAM R., D.D., New York.-His sermon on "The Gospel of the Infancy." JAMESON, J. FRANKLIN, LL.D., Washington, D.C.-His Report of the Department of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution. KINGSBURY, FREDERICK J., LL.D., Waterbury, Conn.-His "Narrative and Documentary History of St. John's Church, Waterbury, Connecticut." KITTREDGE, GEORGE L., LL.D., Cambridge. His "Some Landmarks in the History of English Grammars.” LINCOLN, WALDO, Worcester.-Two books; ninety-three pamphlets; and twenty-three manuscript sermons. LOUBAT, JOSEPH F., LL.D., Paris, France.-Four of his own publications; and two pamphlets. LOVE, REV. WILLIAM DELOSs, Ph.D., Hartford, Conn.-His "Tribute to Reverend Thomas Robbins, D.D." MATTHEWS, ALBERT, Boston.-His Remarks on "The Present State of English Affairs, 1689," and his "Lists of Boston Newspapers." MCMASTER, JOHN B., LL.D., Philadelphia, Pa.-His "History of the People of the United States, Vol. 6, 1830-1842." MERRIMAN, Rev. DANIEL, D.D., Boston.-Two books; two pamphlets; two manuscripts; and two photographs. PAINE, NATHANIEL, Worcester.-Four books; three hundred and ninety pamphlets; four portraits; five photographs; and two files of newspapers, in continuation. PUTNAM, FREDERIC W., Cambridge.-One pamphlet. RICE, FRANKLIN P., Editor, Worcester.-Twenty-five volumes of the Vital Statistics of Massachusetts towns. RUSSELL, E. HARLOW, Worcester.-Catalogue of Massachusetts State Normal School at Worcester, 1907. SALISBURY, STEPHEN, BEQUEST OF--Six thousand and eighty-three books; twelve hundred and seventy-three pamphlets; seventeen Mexican figures; three cases of Mexican and Grecian relics and photographs; twenty-one manuscript diaries and note-books; two sideboards; one sofa; and collections of broadsides; portraits, photographs, postage stamps, geological specimens, and newspapers. SMITH, CHARLES C., Boston.-Two of his own publications. THOMAS, ALLEN C., Haverford, Pa. His address at New York, November 26, 1906. UTLEY, Hon. SAMUEL, Worcester.-Facsimile of the first issue of the "Springfield Daily Republican," and Tributes to Rockwood Hoar. VINTON, Rt. Rev. ALEXANDER H., Springfield.-His Diocesan Convention address, 1907. WEEDEN, WILLIAM B., Providence, R. I.-His "Constitution of the United States as Modified in the Civil War." FROM PERSONS NOT MEMBERS. ADLER, CYRUs, Ph.D., Washington, D. C.-His Tribute to Samuel P. Langley. ALBREE, JOHN, Swampscott.-His "Charles Brooks and his Work for Normal Schools;" and his "Blight on Boston." ALVORD, CLARENCE W., compiler, Urbana, Ill.-Collections of the Illinois State Library, volume 2. BALCH, THOMAS W., Philadelphia, Pa.-His "Balch Genealogica." BARRETT, SAMUEL D., Athol.-Two bank notes of early date. BARTON, Mrs. CHARLES C., Chestnut Hill.-Seven selected books. BEALE, CHARLES C., Boston.-His "William Sampson, Lawyer and Stenographer." BRECK, Miss S. JOSEPHINE, Leicester.-Three books. BURROWS BROTHERS COMPANY, Cleveland, O.-Avery's "History of the United States and its People," Vol. 3. BURTON, CLARENCE M., Detroit, Mich.-One portrait. BUSHNELL, FORDIS O., Worcester.-"The Vermonter" for 1906, in continuation. CARNEGIE, ANDREW, New York.-"James Wilson, Patriot, and the Wilson Doctrine." CASHMERE, J. HOWARD, Denver, Colo.-"The Balance," as issued. CHANDLER, CHARLES H., Ashburnham.-His "Historical Notes on Early American Railways." CLARK, JOHN C. L., Lancaster.-Two of his own publications. COUSINS, Rev. EDGAR M., Secretary, Thomaston, Me.-Minutes of the Maine General Conference, 1906. CROWELL, Rev. EDWARD P., D.D., Amherst.-One pamphlet. DAVENPORT, DANIEL, Bridgeport, Conn.-His Address at the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Settlement of New Milford, Conn. DAVIES, Rev. THOMAS F., Worcester.-"The Parish," as issued. DEVENS MEMORIAL COMMISSION.-"Dedication of the Equestrian Statue of Major General Charles Devens, July 4, 1906." DEWEY, Hon. FRANCIS H., FAMILY OF.-Five hundred and six books, four hundred and fifty-one pamphlets; and twenty-five volumes of Williams College periodicals. DEWEY, MISS MARIA N., Worcester.-One pamphlet. DICKINSON, G. STUART, Worcester.-,"The Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, 1907." |