 The Cavalcade of America, presented by Dupont. This evening, the Cavalcade of America, presented by Dupont, brings you a story which we have called Yankee Independence. The story of Connecticut's famed Charter Oak. It begins 242 years ago. And the crude buildings, implements, and other so-called conveniences of that era are indeed a far cry from those we all take for granted today. For America has progressed even more amazingly than many of us realize. Modern transportation has made the nation a neighborhood. The achievements of engineers, scientists, medical men, and countless others have been a tremendous impetus in our forward march. And in step with each phase of our progress has been the research chemist. He has created scores of new products, some of which have founded whole new industries. He has improved existing products that they may serve us better. And he faces a new year, eager to break new trails, to contribute new ideas and products, to continue to provide, as Dupont phrases it, better things for better living through chemistry. As our overture, Don Vorreys and the Cavalcade Orchestra play a special setting of the ever-popular poor butterfly. But many believe that the main events were substantially as we present them this evening. New England was colonized by people who put self-government above all other ideals. Although officially under the rule of the British Crown, extensive rights and privileges were given to the colonists by their charters. Connecticut people in particular came to regard their colony's charter as the symbol of its freedom, and they would sooner have parted with their possessions, their homes, or even their lives. But in 1686 the Privy Council in England decided to join all New England under one government and appointed Sir Edmund Amdross, Governor of the United Province. The story of Connecticut's determined effort to keep its identity and to protect its charter is one that has become a New England legend. Let us turn back to June in the year 1687 at the meeting house in Hartford. The General Court of the Colony is being called to order by the Governor, Robert Tree, to consider a matter of grave importance to the life of this colony. For over 25 years, we've had a charter that has allowed us the rights of self-government. The charter has granted us all the territory westward, and our colony has grown and will continue to prosper with that charter as the safeguard of our rights. Now, His Majesty has appointed a governor who is to have supreme power over all... Yes, Captain Wadsworth? Let us not submit. Let us appeal to the Privy Council. We still have our rights under the charter. Gentlemen, it is useless when His Majesty orders us to submit, we must submit, or be in rebellion. I was informed this very morning that an officer of Governor Amdross is on his way here to take over the government of the colony. Then what can we do, sir? We can submit. Indeed, we must submit to the rule of Governor Amdross. But gentlemen, we must not relinquish our charter. We must save our charter! But how? That's what I have called you here to consider. How can we save the charter? Just don't give it up! But gentlemen, it is in my possession, and if I'm ordered to give it up and refuse, I shall be disobedient to His Majesty. Yes, Captain Wadsworth? If the charter were not in your possession, you couldn't give it up. True, but it is, Captain. Then, sir, I move you that this assembly forthwith take it out of your possession, and entrust it to a committee for safekeeping. Yes, that is possible. Second the motion. You have heard the proposal. Those fearing... Aye! Aye! Aye! Aye! ...opposed? It is so ordered. May I hear proposals for the members of the committee? Your Excellency, I propose Captain Wadsworth, Charles Willis, and John Talbot. But Talbot is not here. All the better, sir, since we cannot give up the charter, except upon unanimous consent of the committee. A very good arrangement. Is there a second to the nominations for the charter committee? Second. Very well. Then we shall... Don't open the door until we have voted. All tapering? Aye. It is so ordered. Captain Wadsworth, I deliver this charter into your hands for safekeeping. We'll keep it, sir, and have a fear. Doorkeeper, open the door. Yes, meaning of this, sir. Why was I locked out? Your pardon, sir. But what authority have you to break into the assembly of the General Court of Connecticut? I have come to take over the government of this colony under the authority of Governor Andrews. Indeed. And who are you, if we may be permitted to know? Of course. I am Samuel Gly. I have the honor to be Colonel in his Majesty's Service. Are you Robert Treat? I am. Here are your orders. Thank you, sir. Hereby ordered? Yes, yes. In compliance with the mandate of his Majesty? Yes, indeed. Colonel Bly, we are ready to turn the government over to Governor Andrews. Then, sir, you will deliver up the charter to me. Sir? The charter, the charter. Read the rest of the order. Governor Treat is hereby ordered to deliver up the forfeited charter. But Colonel Bly, I cannot deliver up the charter. Why not? Because, sir, it is not in my possession. It has been entrusted by the General Court to a special committee. Indeed. And who comprises the committee? The clerk will read the names of the committee. May it please you, sir. The committee consists of Captain Wadsworth, Charles Willis and John Talcott. Are any of those men here? Yes, sir. I am Captain Watworth. Captain Watworth, I order you to deliver up the charter to me. Oh, yes. And have you an order for it there? Indeed, I have. Governor Treat is just ready. May I be allowed to see it? Of course. Governor Treat, will you let this gentleman read the order and be satisfied? Certainly. Thank you, Governor. Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. Governor Treat is hereby ordered. But Colonel, this is an order upon Governor Treat. Of course. Now, are you satisfied? Well, I am deeply sorry, sir. I do not see how the committee can comply with this order. Oh, why not pray? Is it not properly signed and sealed? Oh, yes. Signed properly. But it is drawn against the governor and not against the charter committee. What? This is too much. Governor Andrews warned me that you'd be stubborn and stiff-necked. But I have the charter. Here. I'll change that order. Give it here. Here you are, sir. Hmm. Yes. A quill. So. But charter committee is hereby ordered. Well, now I hope you're satisfied. Are you satisfied with this, Governor? Hmm. Does this not seem to be a forgery, Captain Wadsworth? It not only seems to be, sir, but it is. I saw him make an illegal change in the order. All of us saw it. All of us saw it. I should say that the change invalidated the whole order. Are you trying to put me in wrong? Not at all, sir. You've put yourself in the wrong. But you've forced me to make that change in the order. I believe, Colonel, we merely pointed out that your order was inadequate. We did not force you to commit forgery. This is a trick. A trick, I say. I demand the immediate surrender of the government and the charter. What is the will of the assembly? Can we deliver up the government under an order that is obviously forged? All those in favor, say aye. Contrary? No. No. The vote is against you, Colonel. Andros himself will come and attend to this affair. I wash my hands of it. He'll make you pay for this day's work. And he'll get the charter. Andros came as Colonel Bly had threatened, though not for several months. But when he did come, he came in state with a company of soldiers, two trumpeters, and Colonel Bly. He intended this time to get the charter and no mistake. On the evening of October 31st, 1687, the sexton of the State House is preparing the assembly room for the meeting of the General Court. Its last meeting under the old charter. When the door opens and Captain Wadsworth enters, accompanied by Master Allen, the clerk of the court. Good evening to you, Nathan. Good evening, Captain Wadsworth. Even Master Allen. Good evening, Nathan. Is everything in readiness? I was just making ready to put the candles about. Then all will be ready, sir. Just a minute, Nathan. Aye, Captain. I think you'd best put them all on the Governor's table. The Governor's table? Aye, sir. So, one here and one here. No, no, Nathan. Put them all together at this end of the table. This end by the window, Master Allen? I think that would be best, don't you, Captain? Of course. The Governor needs a great deal of light. But, sir, the draft from the window, it may blow them out. Well, if it does, Nathan, we'll just have to light them again. Very good, sir. Very good. Well, then, seeing that you're the clock, you can sit at the Governor's table without exerting suspicion. Aye, Captain. Best put your chair next to the window. There. That's right. Have you the charter with you? Yes, yes. And when Andrus demands it, I'll produce it. Andrus must not be allowed to get his hands on it. That will be your duty. Willis will be waiting outside the window next to your chair. When the candles go out, take the charter, toss it out the window. He'll put it in a safe place. Will any place in Hartford, or even Connecticut, be safe from Andrus? If he makes up his mind to find it, that will be our responsibility. Nathan. Aye, Captain. Good fire you have there. Aye, Captain. It may become too warm when the assembly gets here. If you think it's too much, Captain. No, no, no. But stand near a window so that if there's a call for air, you can flow open the window. This window, sir? No. I think it would be better to stand inside the window here by Master Allen's chair. Aye, sir. And don't leave it. And the moment I say the sexton, it's warm in here, throw open the window. Aye, sir. But the breeze may blow the candles out. They're that close to the window. Never mind the candles. Never mind them, aye, sir. Here comes Andrus with Governor Treet. Throw open the door. Never mind, Nathan. I'll do it. You stay by that window. To the window. Aye, sir. Governor Allen. Enter, sir. Thank you, sir. Governor Allen. Governor Treet. I now call you that for the last time. Show me to my place. Of course, sir. Captain Walsworth, will you washer us to our places? Right this way, Governor Andrus. And Governor Treet, we have arranged this place for you. Thank you. Captain, do we need all the candles there? They're for you, sir. At the clock. Yes, sir. Of course. Oh, Treet. All right. You sit on my left. Thank you, sir. Will you call the assembly to order, please? The assembly will be in order. In accordance with the command of His Majesty, we are met here to surrender the government of the Connecticut colony to the royal governor, Sir Edmund Andrus. On behalf of this assembly, I have the honor, sir, to welcome you and assure you of our submission to His Majesty's command. We have ever been a loyal and law-abiding people. We surrender the prerogatives of government under our charter with regret. But His Majesty commands, and we, His loyal subjects, have not to do but obey. We are, sir, yours to command. Thank you, Master Treet. I am gravely pleased at the expression of obedience. In the name of His Majesty, I have my take command of the colony of Connecticut. And order it joined to the colony of Massachusetts Bay, of which you shall be henceforth apart. Now you have only to surrender the charter to me to complete the ceremony of submission to the order of His Majesty. Captain Rodsworth. Yes, sir? Will you place the charter on the table? Yes, sir. Here it is, sir. Ah, at last. One moment, may it please you. Your Excellency. What now? Will you first sign the receipt for the charter so that the committee may be protected? Why, certainly if you wish. No matter, but I'll do it. Give me your quill, sir. Here you are, sir. And paper. Yes. Give the charter signed. Oh, Sexton. It's warm in here. Aye, sir. What? The lights! What's happened? The lights! Who blew out those candles? Close that window. What are you trying to do? It's just warm in here, sir. Close that window, I say. Close the window! The candles! Light the candles, Sexton. Sorry, now. What foolishness is this? Light those candles! Aye, sir. That's one, sir. The candles! Light the candles! Aye, sir. As soon as I find my pen... Aye, here it is. Aye. Right. Sorry, I put you out, sir. I didn't think that... Oh! Now, please. Hand me the charter. The charter? Why, sir, you had it. What? Had it? What are you talking about? Why, sir, I saw you reach for it just as the lights went out. Indeed, I did not give it to me. Why, I swear, sir... Yes, sir. Give me the charter. But, sir, I gave it to you. You did not. But I have here your seat for it. You... Give me back that receipt. That is impossible, sir. I gave you the charter. You gave me this receipt for it. What? Why, I have here twenty witnesses to the transaction. I'm being tricked. I say I will have that charter. It's somewhere here, and I'll have it. Colonel, lie. Yes, sir. Surround this place with your soldiers. Don't let a single man leave until he's been sucked. Yes, sir. This is illegal. This is illegal. You have no search warrant. Hire to it whether it's illegal or not. I'll have that charter, I tell you. I have to search every spot in this town. Colonel, search every man here. Yes, sir. So, the great search began. All that night, and into the next day, the governor, the colonel, and their soldiers searched high and low for the missing charter. After that, they came to the house of Charles Willis, a member of the committee. This is the home of Charles Willis. Sir, indeed. One of the charter committee, eh? Yes, sir. Good. Search this place inside out, Colonel, lie. Don't leave a thing unturned. Very good, sir. Search this place, Captain, thoroughly. Yes, sir. Head up the floor. You get back on. This is your apostolate, sir. But find that charter. Yes, sir. Run for us. Follow me. Run. Bring out the mouse through the house. It'll make him talk. Sir, I protest again. Okay, sir. You lie. You have no right to treat the members of the general court as you have been treating us for the last 12 hours. No. We do not propose to be held in custody any longer. You. Without due legal process. We demand to be taken before a magistrate. Right. Right. You had it. That's all we know. If you lost it, it's your fault. It's ours. Silence. You're the master of the house, sir. Yes. Sir, indeed. So you're master Willis? I am, sir. Where is the charter? Your pardon, sir, but how should I know? You would remember the charter committee where you're not? I was. And where is it? I could not attend last evening's session of the general court. So I see. Oh, you would have been in my custody long ago with your friends and fellow conspirators here. Well, I seem to be with them now. You are, and you'll continue in custody until I lay my hand on the charter. Oh, the charter, yes. But I thought that it had been quiet. I say nothing quiet. But, Miss, you know something about it, eh? Well, of course, sir. All of these gentlemen were doing what it was quiet. Well, well now. At last I found a reasonable man. Oh, you're excellent, sir. Tell me what you know, and you'll be suitably rewarded. Well, I'm surprised at all this mystery. Yeah, go on. The charter was placed... Come. Come, come. In your hands last night. Tell off you. Don't tell me what that charter is. I'll... What can, sir? Do you see this oak tree? My own tree, sir. I've seen it often. I'll have you strung up in it, sir. That's what I'll do. I should hate to have such a fine tree perverted to such a purpose, sir. You... You won't, Colonel Blythe. Yes, Governor. Send me half a dozen soldiers in a stout row. Yes, sir. Now, perhaps you... We'll get something from you. You tell me where the charter is, or will you be hanged by your thumbs from that stout limb up there until you are in it, Bill? Governor Anderson. I fear you've forgotten yourself in your rage. Master Willis is entitled to trial before any self-punishment can be meted out to him. Silence, or I'll have you strung up with him. That's the hile. Fill this oak tree with stiff-knit, rebellious, Connecticut men, or I'll have that charter. Here are your men, sir. Here's your oak. Good, good. Why don't you climb that oak tree? Here are you, Sergeant. Aye, sir. Give him a hand there. Right, sir. The men found anything in the house, Colonel. Nothing, sir. We told you so. One moment, Governor. Captain Wadsworth. Do you have something to say? I have, sir. Speak out. Tell that soldier to come down from that tree, and I'll tell you. All right. Sergeant, come down. Sir, if we'd frightened something out of you. Well, Captain. Sir, you have lost the charter. That's clear. You also have given us your receipt for it. Therefore, you should have it. And I intend to have it. You can't. I assure you of that. But here is what I propose. The committee is willing to turn over the receipt to you. If you will stop this foolish and destructive search for something you never can find. Never! Sergeant, go back to your game. Yes, sir. If we'll spig all these hellos up. Very good, sir. Count through this. Very well, then. But, sir, when you report to the privy council that you did not get the charter, and when we produce your signed receipt for it, I fear that you will look very foolish. Yes, indeed, Governor. How will you explain that to the king? What do you mean? His majesty might even be led to doubt the word of one of his trusted officers. Well, yes. Go. Very well. Give me the receipt. After all, your charter will be no good. It's revoked. Exactly. It's a very sensible view to take, Governor Andrus. I congratulate you. And here is the receipt, sir. Oh, you're very welcome, sir. Colonel Blythe. Yes, sir. Drop your company and prepare to return to Boston. Yes, sir. Come down on the tree, Sergeant. Company! Congratulations, Captain Watworth. A good bargain. Indeed it was. Another moment when the sergeant could have put his hand on that charter. I don't understand. Our good friend Willis had it concealed in a hollow, high up in that oak tree. By saving the charter, Connecticut preserved her claim to separate government. And in 1694, the privy council under a new sergeant decided that the charter was again in full legal force. It served as the fundamental order of Connecticut government down to the revolution, and until 1800 and 18, when a new state constitution superseded it. The oak in which the charter was so well hidden was called from that time the Charter Oak. It stood until August 21st, 1850, when age and time took their toll. At sunset of that day, the bells of Hartford Toll and mourning was displayed for the historic old tree. The spirit of the Charter Oak still lives in our hearts and serves as a symbol of the rights and privileges of American independence. As to a close, America faces the new year with optimism and sleeves rolled up. Here are some figures that show how new life has come to our minds and forests, our farms and cities. During the year just closing, the United States put approximately 335 million pounds of dynamite out of commercial explosives to work. 80 million pounds more than in 1935 and five times the entire amount used in seven years of building the Panama Canal. These figures are important because like the statistics on steel production, they are an index of activity in many lines. But figures alone do not tell the whole story of what these products of chemical research mean to the average person. Because dynamite and other blasting agents usually do their work far from the crowded centers of population, many of us forget what an essential part they play in bringing us our food, our shelter, even our clothing. Perhaps the first thing that greeted you this morning was the alarm clock. The metal in this contrivance was obtained with the use of commercial explosives. As you step into a steaming shower, you may thank dynamite for making possible a constant supply of pure water, even for the coal or oil used to heat the water and warm the house. As you sit down to the breakfast table, you may realize that a number of the foods you eat come from farms cleared of stumps and boulders or drained by the use of explosives. And the same is true of the plantations that produce cotton for clothing and other purposes. The stone and metals and wood that comprise your home were rested from their natural setting by the power of dynamite. And in the car or train that takes you into town, we find other examples of its work. Indeed, many of the comforts and conveniences we enjoy every day would be impossible without commercial explosives. Our bridges and tunnels, harbors and canals, huge skyscrapers and smooth highways are monuments to the amazing usefulness of these chemical products. So as you go about the country, you can find explosives at work on every hand, coal and metals being mined, roads being built, dams going up, stone being quarried, evidence on all sides that America is again on the march forward. Evidence too of the chemist's contributions in producing better things for better living through chemistry. Bringing prestige for the American stage, the story of Joseph Jefferson will be the subject of our broadcast next week. With the passing of the old year, we of DuPont wish you all a very happy New Year.