Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-02-16
NUMBER 6.
Trgi5latiur.

SENArE.-The committee or ele.iiy.
franchise reported recommendation that
Sherif1s Judges Of Probate and Registers
of Probate be elected by the people. Tor
terms of four year, that Municipal aud
Police Judges be elected BY the cities or
towns where such courts are or may Ls
established, for like terms Of four years
aud tina. the Land Agent, Attorney Gen.
eral and Adjutant General be elected by
the Legislature annually, in January
A resolve for the necessary amendments
of the Constitution, accompanied the re-
port, and received its first reading.
The Committee on Education reported
resolve appropriatng three quarter.,own.
ships of land, or their value in money,
for the East Maine Conference Semina.
ry. Read once.
The resolve in favor Of Maine Wesley
an Seminary was takcu up, and Mr. Tor.
sey proposed to make the donation the
same as the above but Mr. Gushing ob.
jected TO giving the right to select parts
Of townships in different localities, and
moved one whole township i'll place Of
the three quarters proposed, and it was
adopted, l3 to 8. A motion by Mr. Viii.
lis to substitute $1,000 a year for ten
years, was negatived, 8 TO lo. The
question being on the passage Of the bill.
the Senate adjourned.
In the House. the resolve in favor Of
Maine State Seminary was taken up.
and Mr. Fenno moved to reconsider the
vote substituting money for land. This
was opposed by Mr. HILL oI Bangor, and
others.
SENATE, Thursday. Feb. s.-Commn-
tee on Agriculture reported bill TO III.
corporate the Wes, Penooscot Agricul,u.
raj Society. Read and assigned.
Committee on Manufactures reported
bill to incorporate the Bangor and
Piscataquis Slate Company. Read and
ass igned.
Mr. Ruggles. from the Committee on
Railroads and Bridges. reported bill 10
authorize the city "l Bangor To extend
further aid for the construction of the
Kennebec & Penobscot llaikoad. allow.
ing it co loan its credit in the sum Of
$300,00O.
Thursday vas assigned for se:tnl
reading.
The resolve in favor of Maine Wesley
an Seminary was taken VI, and amended
by giving selection ol the land. that may
be granted, to the Governor and Council,
instead of Trustees, and providing that
if the land sell Tor more than Si2.OUO,
the excess shall be paid into the State
Treasury. A lengthy discussion took
place on the subject, participated in by
Messrs Gushing Downes, Torsey, Boz.
ty, llichborn and Pease. Alter the
amendments were adopted, the resolve
was laid Oh the table.
HOUSE. Mr Pike, of Topsfeld, by
leave, laid Oh the fable Resolve setting
apart a portion of the p,.L!ic lands for tie :
pa yment Of the Stale dec.
Mr Pattee Of Fou Fairfield, from the
Committcen Oh State lands and roads
reported Resolve in favor ol roads in
Aroostook and PehobscM.
Bill TO Incorporate the Eas,por. Gas
Light cmpany Read aud ass igned.
Air Ingersoll ol Bangor. called up the
bill to Incorporate the Maine State Sem.
mary. lie remarked that he had intend-
ed, when tl.e provision to grant lands
was struck out. to support these measures
with a reasonable sum Of money, but ON
more careful examination he had come
to-the conclusion that it would not l,e
safe under the restriction in the constitu.
ton to increase the Indebtedness Of ibv
State so much as it may le proper 10 as.
sist these Seminaries ot learning.
Mr. |. defended the freewilI Baptist
denomination from the imputations that
had been cast upon them. describing !heir
iabors in the destitute parts oi the S,a,c.
Cor little or 10 compensation. lie was
satisfied the Legislature ought to d"
something for then, aad he was for land.
not money or bonds.
Mr. Thomas of Portland wns opposed
to the reconsideration. lie did no, be.
Iieve in the force of the argument that
these grants could not he made without
exceeding the constitutional limit. lie
commended the object Of this institution
and did not oppose aid, but Was in tavor
Of money and not land.
On motion OF Leavitte Of Skowhegan,
the yeas and nays were ordered on the
pending motion.
Mr. Chase of Calais was in favor of
money, if any thing, aad argued in favor
Of Common aud Normal Schools, in
preference 10 the higher semnaries oi
learning.
Mr. Fenno said that the amendment he
proposed would take away the right Of
selection from the Trustees OF the lnsti
tuition, and confer it on the G, vernon and
Council. and providing tina, il the two
hall townships exceeded Sis.0LO the
surplus shaii be paid INTO the treasury Of
the State.
[The debate cpnlimucd until adi.]
SENATE. Friday, Feb. 0-On mo-
teu h Mr. bennett. ,hs vote assigning
Thursday next for the consideration of
the bill authorizing the city Of Bangor 10
loan its credit 70 tho Penobsco, and Ken,
ebec Railroad. was cconslisssd-l7 to
| * nd tho Kill