Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-01-11
Legislature of Maine,

The Legislature assembled at Augusta on
Wednesday of last week. The Senate was
organized by the election of Franklin Muzzy Of
Penobscot as President, and Louis O. Cowan of
Saco as Secretary. Mr.. Muzzy's politics are
represented as abolition whig, aud Mr.. Cowans
as whig-abolition.
The House organized by the election Of
Sidney Perham Of Woodstock as Speaker, and
Henry X. Baker Of Halluwell, as Clerk =
Both gentlemen belong 10 the glorions new re-
publican party, but Mr.. Baker is an inveterate
opposer Of know-nolhingism. He is as guod a
man for the Office of Clerk as could be picked
up in Kennebec county and We have no doubt
the work will be done up as well as by any
former occupant OF the Clerks desk. But he
is an aboltionist of some fifteen years standing
with whig antecedents.
There were sumo grand moves on the political
chess board in the selection of candidate for
Speaker. The three asprants were under
stood TO be Perham of Oxford, Hill of Bangor,
and Lincoln of kennebec. Mr.. Lincoln is
Grand Sec. of the Know Nothing Stale Coun-
-cil-the gentleman that figured imposingy at
the knowNothing Convention al Portland last
Summer We don't know whether the
other two gentlemen belong TO the order
PeIham had secured most OF the western
strength. Lincoln was depending upon the
centre and eastern part Of the State. Hill was
understood outside not to feel any great desire
for the office, and Lincoln supposed he had him
on his side, with all the eastern strength sure
to go with him. Contrary to the advice of the
Portland Advertiser, Hill, who is pronounced
the jax 3" of the House, came to Augusta,
some days in advance of the opening of the ses-
sion. As it was necessary for somebody to
look around and select officials in this new par
~ where men do not seek Office but expect Office
to seek them, Hill undertook TO do up the
work. Now it came TO pass that the " Al ax :"
of the House had an understanding with and
was in favor of Perham, and could carry. the
fasteners whichever way he would. So il
was agreed to take Mr.. Baker of Hallowell,
legislation and could make himself generally
useful TO new and inexperienced Speaker
Mr.. Baker was thereupon agreed upon. No
body enquired of Lincoln whether Baker Hped
in Kenne6ec, of course, and he probably did no,
stop 10 think of it. Matters proc ressed 10 The
commencement of the caucus Of the preat-re
publican-new- ligh'-par;y. (for they have eau
cuses In great emergencies,) when i, appeared
that the inde.atigabe Ajax " was, after all,
q candidate for speaker himself. The eastern
ers were all going tor Hill, and Lincoln began
! TO query where his strength was coming from.
| 1t turned out on the first ballot that he got
twenty odd votes, with Hill and Perham
stretching ahead like race-horses. After all,
it was known Hill did not care much about il,
and on the second ballot he did not rein in his
men and they went over to Perham in large
quantities. Perham was consequently elected
as the candidate. MIR. Hill then, with noble
magnanimity, moved that the nomination be
made unanimous, and Lincoln, very much in
the predcament of William Chapman, who
did not know who struck him, seconded the
| motion. II failed, and Hill went out Of the
caucus little taller that night Il was cap
ital move, worthy Of the skill Of old politicians,
and shows that the new party are not insensi-
BILE 10 the advantages o: political trickery when
it is needed
| The vacancies in the Senate having been
filed, on Friday the COMMITTEES on Guberna-
torial votes reported as follows