Eastern times., 1855-04-12
Gasttrn Gimes,
BATH, ARPIL 10, 1856.
The Morrill, Despotism.

4ue hOIIAA 0Ccpet1em.
The removal OF Col. Bennett from the office
os Warden of the State Prison was an outrage
GUS piece of despotism on the part of the party
now in power in this State. 1t was acknowl-
Col. Bennet could be found for the POSITION
Gov. Morrill, acknowledged this fact, and when
urged to maintain the supremacy of his own
opinion, answered that he could not do it on
account of the PRESSURE, That was the
perfectly natural answer of a ooscard heart and
the consequence of such dissr- ceiul temeri'y
on the part of the Governor Of State, was the
removal of the worthy Warden and the reward
ing of tool of the Morrill, dynasty by giving
him the place made vacant.
Another case where the Governor of Maine
could not maintain perpendicular "oack-
bone" was the removal of the Superintendent
of Common Schools. Probably no man in the
State could fill the Office better than Mr.. Lord.
A great part of the business of his life had been
the training of the young. He is practical
educator. and has in remarkable degree the
moral and philosophical requisites for the work.
Gov. Crosby, for three years, he set himself to
work manfuly and energetcally. He visited
parts Of the State where the school interest had
languished, and infused new spirit into the
schools. His Report of the first years opera
ton is one of the best educational documents
ever issued by the New England press. The
Boston Traveller notices the Report asIOlIows +:
First Report of the Superintendent of Common
Schools, of the State of Maine lS54.-This is as
valuable and suggestive school report as we
have ever read. Mr.. Lord, the inspector, by
whom it is written, is a gentleman of superior
information and appears 10 have carried out
the task entrusted to him with singular eff
cheney. He gives US the result of his inqui-
ries and visits to various schools in the State
of Maine, in what he terms ''brief tour of two
thousand miles" He dwells, among other
points, on the folly Of teaching the higher
branches of knowledge TO those who have been
allowed to skim over without being well grofu l.
ed in the very rudimcnts of education, and urg
es the advantage which would result from pa
rents showing the interest they feel in the pro
srcss of their children, by visiting the schools
more frequently. We learn, from the report
that, with the exception of a single State,
Maine has fewer illiterate persons than any 9TH
er. In regard to density of population, COM
pared with New York, Rhode Island and Mas
sschusettS it stands emitting fractions, as Is
to 65, ll2. l27 Notwithstanding this dispari-
ty against il in consequence of its widely ex
tended area, Maine has Nlarger proportion Of
children at school than any other State in the
Uniun-than Of any kingdom or nation Of the
world.
But even Mr.. Lord had to be offered up, at
the expiration of one-lhird of his term of SER
e ~.
Morrill, dcspotism. A member of the Maine
Senate happened to want the office = the
PRESSURE was brought to bear upon the
Governor with backbone" and the faithful
servant of the State had to step one side in or
der to reward the TOOL. The new Superin-
tendent, Mr.. Dunnells, of Hebron. by unani
nous consent, perpetrated some of the weakest
speeches made at the Senate board, which was
occupied by men almost too weak, taken as a
whole, TO stand alone, intellectually speaking
and Liliput now walks with shoes of Hercules
among our common schools
Thus 1t is that political despotism, ac-
knowledging no claims put forward for the re-
-.e->s:~-- =: 4, -r -.-.---r -
State can produee-rampant for the spoils OF
ofhce to reward the supple and crouching tools
of party that claims all the conscience and
religion we have left-overrides interests too
high and sacred for the petty bargains of parti-
zanship, and makes riot and waste in the ad-
ministration of the affairs of State. And in
stead of putting in some kind of plausible de-
fence for such course, We are so5erly in
formed, humiliating as is the confession. tha;
the Governor cannot ,rithstand the pressure! We
do not believe the people of Maine will long be
ruled BY such despotic power.