The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-02-24
Correspondence of Union and Journal.

AUGUSTA, Feb. 1850.
The State House has presented quite an ami
mated appearance of late, owing to the unus-
ual activity displayed by the two branches Of
the Legislature, the industry of the various
committees, the frantic exertions of the third
house, and the presence of ladies from various
parts of the State, drawn hither to witness the
rhetorical performances Of husbands, fathers
and lovers, on the floor Of the House or
Senate.
Log rolling is being reduced to science in
the Frankfort case, and the diyisionists and
anti-diyisionists are working with an energy
which denotes more thin usual interest in the
result.
Hon Adams Treat leads off the anti's in fine
style, and having been in the House. Senate,
and Council years ago, understands by expert
ence the little weaknesses of Legislators, and
know "just how to take EN-" The Represent
atiyes from Frankfort, and Otis Kaler on the
other hand lead off the divisionists, and make
brilliant attack on their ancient enemies Tho
fact is, about one half of the people of Frank
fort are determined to be set off, and incorpo-
rated into town by the name of Winterport,
while the other half are equally determined to
preserve the good old town in its integrity
No battles fought in the Legislature can equal
these efforts for divisions of towns and change
of boundaries, in bitterness of feeling and fierce
ness of attack. Every conceivable strategen is
resorted to, both fair and unfair, and the men,
Der who escapes the clutches of interested par
ties'on both sides, is fortunate man indeed.
The bill which spoke of a fortnight ago rela-
tive to making the deposits of minors in Saw
ings Banks, their own property, has become
law, and the boys and girls of Maine may now
deposit their little earnings in these institutions
and control them as fully as they could were
they Of age.
A large drire is here on the new County
question. The outside pressure for aud against
Knox is immense, the committee have reported
bill. and my own impression is that we shall
get new County this demonstrating the
extent ofterritory, we have but few counties
in our State. compared with other States. In
1850 our State with about IS, 900 square miles,
had 10 counties. Massachusetts,, with about
1000 square miles, had Ia counties. New
Hampshire with about 5000 square miles had 10
counties. New York, with 10000 square miles
had 50 counties. Then, GO into the West. VIC
find Illinois. with $1,000 square miles. had %
counties Thus we find our counties average
about FIVE times the sire of those in Nassachu-
setts. where they have infinitely better facilities
for reaching towns at distance than we have,
the whole State being threaded, as 1t is, by o
network of railroads, and about four times rs
large as the Counties in New Hampshire. 1t is
no neS thing, in a large State like ours, for new
counties to be formed from time to time, as new
centers Of trade and communities and business
spring up, and so il will continue to be, till our
State becomes densely populated. Where
Massachusetts, has room for only IA counties,
we have room for 10. See how 1t has been In
our State. At one time, the population and
business was almost wholly in what is now
York County. But at length new communities
and business grew up all along down the coast,
at Portland, wiscasset, Castine &c, and as the
communities grew, they having no business in
York except County business, necessity grew
up with them for new county organizations,
and hence old York must yield up part, In
fact, the most ofits territory, and give place to
Cumberland and Lincoln. Communities con-
tinuOd to grow and spring up In the extreme