The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-01-20
Correspondence of Union and Journal.
AUGUSTA, Jan'y, Is, 1860.

ing an item connected with legislative pro-
ceedings, which ! can present your readers
before it appears in the Boston dailies.
o! the misery Of reporting for weekly
paper. Here I have been 'busily engaged in
making notes Of my obscrvations-prcparing
summaries -condensins reports and all that
sort Of thing, deludins myself meanwhile
with the miserable idea that this time l shall
get up quite readable letter; when 10! /
find just day or two before it can be print
ed, that the whole thing has been told better
than can tell it, by some member of the
daily press, who has the happiness Of seeing
his lucubrations appear the same day he
commits them to the kindly care of the pub
Usher, while am obliged to wait q long
while before the unfortunate children Of
my brain can be baptized in printers ink.
In view of the difficulties, have by turns,
during the last week, been gricvcd and mad,
chargrined and mortified, and once or twice
wished myself roaming "fancy free" among
the Green hills of Vermont ; wandering"
among the gravestones and monuments of
sold Concord" or copying inscriptions at
Lexington and Acton.
But vain regrets avail not, and so read
just my spcctacles, determined to DO more
vigilant and institute more vigorousmeasurcs
to find out every thing that is going on
around me. Old ne,rs do despise, and will
never knowingly DO guilty of retailing it
after it has once been dedicated to the
public.
The Legislature is now fairly Under way,
and business brought before it is being at
tended to with such promptness and dispatch.
as to leave no doubt, that by this time the
members generally understand that they are
at work by the job and not by by the day as
formerly. The preliminarics have been dis
posed of-the House and Senate organized
the councillors and various officers of State
elected-the Governor inaugurated-thc
committees appointed, and what is better
still, the crusaders who bcseigcd the capitol
during the organization have adjourned
without day.
Ifwillingness to serve the State is any
evidence of atriotism, our beloved common
wealth can compare notes with any of her
sister States and lose nothing by the
process, indeed, thorough investigation
would deyelope facts going to prove the
existence of the highest order of patriotism,
running at times into self sacrificing devo-
ton, the contemplation of which is delight
fully refreshing in these degenerate days.
Some people seem to think that the early
days of the Republic, witnessed the best ex-
hibition of this and kindred qualities. 1t is
the ycricst nonsense in the world. True, in
"goOd old Colony times" the people of this
country willingly endured hardship, and
suffered some for opinions sake, and "In the
times that tried mems SOULS" left home and
kindred in defence of both but it is matter
of record that in the year of our Lord One
THOUSAND eight hundred and sixty, scores of
men have voluntarily offered to leave their
families and hearth stones, if by so doing
they could be Of any service to the State.
When we consider that this involves a pro-
longed absence from homc-the painful sun
dcring of ties, parcntal-patcrnal-conjugal,
and some six or eight Others that have not
time to mention-thc exchange oittimes of
comfortable quarters in "oncs own hired
house," for little seven by nine bedroom,
up three or four flights of stairs--to say
nothing of the miseries of paying fine prices
for coarse feed, and the imminent danger OF
having clothes spoiled by being washed in
potash. When these things arc considered,
hope no one will be simple enough to think
that the "lovc Of country" died out with the
Revolutionary era.
The two branches had no sooner organized
and got in running order, than they were
sup to their old tricks again." 1t is almost
a wonder how they manage to follow so
exactly in the footsteps of their predecessors.
But such is the fact and true to precedcnts,
the Legislature of 1860 inaugurated the
business Of tho session, by pitching into the
MESSENGERS and their assistants. The old
cry of Retrenchment-ret is again
sounded, and rings once more through hall
and chamber. In due course of time CON-
mittec is appointed and furnished with a
DARRELL ofsharp sticks, to look after the
Messengers and their asistants,as we'll as the
man who cleans out the spit boxes for men,
beers, and holds himself in readiness to 60
into fits or run his legs of at the slightest
word of q representative of the sovereign
people.
The Senate has reduced tho compensation
of its messenger to $500 pen day. Now
while say nothing of the business of this, !
will say that they have done much better
than their predecessors. For years they have
talked and tinkered about the reduction OF
pay, but succeeded only in keeping the UNI
happy incumbent vibrating bctwcenthc hope
OF $500 per day and the fear of getting only
$500.
The House is little moro deliberate in
this matter, and have hcsihtcd thus far to