Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1861-01-18
Maine Legislature. L
WEpNEspAY, Jan. Q.


A communication was received from Hon.
B. ID. Metcali Council lor eltc', ACCEPTING tho
Office.
| The President laid before the Senate
communication from II m. Josiah II. Drum
mond, signfying his acceptance Of the of6ce
of Attorney General.
Mr.. Andrews, of York, offered the follow
ing
Ordered-That SO much Of the Governors
Address as relates to chap 80, sec So Of the
K commonly known as the personal hber-
ty law)be referred to the committee ON the
judiciary, and that said committee be re-
quested to inquire and report whether there
is anything in said law in conflict with the
Constitution of this State or the United
States or of any law Of Congress made in
copformity Herewith.
The order was laid on the table, and sub
sequently taken up and passed.
/ On motion, a committee was appointed to
receive, sort and count the votes for U. ).
Senator, who reported as follows: Whole
number 90; necessary to choice Is Lot
NJ. Morrill, had %.
He further reported that the committee
had scaled up the votes. The report was &C.
cepted, and Lot NJ. Morill was declared elect
ed on the part of the Senate.
Bill (irom the House, to regulate the al
teraticn of the limits of wards in cities, was
twice re,d and passed to be engro sed.
A message was received from the House BY
its Clerk that Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill, had been
elected on the part of the House U. s. Sena-
tor in place Of Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, re-
| signed.
The President then declared the election Of
Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill, U. S. Senator.
The committee on engrossed bills reported
an act regulating the alteration of ward linn
its in cities. Report accepted, and the bill
was passed to be enacted.
WEDNESDAY, Jan. Q
HoUsE-A communication was received
from Hon. j. ii. Drummond, signifying his
acceptance of the Office of Attornt y-General.
The Speaker announced the following
standing committees Of the House ::
On Fiaance--Jewett, of Bangor, Fisher,
of Bath, Farwell, of Rockland, Perkins, Of
Kennebunkport, Spring, Of Portland, Page,
of Fort Kent, Rewell, Hallowell.
On E,ections-Whitney, Of Oxford, Nor
cross, of Charleston. skolfeld, of Brunswick,
Clark, of New Portland, Wyman, Of Angus
ta, Eaton, of Jay, Brown, Of Ham pden.
On County Estimates-Smith, of Starks,
Monroe, of Livermore, Low, of Hodgdon,
Stevens, of New Gloucester, Taylor, Of New
Sharon, Allen, Of Sedgwick, Percival, of
Woodstock, Mclean, of ALMA, Norcross, OF
Charleston, Barrows, Of Blanchard, Patten,
of Topsham, Sanborn of Liberty, Worm.
wood, of Crawford, Sweetser, OF Saco.
On Pay RoH-Nye, of Fairfield, Erskine,
OF Whitefeld, Beedy, OF Phillips, Kicker, Of
Milo, Hoyt, of Rumtord, Hamilton, of Water
town Rideout of Garland
On Engrossed BiAs-Stetson, of Damar-
iscotta, Clark, of Springfield. Hinds. of Bris-
tol, Dexter. Of Auburn, Perkins, of Gardin-
er, Webber, OF St. Adams, Emerson, of East
Machias.
On Bills in Third Rcading-Case, Of Ken
duskeag, Bonney, of Mnot, Foster, of Port
land, Bake, OF Mt. Vernon, Sanborn, of Lib
erty, Walton, of Mercer, Clark, of Lining
ton.
On Change of Names-Gilkey, of Islesbo-
ro', Holway, of Palmyra, Small, of Deer Isle.
Bcedy of Phillips, Mclean of Alma.
On Leare of fAbsence--Goodwin OF Brown
field, Cousins Of Poland. Merrill Of Falm outh
Door of Jonesport. Crowell of Winterport,
Whitehouse oi Eassalboro' Holton OF Booth
bay.
A communication was received from B. D.
Metcalf, Councillor elect, signiiying his &C.
ceptance of the trust.
On motion of Mr.. league of Turner, an
order was passed. referring the several portions
OF the Governors Message, under their vari-
Gus topics, to the appropriate committees.
The joint standing committees were hlied
upon the part of the House.
Mr.. Fox of Portland, by leave. laid upon
the tabl.a bill $50 regulate the alteration of
the limits OF wards in cities, which was
twice read and Ii l-2 o'clock, this day, u.s.
signed for a third reading.
On motion of Mr.. Fox,
Ordred- That the committee on judicia-
ry be directed to inquire into the expendcncy
Of 50 amending the laws relating to mortsa-
yes OF personal property as more efectually
to protect the ri hts OF mortgages.
IL CoNvESTIoS.-At III o'clock both
branches united in Convention. Hon. B. u.
Metcalf, Councillor elect, appeared and was
qualified.
Jonn L. Hodslon was elected Adjutant-
General for the current political year.
llouSE.-"Act to regulate the altera tion
OF limits of wards In cities.' was read
third time, and was put upon its passage to
be engrosscd.
Mr.. Buxton ras.d point of order, and
contended that under the rules the bill must
iie ofei ohc uay -h"'iS o0S" Aet'3se~" " Nv
committee
TIE Chair explained that special leave was
granted by the House, and the time for the
third reading assigned.
Mr. Buxt-n moved to lay the bill on the
table,
Mr. Fox said that the bill was very simple
and upaeld the doctrines OF popular sover-
eighty to their full extent, givingto the peO-
pie the right to alter the limits OF the wards
as they may desire, SO that the city govern
mcnt which may chanc, to be in power shall
not alter these at its pleasure, and against
the will OF the people. 1t may SO happen
that city government may be in power, yet
the popular vote may be largely against them.
by re-districting the city, and by making
lines in various zig-xag directions, they may
50 cut up the city as to retain power for
years, though the popular vote should be four
hundred or more against them. There was
reason for immediate action. This very
night, perhaps, the government some city
may undertake the very acts the bill is de-
signed to prevent.
Mr. Buxton agreed with the gentleman from
| Portland as to the general principle of allow
ing the people to rule but he disapprovcd
of this hot haste in pushing through bill
of this character matter OF purely special
legs!ation--und the pretcncc OF changing
the geacral law upon the subject.
Mr. Buxtun called for the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Fox objected to this as unnecessary
The yeas and nays were ordered by vote
of d yeas t1 90 nays-luo ore than one-ffth