The Portland daily press., 1864-01-08

During this period the number of feons con-
victed of capital offences, has most dispro-
portionately increased over the two previous
decades, there being at this time in the State
Prison, under sentence of death, no less than
twelve convicted murderers. One of these
has been imprisoned about twenty years, and
others Tor shorter terms. In all these cases.
the omission to commute their punishment
leaves the criminals subject to the extreme
penalty OF the law. Deserving as they doubt
less, were, of its infction, at this late day, to
| require the Chief Magistrate of the State to
issue the warrants for their execution, would
be regarded as little short OF cold-blooded
vlndictive murder. What then shall be done
The argumeHt most relied on by the adj
vocates OF the abolition of capital punishment,
that the safety of society would be as well as
sured by the Imprisonment as by the death of
the criminal, in consequence of the increased
certainty of conviction and punishment, re-
sulting from its abolition, has been signally
negatived by the statistics of crime in this
| State
The following is an extract from a COM
munication made to me by the Attorney Cen
eral of the State:
Murder is alarmingly on the increase.
| During the past year there have been three
death sentences; two verdicts of guilty of
murder in the first degree in addition, which
have not come to sentence; one indicted for
murder in the second degree, admitted to bail :;
one found guilty of manslaughter on an in
dictment for murder; one other trial Tor muir
der (which it was admitted some one had
committed), but the jury disagreed; and two
are in Jail for murder, not indicted"
One OF these convictions furnishes melan-
choly evidence that those to whose custody is
committed the criminals condemned to death,
are not safe from homicidal assault. A war
| den of the STATE Prison has fallap a victim IN
brutal violence, and though his life was not
taken by criminal at the time condemned to
death, it equally illustrates the fact, that were
Imprisonment the extreme penalty, the lives
OF the officers would have no protection in
the law, for it has already inflicted its utmost
vengeance. l submit, gentlemen, that this is
fearful record. 1t Is time that the compl-
cations which perplex this subject should be
unravelled, and that the measure of the pun
ishment for the crime of murder, should be
| made certain.
| i, With regard to thoses who have been con-
victed in former years, and are now in prison,
their year of grace having expired, commuta-
ton of their punishment to Imprisonment for
life would dispose the embarrassment grow
| ing out OF their numbers, and the delay to ex-
] ecute the law upon them when the knowledge
OF their crime was fresh in the public mind,
and the justice of the punishment would have
been fully recognized. This much would de-
volve upon the Executive. For other cases,
| let the Legislature fix a day certain, after the
expiration OF the year of grace, on which ex-
ecution shall be done upon the criminal capt.
tally convicted, leaving no discretion in the
Chief Magistrate, but to issue the warrant for
his execution, unless circumstances should
demand his interference as an act of justice
and mercy.
SOLDIERS VOTING.
The justice of extending to our citizen sol
| diers in the field an opportunity for exercising
the right of suffrage in our elections has been
considerably discussed and generally conced-
ed. The experience of other States goes fully
to establish the fact that the votes of the SOL
| diers may be so taken as to preclude either
fraud or abuse upon the elective franchise.
Because man for the time being becomes a
soldier in defence Of all that is dear to the cit
lien, his interest in the welfare of the State
and nation is neither changed nor diminished,
but rather augmented and intensified by his
conservation of himself at the peril of his life
to their service. Why, then, should he not be
permitted, wherever he may be. upon the
happening of an election at his home to
enjoy the consideration of a citizen, and
cast his ballot? And why should he be
denied the privilege Of helping to shape
the policy Of the government in which his
interest is certainly not less than that of
those remaining securely at their flresdes
On the return of the soldier to his home,
he finds himself in possession of all the
political rights he ever enjoyed. These do
not become changed even by three years
absence.
To secure TO him during ihia ahsence the
exercise Of the highest Of these rights was the
subject of favorable recommendation in the
annual message of my predecessor. 1t did
not come up for action In the Legislature un-
til late day, when it failed not for want of
friends TO the object, but because of objection
to the particular form in whchit was present
ed; and in the great hurry incident to the
closing days of the session, there was not
time TO mature the requisite bill and resolu-
tons to accomplish it.
As TO the precise mode by which the end is
TO be attained, the large amount of legal learn
ing which your several bodies comprise will
doubtless enable you to frame and adopt such
resolutions and bill Ms will extend fully the
right OF suffrage to the soldier in the field as
will guard well the elective franchise from
abuse, and al the same time meet all constitu-
tional requirements. So many thousand of
our fellow-citizeDs volunteering TO leave home
and friends and the comforts of peaceful life
to defend our common rights, cannot doubt
will be enabled by you, sanctioned by the CO.
operation of the people, to cast their votes for
President of the United States 10 the election
which is to take place in November next
RECIPROCITY TREATY
In the course of the present year expires the
term after which the SO called Reciprocity Treaty
between the governments of the United States
and Great Britain may be rescinded, at the pleas
ure OF either party, on giving years notice.
This treaty from the outset has been regarded
as unfayorabe to various leading industrial in-
terests of the people of Maine, and the Legsla-
ture in 1862 adopted the following resolve:
Resoired, las the sentiment of this Legislature
that 1t is the duty of the National Government of
the United States TO give notice 20 the British Gov
erninent that the Reciprocity Treaty called, will
be rescinded the part of the United States at the
expiration of the time TO which its operation Is
limited by its terms to the end that il any, n ne
arrangement may be made with the British Goycrn-
meDt, which shall be more just and equal aud prop
erly guard and protect the great interests of this
State which are ininrously affected by the present
treaty"
In 1854, at the date of the treaty, the lumber
ing business, leading branch of the industry
of our citizens, enjoyed great degree of pros
perty, but from that time, when the markets of
the United States were opened to the free impor-
tation Of Canadian and other provincial woods,
that prosperity was smitten with frost bite
Many parties employed in that business were
utterly ruined, and for years it did not enjoy a
single season of fair success. The value of tim
as by individuals, was greatly diminished The
vast milling property employed in the manufac-
ture of lumber also suffered Ii is doubtful if
any act of the Government, operating so injuri-
ously upon private interests, was ever so un-
complainingly borne.
OF the lands purchased by this State of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in 1888, and to
which it was influenced among other causes by
the Drosperity of our lumherueD at that par;ni