The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-02-04
Lights and shadows a, the State Capital.

Lights and Shadows at the State Capital.
AUGUSTA, Feb. 3, 1864.
Yesterday the Resolve for removing the
Seat Of Government came up in the House in
regular course, but an unforeseen though very
pleasant event caused 1t to go over until to-
day. On entering the Hall in the morning it
was evident at first blush that something out
of the usual routine was upou the carpet
The galleries were crowded with spectators,
and sables and beauty,-not sable beauty
brilliants and bright eyes were dominant not
only in those upper circles, but also in the areas
ON each side of the Speakers chair. The light
snow Of the preceding night, untrodden and
in many places unshoveled, was not sufficient
to prevent this brilliant setting for the respect
able picture made up by the Assembled wis
dom" Of the State.
BY courtesy to eastern members, absent at
their homes the business assigned for consd-
Grafton was not taken up until after the arrv-
al of the northern and eastern train. Then,
on motion of Mr. Clay of Gardiner, the Resolve
providing for the removal of the Seat of Gov
eminent was taken up, and inasmuch as it
was accompanied by no bill he called upon
the mover of it to explain to the House the
reasons for its introduction and also the reas-
ons why It's passage should be favored by the
House. Mr.. Lynch, of your city, responded,
and was listened to with the most profound
attention by the whole House, as he gradually
no vad tho NAV for tho dicouee;ap nj fha raso
luton upon its merits. He referred to the
original location of the seat of government at
Portland. its removal to this city through the
successful engineering of one of Augustus
former distinguished citizens; the fact that no
voice Of the people was appealed to in that
removal, the dissatisfaction often manifested
with that act in the votes upon the subject in
the legislature, provisions for removal to Port
land having repeatedly received a favorable
vote from one or the other of the two houses,
and once at least from both, and he was about
proceeding to show the superior advantages
presented in your city for the location of the
seat Of government, when, at the suggestion
of Mr.. Farewell Of Rockland, he gave way for
another matter which occupied the balance of
the session.
Before proceeding to speak of this interrupt
ing but pleasant episode, may say word in
relation TO the appliances being made to brace
up the capitakand to secure it against sliding
from its pedestal. 1t is not among the most
Insignificant of the facts touching this matter,
that within few days elaborate articles have
appeared in two daily papers, published at
places far apart-Bath and Bangor-not only
opposing the removal, but urging reasons and
arguments SO nearly alike as to require no eff
fort to satisfy ordinary minds of their common
origin-that they are as nearly related by pa
rentage as are the Siamese Twins Bath talks
about abandoning the present noble structure,
and becoming a sort Of mendicant, dependent
upon the generosity Of Portland for accommc-
dations, and even goes to the indecent length
Of intimating that your city has large cat
under the meal, which cat is the payment by
the State Of all the money expended in the
erection of her beautiful city buildings. Ban
gor uses similar arguments, and talks about
the half millionll) expended in building the
present capitol, while both Bath and Bangor
throw out ominous hints of mischief likely to
result to the general government at the pres
ent hour from mooting question of such vast
national importance as that OF where the legis-
lature of Maine shall hold its annual sessionsi
Ths Bangor paper, If rightly interpret Its
article, even suggests that the removal of the
capital at the present time may throw the
State into the hands of disloyal men! 1t would
Interesting tn Inn ubr fba
claiming the least drop of truly loyal blood,
who are to be jostled from their course and
thrown into the army Of rebellion and treason
by the settlement Of such question by the
representatives Of the people.
Is Bangor loyalty in danger? Doubted.
Is Bath In danger of going over to the enc
my? Who ddres suggest it? Is Augusta
and the Kennebec valley held to their allie
glance by SO paltry a consideration as that of
boarding the members of the Legislature,
selling peanuts and candy in the rotunda, or
the "pickings and stealngs" found around the
Capitol? don't believeany such thing and
the sly intimation made in the Bangor paper
does great injustice to the people of this val
ley, and reflects no credit upon the mind or
minds In which it first had its origin. 1t looks
amazingly as though the wires which have
given off such dispatches ia the cities referred
to, form junction with battery not far
from this place; battery nottmade up OF
series of zinc and copper plates, but of a
congeries of brains of men who, not a thous.
and miles from where / now write, continue
to do large proportion of the wire working
OF the State. In my judgment, the Represen-
tatiyes OF the people know their own bust
ness, and no higher indgnity can be offered
TO any man competent to occupy seat in the
Legislature, than for outsiders-as have Of
ten seen done-to take them by the button
hole and commence their pitifuI game of FIX
ing them up to suit the purposes of selfish
politicians; next to this indignity is that of a
newspaper to put forth its grave exhortations
to the peoples chosen servants and attempt
to control their action, performed under oath.
by appeals TO their fears, their preludices or
their selfish interests. We hope the Legisla-
ture may look the whole question of removal
fairly in the facs, and despite the button-hold-
ing oil Augusta or Portland, despite the prog
nosticatonAof evil from Bath or Bangor, des-
pite all considerations save those of the gem
eral veal, vote precisely as they think best
f,r 4l,a