The Portland daily press., 1864-01-08
II thc hishost order, for rs scope Is a. com.

Anxious as are the people to secure the BEN
efits Of this grant, at the present time, the
pressure of taxation weighing heavily, and
the calls for money for the necessities of the
war are so imperative, 1t is for you seriously
| to consider and determine In what way this
may best be accomplished. l am aware of
the emulous rivalries likely to arise among
existing institutions, upon the proposition to
connect the agricultural college with some
| one of them. The movement last year in
! that direction met with very slight favor from
the Legislature, and il was indeed premature,
for the subject was new 10 the people, and
had been very little considered.
| If Maine is to have the institution which
! this grant designs, the Legislature will find it
necessary, either to endow new one, with a
very liberal amount of funds TO start 1t, to be
| followed by annual appropriations for its sup
! port to the end of time, or avail itself of some
! one of those already existing, which has been
| heretofore the recipient of the bounty Of the
/ State, securing thereby edfces, library and
interchangeable gathered results OF large ex-
penditure and patient effort, Indispensable to
the proposed institution, demanded by the
purposes Of the grant, and the first and most
expensive to be provided by the State. With
out the slightest preference on my own part,
as to what Institution shall be selected with
which to connect the agricultural college, my
convictions are very decided that it is expe-
dent to adopt some one of them, should the
Legislature decide to act definitely ON this
subject at the present session. The unsettled
state of the country, combining with the ope-
ration Of the national homestead law, to de-
press the value of the public domain, forbds
any undue haste in committing the State be-
yond recall to either course of procedure.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
For detail of the condition of the various
public institutions, depending in whole or in
part on the public treasury, you are referred
to the reports of the several officers having
the same in charge. -
The asylum for the insane, during the past
year, has been occupied to the full extent OF
its capacity. Its history and experience fully
yindicate the wisdom of the public favor and
private benevolence which founded and has
sustained it. As a refuge for those afflicted
by the most fearful calamity which waylays a
human being it is worthy of all the aid it may
require from the Treasury.
The institution for the reformation OF juve-
nile offenders however much public opinion
may have been divided at the outset as to its
utility, has grown in favor under the manage
ment of its present head, and l recommend
the necessary appropriations TO sustain it.
The reports of the Warden and Inspectors
of the State Prison, detailing the operations
at that Institution for the six months ending
December l, 1868, indicate a more prosperous
state of affairs. This has been an exceedingly
expensive establishment, and while in other
States the labor of convicts has been made
largely to contribute to defray the expenses
of their subsistence and custody, ours has
been constant drain on the Treasury. |
commend this institution to your special at
tention, with the hope that under apparently
improving circumstances, a system of man
agement may be adopted, which shall result
in placing the State Prison of Maine on
footing with those of other States which have
been to great degree self-sustaining.
For the other charities of the State, for the
deaf, dumb and blind, you will of course make
the usual appropriations.
The report OF the Secretary of the Board of
Agriculture, bearing the impress of the pecu-
liar ability OF that officer, contains much val
liable information relating to that predominant
interest of our people, and will, / trust, re-
ceiye a wide dissemination.
PUBLIC LANDS.
nregard to the public lands, am not aware
that any change in the laws regulating their
management is at this time demanded. The
policy Of the State is exceedingly liberal, so
far as the promotion of the occupancy of its
settling lands is concerned. The conditions
to be performed which secure title to
homestead being the payment of fifty cents per
acre in labor on the highways, and the per-
Torrance of settling duties; or, in substance,
that the settler shall make himself home on
his lot, and road to or across it.
There have been some sales of timber land
the past season, the first for ten years, and at
very satisfactory prices. i think that there
exists in the public mind very vague and in
definite idea of the quality and value OF these
lands. The purchase of Massachusetts, nom
inaily large in its number of acres, added but
little to this class. The lands which that Com
monwealth had held in severalty, and which
Maine acquired by the purchase, came to us
for the most part, burdened by permits or H.
censes to take of the timber, Tor which Mas
sachusetts had been previously paid. These
licenses are, the most Of them, determinable
when the land shall be needed fof settlement,
but that time is indefinite, and may be remote =
and is not unlikely to give rise to controver-
sizes between the State and the parties per-
mitted.
think it very desirable that the public do
main should be classified according TO its va
rious qualities, as timber, settling and waste
lands, and that report thereof be made, with
the quantities of each, and the location, and
membranes, If any, upon every tract, to the
end that the Legislature and the public may
obtain a more definite idea of the description,
value and quantity of those lands than now
prevails. This may be done by Commission,
Of which the Land Agent should be one, or
perhaps by him alone. The lands all having
been surveyed, at least into townships, the
greater part OF the information necessary to
make the classincations may be found in the
Land Office.
A practice has prevailed within few years
past in making grants Of land, OF doing it by
parcels, giving thereby wider range OF selec-
ton. II the grant is for an equivalent of a
township, instead of township in terms to be
located sin soido," it is made grant of two
half townships, which may be located remote
ly from each other, and absorb the entire value
of two townships. The effect of this course of
procedure is to leave the State only the poor
est of its lands Regarding the practice as
Objectionable, and injurious TO the interests of
the State, 1t is for you to treat the suggestion
with whatever consideration you may regard
it entitled TO, in the event that you should be
called on to make any grants OF land
For an account of the operations of the Land
Office, you are referred to the report of the
Land Agent.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
There is another topic which would gladly
avoid, but sense of public duty forbids 81
lence. / allude to the punishment of capital
offences, and the condition OF things which has
grown up, in consequence of the omission to
execute the laws of the land in that regard.
In 1887, as the result of protracted agita-
tion of the proposition to abolish capital pun
ishments, the public sentiment Of the State
having rejected it, there was added TO the laws
prescribing the punishment of capital offences
provision that persons convicted thereof
should be sentenced TO solitary confinement
and hard labor in the State Prison, until the
punishment of death should be inflicted, which
IL fayla t.a tad