The Portland daily press., 1864-02-18
Iashls ANA shadows a, the STATE CapltaI.

discount Of Sl.00 ani4 be made.
Lights and Shadows at the State Capital.
AUGUSTA, Feb. II, 1864
1t Is surprising to witness the sensitiveness
ofa few--a very few, it is hoped-of the denl-
zens of this goodly little city. Not word
complimentary to the virtues or even ladies OF
any other place can be spoken, but their feath-
ers rise, and forsooth the compliment is con-
strued into back-handed clipat their good
name. An instance Of this is seen Ia COM
muncation in the journal of this city of Mon
day last, in which the Press receives bad
name, and is accused of making it Especial
mission" "to SANDER and misrepresent Angus
ia and all Its doings and surroundings" and
is also charged with the ungaliant act of din
sinuatag eensure and slur upon the noble
women of Augusta And what, friendly
reader, do you suppose was the "head and
front" Of the Press offending in this matter,
or what had it said to call for such grave
charge? Simply this: the local editor of the
Press had made paragraph of dozen lines
in relation to what the ladies of Portland did
for Col. Fessendens regiment, in the way of
hospital stores, to be put on board the steamer
which took that band of veterans from your
port to New Orleans, winding up with the re-
mark, Truly, the ladies Of our city are full of
good works, like Dorcas of old.n This was
actually construed into an implied "censure
and slur upon the ladies" of q sister city =
Shame on the smallness OF SOUL or rather the
absence of soul, and the wretched spirit of en-
Wy which cannot award praise for good act,
or allow others TO do SO, without feeling that
those not specially mentioned are Intentionally
slurred and slandered. Not word has been
said in the Press, so far as | have been able to
detect in its columns, which by any possibility
can be construed into lack of gallantry to
the ladies of this capital, except by violation
of language and a perversion of all common
sense such as none but an envious, jealous and
narrow mind Is capable Of ] do reeollect
when your correspondent "Helosn spoke Of
what the people of Augusta had done for the
soldier, and intimated that no other place in
the State had done as much in proportion TO
its means, after showing what Portland had
done, you remarked, Mr.. Editor, substantially
like this that no doubt the people OF Augusta,
like those of many other places, had done all
in their power in this direction; that if they
had done more than others they should thank
God for giving them the ability to do more;
II they had done less but done all they could,
they should remember that it is not the amount
of ones contribution so much as the spirit in
which 1t Is made, that makes It meritorious.
Such is the spirit in which the Press has re-
ferred to the good ladies Of this city, and 1t is
in this way only that it has sought to "censure
and slur" them. Shame, l say again, be the
Inheritance Of a spirit so base, so enyious,
50 jealous and so insignificant that, In such a
course, It finds nothing to satisfy but every
thing to condemn, and to lash Il into rage and
fury.
The Rolls and WATERFORD case was dispos-
ed Of yesterday in the House, by resolution
unanimously passed, giving the seat to Mr..
Bradbury, Democrat. The report Of the CON-
mittee, drawn up aud read by the Chairman,
Lewis Barker, Esq. was very able one, and
all the members OF the committee concnrred
ia IL. The decision was in accordance with
precedenls in Mass, and accords with the law
as settled in that State and which has pre-
vailed in the British parliament. Having
heard the testimony in the case have never
doubted how 1t would be decided, though
have not felt at liberty to attempt anything
like a forestament Of the committees report.
The committee have shown that they can be
Just even at the expense of party considera-
tions, and the House, in its unanimous en-
dorsement of their action, has displayed an
instance of fairness aud or independence of
party spirit truly refreshing to contemplate.
Some gentlemen in the eastern part of ne
State, having petitioned for a law looking to
the determination OF the Canada thistle, the
Committee on Agriculture, to whom it was
referred, reported leave to Withdraw, and the
report was accepted, but Mr.. Farwell, of
Rocsland, subsequently, succeeded in getting
a reconsideration and recommitment of the
report, aud | am suspicious that bill will be
reported requiring people to cut these pesti-
leatial weeds on their premises before the
ripening Of the seed, and requiring the sur
veyors of highways to have them cut in the
highways, aud on private lands within their
districts when the owners neglect 10 do so.
the expense OF such cutting--on the private
lands-to be assessed upon the owners. This
is substantially the law Of Michigan, and has
resulted in keeping that State free from a
pest which proves to be a very serious draw
back upon the agricultural prosperity of Can
ada West and portions Of our own country.
Some members sneered at the arguments in
favor of such law, and spoke of it as an at
tempt to "regulate nature"-as though it is
not the province of all education and cutiya-
tion to improve the condition in which nature
would leave, or into which it would b.ing,
everything susceptible OF education or cult
walton. 1t was stated-a fact well known to
all observing persons-that grounds complete
ly covered with thistles when under cultiya-
tion, If laid down to grass will be found com
paritively free in two years, which fact, instead
of proving the needlessness of legislation as
was intended, only shows the effect Of cutting
before the seed natures in killing out the roots,
while the same process prevents the ripeued
seed, at a later period, from being waited
broadcast over large tracts Of country by the
aid Of the balloon-like appendages to which it
is attached.
The printing and binding contracts were
laid before the Senate yesterday The latter
was approved and sent down for concurrence;