The Portland daily press., 1864-03-03
acap,,o,', Criticisms,

der 1t has never occurred to you, or your cor
respondent "Spurwink" to criticse the pro-
fame use that is habitually made of our nation
al flag upon the dome of the State House.
According to the science of signalism there
is, or ought to be, a significance in its eleya-
ton. Is there any in this case? If so, what
is it? True, it is up generally all day, and for
aught know, up all night-for cannot pen
citrate the luminiierous Shadows" which
Spurwink folds about the Capitol-but why,
or according to what rule,is it thus displayed?
The natural answer would bet is there to
notify all who look in the direction of the ed
ifice that no,c, under that emblem of national
power, the Legislature is in session working
out the problem of free State. But it is
now up long before the Houses meet for bust
ness, and continues in position hours after the
adjournment. Three-fourths of the time it
floats over vacant MISUNDERSTANDING moth
ing Should intelligent strangers from abroad
visit our Capitol and notice this inappropriate
display of this insignia of power, doubtless
they would think the State of Maine, or some-
body in it, very green and ignorant.
In all well informed naval, military or civic
circles, the national flag is hoisted with the
rising sun and lowered with the setting sun.
In the case alluded to, however, no such rule
is regarded. Breakfast and supper seem to
have more to do with it than the king of day.
At the Federal Capitol in Washington there
is an appropriate significance fin the use of
the Stars and Stripes displayed from the dome.
Each day as Congress meets, the moment the
Speakers mallet falls, calling members to Or
der, the flag is run up, and there it remains
till the moment of adjournment, when it is
taken down. By this means strangers and
everybody in THE city may know whether
Congress is in session or not. The presence
or absence of the flag upon the dome indicates
this. Such ought to be the way at our State
Capitol. Who will say after this that Port
land is not the most suitable place in Maine
for independent legislation? The argument
is conclusive. / have no doubt, if my good
friend, Thomas Pennell, Sheriff of Cumberland
County, who has charge of the Police Courts
and lockups in the City Hall, were to have
charge also Of the adjacent room in which the
Legislature should be convened, you would
find the evil now existing among the green
horns at Augusta promptly corrected. In Eng
land the Cross of st. George always follows
the Queen, and is raised wherever she stops.
If you visit Windsor, her home, when she is
there, you will always see the national flag
floating upon the tower of the castle from the
rising to the setting of the sun. Whenever
she leaves the castle to go to London, the Isle
of Wight, Balmoral or elsewhere, the flag is
struck, and raised again over Buckingham
Palace, or any other place where she makes a
lodgment. This indicates the presence of
Majesty.
Ibelieye the British flag not ordinarily raised
over the Parliament House during the session
Of the Legislature, for the reason that these
sessions are held in the night, and darkness is
supposed to have no relation to that emblem
of British power. 1t is always struck with
the descending sun.
And now am thus critical, will you allow
me to propose few other criticisms ON legis-
lative proceedings? We have, it is said, a Sem
ate and House of Representatives. Can you
tell me in what the practical difference be-
tween these bodies consists? Weat makes
one Senate the other a House2 Both repre-
sent identically the same interests-both rep
resent numbers alone, only one has more mem
bers in it than the other. The House repre-
scnts districts made up OF towns, and the Sem
ate, so called, represents districts made as
near as may be OF Counties. But what differ
ent intent have counties in the making of
laws from what towns have? None, that
can perceive. The fact is, we merely have
two Houses of Representatives - one little
and one great one, and each has a check upon
the other only as majority in either branch
has power over the minority in the same
body.
Before the separation of Maine from Mas
sachusetts we had Senate. This was not
based upon population, for king numbers
needed check, lest an irresponsible popular
majority might vote all the money of the
commonwealth into their own pockets, or tax
it unreasonably for plebian interests. The
Senate was formed, therefore, to represent
the property of the State, and each senatorial
district had Representatives in the Legislature
according to the taxable property therein.
There was reason in this; and this constitut-
ed functional difference between the two
Houses, whereby members could check mere
popular demands. But when Maine became
a State she retained the names of Senate
and a House, but forgot that there was any
radical difference between them.
In the U. S. Government we have Senate
that Is a Senate, because it does not, like the
House, represent numbers, but States only in
their sovereign capacity. Hence Rhode Is
land has as many senators as New York.
There is true philosophy in these different
branches.
And then as TO the presiding Officers of the
two Houses; can you tell why one is called a
President and the other Speaker? Have they
any different functions to perform? Certainly
not. Cali them both by one name, President
or Moderator, but 1 beg you call neither a
Speaker, since he is the only man in the
House who does not speak. To no question
can he speak except as he leaves his office,
and, for the time being, becomes member,
by taking members seat.
The tleSpeaker comes from English usage.
The House of Commons has Speaker, one
who is elected as the organ of the body to
speak to her majesty in the name or behalf of
the Commons. Legally no other one can
speak before the throne. This Speaker is
also the presiding officer of the House. as IL