The Portland daily press., 1864-01-23
Lights and shadows at the Capital.

raise and pay out money for the communication
of seryices-to enable men to remain at home
without furnishing substitutes-has received
severe treatment at the hands of the Judiciary
Committee OF the legislature, as every reason
able man supposed Il would. This rebel dodge
to withhold men from the government, was
inaugurated in the town OF Phipsburg, under
the lead and management Of eoppeIhead pol
iticiaus, who got town vote to pay each draf-
ted man $500 and allow him to use it at his
own discretion, to pay for the privilege OF
Withholding his services from the government.
The agents Of the town took their scrip,
based on such VOTE and for long time
sought to raise money on it from the banks or
capitalists of Bath, but "nary red" were they
permitted to touch on such security.
The Westbrook town meeting-under the
leadership of such counselors as the proprie-
tor OF the Portland Advertiser-passed vote
very much like that OF Phipsburg, but the ex-
perience OF Phipsburg proved tie be the expe.
rienee Of the more opulent town OF Westbrook
when the scrip was offered for negotiation, for
neither banker nor capitalist would have aught
to do with kind OF scrip for the redemption
of which no taxes could be assessed, and no
probability existed that authority to assess such
taxes could be secured from the only tribunal
of comtetent jurisdiction to grant it.
The readers of the Press have not forgotten
the long, labored and Jealous arguments of the
Advertiser to secure similar action in other
towns; how it insisted that this was the only
fair way Of responding to the call of the Presi-
dent; how it was urged that the same action
of the legislature which would legalize the
raising of money for bounties would also le-
galize the raising of money to keep men at
home, and how, after the Supreme Judges had
given an opinion upon the subject, it was still
argued that their opinion did not touch the
case in point, nor would the legislature dare
to withhold its authority for such action or the
Supreme bench to dscredit the constitution
atty of such legislation should it be secured.
But the Judiciary Committee of the legisla-
ture have dared TO do right, and they have
fearlessly taken this rebel bull by the horns,
and met the question square-edged and unc-
quivocally The bill they reported and which
win become a law with very feeble or no OPP
position, gives full legality to all action Of
towns raising bounties to promote enlistmcnts,
to ease the burdens resting upon drafted men,
OF for procuring substitutes ALSO giving towns
full authority TO assume the acton of their
officers to secure the same results though such
officers, in good faith, have acted without any
previous vote OF or authority from their towns.
But while the bill does this it not only fails TO
give authority for such acts as that Of Phips-
burg and Westbrook, but absolutely and in
terms declares the raising of money Tor com
mutation purposes unlawful, unauthorized,
null and consequently void, so that no prctcnse
can hereafter be set up that any tax can be
collected for the redemption OF such scrip as
that referred to, or that such scrip is legally
any better than SO much waste paper. 1t is
hoped by this time that those who in this
matter have been humbugged BY copperhead
leaders, have learned wisdom, aud so far got
their eyes open that hereafter they may not
fall into the snares set for them by the enc
mics Of the Government.
Wednesday afternoon the arguments were
made before the Committee of the House in
the Standish and Baldwin contested election
case. Hon. james w. Bradbury OF this city,
appeared for Frederic Lowell, Esq, the sitting
member, Democrat and Hon. Warren H. Vim
ton of your city, appeared for the contestant,
Eliakim Wescott, Esq, (Union.) The argu-
ments were conducted in a very candid, cour-
teous and afIable spirit, and were creditabe to
both of the distinguished gentlemen making
them. Mr.. Bradbury spoke for nearly two
hours, and made the best possible use of the
materials afforded by the case.
or course he made clear case for his client,
but never was the remark of the sacred writer
more fully illustrated than in what followed
A man seemcth just in his own eyes, but his
neighbor. cometh and scarcheth him. Mr..
Vinton seized upon the strong points in his
case, and-ifh he gave a correct version OF the
testimony-it is difficult fer an outsider to
understand bywhat fair, just aud honest prin-
ciple of action Mr.. wescott should not be al
lowed TO take the seat now occupied by Mr.
Lowell. 1t would seem that the copperhead
selectmen of Standish admitted votes for Mr.
fairness should have been refused, while they
refused otes from several individuals in favor
OF Mr.. Weseott, without the slightest justif-
cation in the world, and without the slightest
reason except to secure party triumph no.
lens rolens. SO 1t appears to stranger who
listened only to the reorganization Of the testi-
mony by the counsel in the case, not having
heard the testimony ITSELF Perhaps the Com
mittee, with all the testimony before them,
may take a different view, but as their report
will soon be made up, the friends Of the par
ties will not long be kept in suspense. In the
Baldwin portion of the district no unfairness
is alleged. 1t is alleged, however, by Mr..
Wescott, that two ballots for Mr.. Lowell were
found in the box, SO attached to each other,
and requiring SO much care to discover that
they were not single ballot, as to force the
conviction that they were thrown by one per-
son, not by design but through sheer ignorance
OF the fact. The evidence seemed pretty con-
elusive. II Mr.. Wescott sustained all his spe-
ciiications, then he should be declared elected
by two or three majority, instead OF Mr.. Low
ell who claims to hold the seat by two major
ity. The parties both appeared well before
the Committee, and showed more freedom
from feeling and bitterness than is usual in
such cases.
The Hollis and WATERFORD case will next be
taken nm That In voly several nice noinfs