The Portland daily press., 1864-02-26
AUGUSTA, Feb. "a, 1864


have stirred the patriotism and touched the
heart. The visit of Major General Burnside
as the guest Of the State, and the stirring ap-
peal of the eloquent Tennessean, Col Taylor,
and the noble response SO promptly made IN
behalf of the suffering loyal people oil East
Tennessee, have been the events OF the week.
As your reporter was upon the ground "tak-
ing notes. dare say your readers have been
properly apprised of whatever of interest to
them transpired here, therefore | viii deal
altogether with other matters.
The members of the legislature aud the
people of the city expected TO find in the morn
ing paper of Wednesday graphic account of
the events of the preceding day, and doubtless
large numbers were intending to send copies
to their distant friends to let them know how
humanity's tide pulsated at the heart Of the
State. But 10 when the morning paper was
unfoldedihe eye sought in vain, in the edito-
rial and news columns, for the slightest allu
sion to the fact that one of the nations heroes
had been here. or that great humanitarian
effort had been made in behalf of suffering
but loyal people. Outside OF the legislative
record no allusion was made to the most
brilliant event of the year; and speech un-
surpassed for its eloquence, its pathos aud its
melting effect, was dismissed in the following
brief lines
After listening to the address of Col Tay
lor, the convention dissolved and the House
adjourned"
Commend me to an Augusta journalist for
terseness aud brevity, and commend him to
the god Of quietness for the impassioned
manner in which he records-or does not re-
cord-the beatings Of humanitys pulse. /
suppose it all comes of SO constantly listening
to the eloquence of the Capitol. The sound
becomes monotonous, SO that what would
awaken the torpid soul of another man, and
bring it forth to resurrection state, passes as
unnoticed as does the bleating of a sheep
with shepherd, or the roar OF Niagara with
the man who has never been out Of sight OF
its seething waters.
The kennebec Journal of Thursday morn
ing-the next after the foregoing was writ
ten-contans full report of Col Taylor's
speech, and very good account of the fes-
tivities and doings of the occasion.--EDIToR
PRESS.
Three veteran regiments which rendez-
voused here before going to the "tented
feld," having re-enlisted for three years, have
returned to this city, arriving within the last
few days, and the warmth of their reception
and the generous hospitality extended to
them, was caution to all friends of the sol
dier. l doubt if any returned regiment has
received greeting so mdrked, or that will
be longer remembered. You boast of what
the "natural seaport" has done for the re-
turned soldier, but when the record is made
up of the muniicent reception rendered TO
the heroes of Baton Rouge and Port Hudson,
and the other two regiments recently re-
turned to this capital, think the Portland
ers will hide their diminished heads. Port
land paid from her treasury, as | gather from
a recent article in the Press, for collation.
for the 1st Maine regiment on its return from
the field, about six hundred and eighty-seyen
dollars; for the reception of the Maine Sey-
enth thousand and sixty dollars; for refresh
ments for the Maiue 10th on its return, four
hundred and eigh,y-six dollars, and for SINH
lar attentions TO the Maine 23d, 18th and 9Th
nine months regiments, about eleven hundred
dollars, and no regiment has returned TO your
city without being met by like spirit on
the part Of your people and municipality.
But when they shall learn the extent to which
the treasury Of this city was depleted by the
reception Of the Maine 9th, 1lth and l4Ih,
after an absence oftwo years or more, doubt
IL your people do not feel chagrned! shall
not give you the figures, but when the jour
mails Of this city give them | viii see that you
are furnished with an early copy.
The Bristol contested case has been settled,
Judge Blaney, the sitting member, having
been required to vacate in favor Of Mr.. Po-
land, the contestant. Mr. Blaney made de-
termlned and plucky fight, but the House ruled
him out by vote of s6 to 90. Lewis Barker,
Esq, Chairman of the Committee on Elec-
tions, was absent from his seat during the de-
bate. He is spending a few days in New
Hampshire to help the Union forces in that
State in the current campaign, which is un-
derstood to be waxing warm Captain Brink
erhoff is also there, and will do good service
for the loyal cause.
Hon. F. o. J. Smith, representative from
your neighboring town of Westbrook, took
his seat for the first time in the House. to-
day. Seven weeks of the session have al
ready passed, and il will be a question of
some interest to the people TO know how the
payroll in such cases shall be made up Ifa
member is absent on account of ill-health
there is propriety in allowing his pay to go
on without discount, but when he is absent
half or two-thirds of the session in attend
ance upon his own business, why should the
State be made to pay him salary covering time
thus employed? In the contested cases there
is often little less than fraud perpetrated at
the expense Of the treasury. The Commit
tee on Elections, having authority to settle
all contested cases in two or three weeks at
the longest, allow them to linger far into the
last half OF the session before bringing them
to close, the State, meantime, paying the
salary Of two men from district entitled 10
a single member. This has been tue case the
present session. The Hollis and Wa
terboro' case fingered six weeks, and the
Bristol case longer still, before questions that
should have been settled the first ten days OF
the session were disposed Of. SO wags the
world. SPURwINK.
STEAMERS OF THE MONTREAL LINE LOST
A friend who is well posted in such matters
has furnished the following list of steamers o