The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-02-16
al,muses Of the Oapitol.


W D AUGUSTA, Feb. 10, 1865.
The Committee on Railroads held SEES
sion yesterday in the Senate chamber, for the
purpose OF reopening the question Of repeal
ing the section preventing laying third rail
west of Portland, so as to connect the Grand
Trunk road with Boston. This matter was
settled about a fortnight since, by the Com
mittee. as was generally thought, and adverse
" to the connection. But the spirit OF enter
prise is very active just now-and the Com-
mittee reopene0 the subject, so as to MI.
Poor convince them, if he could, that they
were all wrong in their conclusions, and had
better make haste to reverse tue engine. The
chamber was quite well filed. Mr.. Poor ad-
dressed himself to his task with great deal
of zeal-which occasionally, it seemed to me,
quite outran his discretion. He scolded, coax
ed, soothed, urged; sometimes cha6ng SO
hard against individual members of the Com
mittee, as to compel them in selfdeience-to
take him down from his pedestal, and compel
him to hold in his hard-bitted stsed, that was
so evidently running away with him. Mr..
Woodman, of your city, felt bound, after
awhile, to rise in his own defenee-and he did
it SO edectually, that the attack was not re-
peated.
Mr.. Poor was quite concerned for the inter-
ests of Portland-and that her moneyed men
should be standing in their own light in this
matter In this respect, probably, there will
not be a change of guage. The citizens of
Portland know quite as we'll what is for the
interests of the Western part of the State, as
does Mr.. p, and do not desire to go to school
to him this term. The speech was of consid-l
cradle lenSth,-quite discursive in its charac-
ter, and not powerful enough to change the
mind of single individual with whom 1 con-
versed. The Committee were as "calm as a
summer MORN" under it, and when the APP
peal was over, and the vote was taken, it was
found that there was one vote more against
reporting Bill. than fortnight since. Five
to four was the figure then. The Committee
being full yesterday, six to four voted to re-
port legislation inexpedient.
But, perhaps the matter will not end with
the Committee. Quite likely, in the Legisla-
ture, the drama will be reopened. "Better not
give it up So" Mr.. Poor, will be the motto,
and the whole question be re-argued there
The question of assessing in the tax of this
year, an amount of money sufficient to cover
the bounties paid out to soldiers for the year,
is seriously agitated. The motto, "pay as you
CO." has many friends here, and Mr.. Williams
has proposed by order, that the finance Com
mittee give the subject their serious attention,
and see which is best-a permanent loan, or
taxation.
One of the signs of an approaching dissolu-
ton appeared yesterday. Roland Carlton, of
Sedgwick, had leave of absence for the re-
mainder of the session.
Mr.. Larrabee called up the "Bill to enable
the banks of this State to become banking as
sociations under the laws ofthe United States"
and his amendment was adopted. Others fol-
lowed of a judicious nature. Quite debate
sprung up, on a motion of Mr.. Foster of Ban
gor, the effect of which was, to prevent any
State bank, after assuming national charac-
ter, to reissue any of its former bills. The
trouble of obtaining sufficient bills from the
treasury at lrst,-the arrangement of bust
ness of customers by suspension of accomo-
dations, &C., were pretty freely talked over
The Bill was shown to be we'll guarded in this
respect-and the amendment was rejected
The Bill was then passed to be engrossed.
The Militia Bill then came to. the front. The
temper of the House was soon manifest, as to
the Bill. With majority it received no ia
vor. Any motions tending to promise it a
long campaign were rejected. 1t was finally
laid on the table.
DR.. Heath introduced resolves eulogistic of
the late DIR. Holmes, of Winthrop, whose sud-
den death, few days since, shocked the whole
community. saw him on Saturday before
the last, apparently in excellent health. On
the Thursday following, the news came of his
death. He had appeared, a few evenings be-
fore, in the agricultural meeting, and made a
powerful appeal against connecting the col
lege with any other institution. He went for
independence in this matter, and SO fervid
was his appeal to the farmers to stand by them
selves in the case, that, the only applause
which rang out in the Hall that evening, fol-
lowed his vigorous presentation Of his side of
the question. He had been connected with
the agricultural interests ofthe State for thir-
ty years, and had done vast deal of good
He was editor of the Maine Farmer since its
start. All this accumulation of usefulness
was hindered from further usefulness in its
rich and rare ripeness, by an attack of lung
fever, which swept him off. He lies cold in
death. Nothing can reach him further on this
sphere. Yet his memory is sweet to those who
knew him. The Masons fastened to Win
throp on Sunday last, to honor his remains.
The Legislature resolved unanimously that
the State has lost most worthy son. His
family weep for the husband and father, whose
soul was entwined in their affections. We say
farewell, to this kind old man, with sorrow
full heart. The State, and all good objects