The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-02-03
Legislative Summary


requested to iqnuire into the expediency of so
amending the Law that plaintiff In action
against two ar moro defendants may summon
in the Executor or Administrator or either Of
such defeudents dying during the pending Of
such action, and prosecute his suit and find
judgment againft them all jointly. ~
HousE.-The bill to increase the salary Of the
Register OF Probate OF York county came up at
the close Of the morning hour, the question be-
ing on its indefinite postponement.
Mr.. Bickford. Of Warren, believed that ques.
tons Of this nature could not stand on their
own merits, but the increase Of one salary must
have an effect on other petitions Of the same
character.
Mr.. Weld Of Buxton did not believe there
was single member Of the York delegation or
Of the House who would not agree that the sal.
airy ought to be raised. He recited the testimo.
ny as 1t appeared before the Committee, aud
this officer 10 lower than similar officers In 9th.
or counties.
Mr.. Eaton OF Read6eli said that the nrgu.
ments OF the gentleman from Buxton. seemed
to make II n clear case that the salary Of the
Register of Probate of York county ought to be
increased. Yet he was opposed to an increase.
He did not believe that the person who holds
the office at present would resign II this bill
failed.
He thought there were plenty Of others, good
and capable men, who will take the Office ut
the old salary II he should resign.
Mr.. Foster, OF Bangor should vote for this in.
crease on the sole ground that the people Of
York county desire that this salary should be
increased. He combatted the argument that
the salary should he the same because there
are others who will take the Office II the present
incumbent should resign. That may he true;
but the people elect whom they will have In
these Offices, and they have right to pay him
what they choose. He .elt that he had no right
to oppose that wish.
Mr. Payson of Westbrook, thought the gen
tleman from Buxton had certainly made We.
~ clear case, II this question were to come up
on its own merit, he felt sure there would not
be single vote In opposition.
lie was opposed to linking more than one
case together. II was not a correct principle
faction. The argument that because We have
m officer who will work for half pay VIC should
keep him ut that pay, was wholly untenable.
Mr.. Webb Of Portland, agreed in the princi-
ple that every question should stand upon Its
own merits, but thought II difficult always to
decide questions independently. The very
large number Of petitions for increase OF salary
had led him to adopt o general rule for the
government OF his own action in these cases.
lie had determined that whenever any officer
whose salary was sufficient before the war, should
ask for an increase because OF the increased
cost Of living, he should vote against It.. The
burdens Of war are common burdens. On the
other hand, ifan officer should ask an increase
because his salary Is insufficient rs a compen-
sation for the labors performed, and was 20 be
fore the war, he should vote for II. With this
rule he could not vote against the indefinite
postponemeut OF this bill.
Mr. Crosby. OF Dexter, agreed generally with
~. 4 r., kla, from
land but disagreed with the principle, that We
should refuse to raise salaries on account OF the
depreciation Of the currency. The salaried man
il one who suffered in the burdens OF this war.
The delegation from the County OF Penobscot
had decided to raise the salaries OF their Coun
~ officers for two years, and he agreed with
that decision. He thought this bill should
pass. 80,
Mr. Roberts Of stocton opposed the bill.
He asked ifthis officer asks tor this increase
on general grounds why he did not present his
petition years ago! he warned members 'ha'
this Is only opening the gates TO further in-
crease and to discussion and delay through the
entire session. 80,
Mr.. Jordan of Berwick, favored the bill on
principle. He should vote against the indeh
mite postpOnement because he believed II was
right this salary should DO raised. lie had
heard Il stated that the delegation was not unan.
imous. He had uotheard the name OF the MEM
her from York County who opposed Il, and he
has not vet risen to state his opposition lie
brought statistics showing that while the popu.
lation of York County has increased by more
than 10 900, and the valuation has increased
Eve fold, the salary Of this Office has been raised
only twenty five collars In thirty years. With
respect to the a, gument that men coul,l be
found who will take these offices for nothing,
that shuts out the talented poor man m opens
offices only to the purse-proud and naughty.
Mr.. Wilson Of Thomaston, explained his pr.
sitivn. lie should vote for this bill, but would
not thereby commit himselfto general increase
Of salaries, nor would he bind himself to follow
the lead Of County delegations
The question was put aud answered. In the at.
frmatiye by yeas SO, nays 81, rs follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Abbott. Atwood, Baker, Bar
ker. Beale, Bean, Boynton, Brigham, Bryant.
Burbank, Carleton, Cleayes. Churchill, Mar
shall. Cram. Curtis, H. NJ. Eaton, Ellis, Fair.
banks, Ferguson, Fisher, Follansbee, Chas.
Foster, A. c. French, John French, Geyer. Go
wer. Tlaines. Hammond, Hathaway. Heath, J.
breth, Thomas Little. McIntire, Merry, N.Y.
rick, Monroe, N. P. Monroe, j s. Moore, Vim.
Moore, Nicke, son, Norton, Parkes, @, F. Pat
ten, Perley, Philbrick, Phillips, Richards, Rob-
erts, Rodgers, Simpson, Smith. Slower, Sweet
ser. Valley, Walker, Wasgatt, Whitney, Young
-63.
NAYs.-Msssrs. Bachelor, Bartlett. Bick.
fori, Bliss. Bradford Carney, Chelsey. Church,
Crosby, Day. Dinuley, Doyle. Fogg, }: d. Eos
T. lin, WIN. Hill, Hedge, Holden, Howe; Hunt,
Jones. jordan, Kilby, Lang, Lsrabee. E. I.
Little, Lyfortl, Miller, Milliken, Montgomery.
Nelson, Oak, Payson, Perkins, Pool, Porter,
Prescott. Pullen, Robinson, Shaw, Stetson, Ste
phens, Nathan Webb, Weld, Weston, Williams,
Edmund wlson-3l.
SESArE.-The following bills were read and
assigned: An act to Incorporate the Lincoln
Mills; an act to incorporate the Lewiston Ma
chine Co.; an act to Incorporate the Hudson
Manufacturing Co.; an act tn increase the cap
ital stock Of the Farnsworth Manufacturing
Co.: an net to incorporate the st. Croix Hall.
Bill an act to amend the law relating to poll
taxes was taken up, and amended 50 rs to read
as follows:
Srcr. /, In the assessment OF all State, ooun-
~, town or plantation taxes. the assessors
thereof shall assess on the taxable polls therein,
one sixth part, as nearly as may be-, OF the
be observed In the assessment Of highway tax
es, aud the residue Of such taxes shall be as
sessed on the estates according to their value.
Seer. 2. Chapter 25l OF the Public Laws Of
1864, relating TO poll taxes, Is hereby re-
pealed.
HousE.-Blll to incorporate the Lewiston
Fire Insurance Company. was passed to be enc
crossed. ..
Bills, an act to incorporate the Lisbon Man.
ufacturing Co.. an act to make valid the do
ings of cities, towns and plantations In raising
bounties to be paid to volunteers, drafted men
and their substitutes. and for other purposes,
were each passed to be eugrossed.
In Senate, read and assigned-An act to pre-.
vent the defacing Of private property and nat.
ural objects by advertisements; m act to amend
chapter 80 Of the Public Laws Of 1881, entitled
can act to restrict the jurisdiction OF Justices