The Portland daily press., 1865-02-13
Glimpses Of the Capitol.
AUGUSTA. Feb. 11. 1s6l

~ aiaEfu AUGUSTA, Feb. IL, 1865.
The most important bill of the session, so
far as the business and finances of the State
are concerned, is that legalizing Bounties,
&c. 1t not only legalizss the past, but pro-
poses for the future. 1t bears-as ali move
ments in great war must-very heavily up
o the treasury of the State, and of cities and
towns. 1t is a burden that must be borne.
This is well understood. The authority Of
our country cannot be maintained without
soldiers. How best to get them is the great
question. This Bill was launched early, and
It has been in the printing office, on the table,
or under discussion almost the entire ses-
sion. twas before the House again yesterday.
AMI enlisted an earnest and protracted debate.
Mr.. Dingley, sensible of the necessity of
some restraint as to the amount towns NAV
pay for bounties,-especially as each Legisla-
ture thus far, has legalized the payment of the
previous year, introduced an important
amendment, that no towns, &c., shall pay, or
agree to, as a bounty to volunteers, substi-
tute, or drafted man, more than $500 for the
first year, and 500 for each additional year.
This was a move in the right direction, and
was adopted. rF ~
Another amendment submitted by Mr..
Dingley, was as follows:
"Nor shall any bounty be paid by any city,
town or plantation for the assignment to such
city, town, or plantation OF any person here
tofore enlisted or drafted and mustered into
the service of the United States, except on
SuhapuuAnf anliSfmQnf xuhoro M nuf ODD mr.
drafted man has been or may be credited to
the State without the payment of such boun-
~" I'll
This met with a. determined opposition
rom Messrs. Miller, Tapley and Garnsey, and
an equally determined support from the
mover, and Messrs. Cram of Brunswick, Per-
Sins and Porter; and it was carried. .
Mr. Williams of Augusta, made an effort to
mend SO as to cut off the State Bounties here
after; leaving it for the towns to pay for the
recruit He and Gen. Hersey made fervent
appeals to the members to regard the condi-
ton ofthe Treasury, and protect the credit of
he State. As much had been paid from this
source as should be. But the proposed amend
nent was bitterly opposed by others; and was
ost., The Bill then,-after having been buff
! 'eted and cosseted for month, passed to be
.ngrossed. IA
IL has yet to meet the ordeal of tina Senate;
Yhat its fate will be, is yet uncertain. Its
'hape may after all, when sent forth enacted,
De very different from its present proportions.
The increase of salary question reared its
bead again in the Senate, on Friday, in the
trm ofincreasing the fees of the Register of
Deeds in Lincoln. Judge Tenney put his huge
paw upon the crown of the bantling, and its
life was not worth a picayune from that time.
The subject of raising the salaries of county
officers is now before large committee, who
, lave all the petitions before them. This effort
was as unsuccessful as all former ones have
oeen, or are likely to be.
3 The monotony Of Legislative life was most
tgreeably broken in upon on Thursday eve
ling, BY splendid patty at the residence Of
Governor Cony. In the usual elegant style of
tais worthy gentleman and his lady, the men,
bers Of the Legislature whose wives were tar
rying at the capital-were entertained at his
residence. As the fashionable season has fully
set in, there are large number of ladies in
attendance here. The Governors spacious
mansion was crowded. The ladies were out
IN full force-many of them were dressed
within an inch of their lives. The fashions
we're observed, with great exactness-and
Madame Demorest would have felt proud of
her pupils could she have Contemplated the
gay and festive scene. The occasion was one
Of great pleasure, and was carried out in all
particulars, in a most agreeable manner. The
Governor is as equally at home in the hearth
less of his social gathering as in the chair of
State. PELHAM. ~