The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-11
Letter from the sold Bay State"
BOSTON. Jan. 9. 1885.


10 the Editor erthe Prfss'
At this season Of the year when SO many Of
the State Legislsturesar are convening, and mat
ters of so general importance are necessarily
discussed snd adopted, it will not be uninter-
esting 70 notice few that will come before
our Legislature this winter. ----------
first in general interest is the election OF
United States Senator, Mr.. Wilson's term ex-
piring the 4th of next March. Although there
is no doubt of Mr.. Wilson's reelection, IL is
well known that many would prefer 10 senu
Gov Andrew to the Senate, as was eViuceo on
Saturday,. Senator Ware moved TO reconsider
the vote previously adopted, assigning Wed
nesday for the choice oil - Senator. Mr..
Elbridge replied that if the motion was made
Tor the purpose Of organizing factious oppos
tiou. he was opposed to it. Mr.. Ware in his
response said: "Because he prefers Henry
Wilson and prefer Gov. Andrew, is that any
reason why should be charged with factious
opposition p AiAs7 i'' ~
Mr.. Wilson has already served ten years,
having been elected to the unexpired term of
Mr.. Everett, who retired on account of ILL
neallh. In 1859 he was reelected to the term
which closes the h of next March. Ii he
hould be re-elected, his senatorial career will
hus be extended TO sixteen years, length of
ime only exceeded by Webster and Sumner,
he latter now in his third term, the completion
If which will give him eighteen years ofsena-
aorial life. 2m M#s
The Governors message is document of
more than usual interest, giving minute and
elaborate statement of the industrial and fnan-
cial condition of the State. Being probably,
as he says, his last annual message, he has
made this record of his unwearied indur.ry,
and careful research and comprehension of the
affairs of the State.
Among many items of interest the mes
sage effectually disposes ofthe invidious charge
hat Massachusetts has filed her quotas with
Imported mercenaries and negroes. The whole
number of men furnished TO the general gov
ernment by the State has been 1853, 486, thus
ending more men into the field than there are
now IN the State between the ages of Is and
10; and 10000 more than there are now in the
State liable to do military duty. Some ofthese
|ero three months men, which being reduced
60 the term of three years, shows that the
humber of three years men actually furnished
up to the 22d Of Dec, 1884, was 125, 437, making
surplus over all calls of 1918. Ofthis num-
Der furnished to the government, only 907
we're foreigners enlisted abroad, and less than
Eve thousand were negroes, many Of whom
were citizens of the State. After what Gems
Grant and Meade say of the steady courage
and bravery of negro troops, whether on the
march or in the terrible charge, Gov. An
drew may well be be jubilant over their sue.
cess, for he first obtained permission from the
general government to recruit them, assum
ing as he says, the hazard of the enterprise
out the country reaps the reward of its bril-
liant and assured success. sa1 to0s
| A few remarks in the message in regard tc
the reconstruction of the Southern States are
especially applicable at the present time, when
Boston is willing to give money with liberal
land for the support of the poor of Savannah
de says: LET the people OF Massachusetts
remember that the poor, oppressed democracy
d 0eOTSla anu INC OaEOilDds are their DTetu
rem. We fight to carry the school house, the
free press, the free ballot box, and all the in
dependent manhood of our New England lib
erty to the people of the slave-ridden South
Hethus gives expression to the feelings o.
rot only Massachusetts, but of the whole
| North, which is willing to forgive the masses
| Who have been precipitated into the vortex o
ruin. hna ..sq l5aa1t saes >ae5 81 ssssaas9 s
| In speaking of the National Gallery of Stat
iary, for which each State is invited to fur
| ish two statues in marble or bronze, he says
fsuch honors are paid to the heroes, and age,
# the past, What commemoration await thoss
n the future, who shall command the graft
ude of posterity for their defense of thu
| Union. se7at % 4s7aasts 60
He alludes to the dead heroes who havt
1asted death for the cause of their country, 0
whom 434 were officers, with the eloquence O
Pericles over the Grecian heroes who haC
allen in the Pelponesean war. "Let the fats
md fame of every man, to the humblest pri
sste of them all, be inscribed upon the record:
IT this Capitol, there to remain, I trust, until
he earth and sea shall give up their dead
And thus shall the Capital itself become fol-
,Very soldier SOB OF ours monument"
| s5 r. F. L.
~. 3