The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-03-23

the pTntectlOn OF MI EOtI CitiANu- w WV" '"''
ness anil social relations; the restraint and pun.
ishmpnt of vice and crime; the advancement OF
the cause of education; the protection and pro-
motion of the public health; the relief Of the poor;
the care a., the streets aud highways; the protec-
,ion of property from fire, and many other mat.
tiers or common interest, unnecessary ~ cnunc
rate. All 1T these intimately concern the welfare
anil happiness ot the people, anl the proper con-
duct aud administration ut aHiirs So that every
thing shall receive its just anil proper attention at
our hands, will necessarily preclude all hasiy and
incOnSlerate action, and call for the exercise of
large share Of impartial AMI inst DETERMINATIONS
Butin or,ier to cOnsummste onr work satisfactorily
anil leave the greatest ~ O0ts Of our til ity many
things should he taken into consideration which
have heretofore received less attention than their
impOrtsbca demands, aud which either directly
or Indirectly tend 10 modify the effect ct all We
may do, rs well rs IL become modified aud elect
ell thereby. Ii is n good old DrnOcratic maxim
which says THAT legislation is wlsest which con
fers the greatest good upon the greatest number
and having this in view, with n determination to
be governed by that principle. there will be bu,
little chance to err But although rules or max
inns may be given which have n general applcs.
ton, we should not forget that there are local
peculiarites which apply with equal u not great
or force To modify or shape our action; aud to
make our legislation properly conform to the re-
quirement- of these. will, ia fact he found To be
our chief care.
Our city IL n peculiar one IN many respects.
Considered in connection with its surroundings.
il is most strikngly peculiar in political sense,
n popularity Of which We cannot be too proud,
anl which has had much 10 do with giving to Il
that individuality which characteriaes II aud has
enabled il To- extend the circle ut its influence lar
beyond Us municipal jurisdiction. Bdietord Is
an cn,erprising city. Its history from the time OF
its earliest settlement down u the year lsio pre-.
sents hut few features OF Interests but about that
time new era lawned upon its prosperity; Tor.
eign capital attracted by the great natural ad-
yantagcs here presented was literally invested !;
cotton mills. machine shops, and iron foundries
we're erected, and city spraDg like magic into ex'
istence where all was before rude dcsOlatop. That
city has grown from nothing to he the third In
the State, both in wealth and population, within
the memory OF the Youngest Of us, and who dares
say that the spirit manifested by our citizens, and
the liberal manner in which the affairs Of the city
have been administered during the most Of this
period, have had nothing IN do with her prospe-
rityy They have had much TO do with IL. They
have not only kept capital in our midst probably
invested, but have constantly aud rapidly attract.
Ell both population and wealth. Strangers no
longer labor under the delusion that We are loca-
ted in that quiet suburban retreat known rs Saco.
On the contrary that village now serves US in the
way OF furnishing cheap rents for the families OF
our business men. where they can reside IN quiet,
undisturbed by the noise and hustle OF the city.
industrious city. Enterprise may be said to be
that which prompts to engage boldly in new I'M
dertakings; while industry Is habitual diligence
in whatsoever we are engaged. Industry Is q
commendabe virtue in itself considered, but is not
always of the same kind. person may be in
dustrious, but his industry may be OF that minor,
contracted sort which benefits no one outside OF
the little circular rut in which he moves; but
when his Industry Is coupled with enterprise II Is
then that II results in good to Others rs well rs tn
himself Both of these qualities pertain To our
citizens in u markell degree, and exhibit themsel-
YES in the prosperity AMI life Of the city. They
not only have Industrious habits, but their indus
try takes ON an enterprising torn constantly
striking out for something higher and better; and
even where we iind a man merely "making liy-
ing" tO use common expression, he viii be
found striving not only 10 make one for himself
and family but for others as WELL Dddeford is
liberal city, Some places become prOycrbially
mean. because meanness Is fostered AMI schoolcd.
aud all the people seem IL possess little groye-
ling, narrow, CONTRACTED, dried up souls, utterly
incapable of expanding To the extent OF y good or
generous dcel in whole lifetime. know OF
several such places. But when say that ours is
o liberal city, mean that spirit Of libcrlli,y
exists among all OF our citizens seldom found ey
hihitcd to an equal extent in places which are
similar, even in other respects. In fact II is q
most comment liable trait OF our people to be gene
r,,,Is even beyond their means. AMI do not be-
licve the place exists in America in which any
realty worthy object viii dnl replier or more
cheerful support according t. the recunsry CO.
plcty of the place than IN Rtl,lct'rl; for IL any
thing ever curtails the generosity nC our citizens
it will hc f,unl to lie either real want of means.
ar "A misunderstanding Of the nature Of the chart
Is; nothing else will prevent them giving more
than il ever expected, and frequently more than
il really needed. BidlAfOrl il also both tempe.
rate anl orderly city. dare SAY that In place
UC equal size in the country, having large mixei
population like ours, can less drunkenness and
rpwdyism be found than here. may not he IN n
position tu Say II with very good grace, hut
nevertheless, II cannot he denied. that this has in
n great measure been due to spirit Of liberal
anl reas Unable liberation in the Municiral Gov
ernmPnt. FROM THU, however, Il doesn't follow
that intempersncc AMI rOwJyism should be cher
ished aud panlercl To, un,lcr mistaken notion
that thereby Law AMI order will he maintainc {;
but IT proves eonelusiyely that n spirit at inter
meldling and petty tyranny is not the true one
when should animate those who administer AT
fairs in city like ours.
Now all of thesear matters which should neither
be overlooked or lost sight Of BY US, either in u
private or official capacity, for while they may
not call for needless expenditure or reckless cx-
travagance. they 10 demand the exercise of re.
ciprUcal degree OF liberality on our part. True
economy is by no means indicated 10y pusllanimi
Is in providing what is essentially necessary; and
progress, il too rapid, may be equally destructive
with that ultra phSsiyity which kills by sheer in
ertion. Let W. therefore, IL possible. plant our
selves on the safe medium ground between these
extremes, at the same time adopting line OF ac-
ton which shall have due regard for the special
merits Of all subjects presented for our considera-
ton.
STATE OF TIE COUNTRY.
am rs well aware n, any ono that the local
public interests OF the city are what demand our
more especial care, aud trust that they will re-
ceyc no want OF attention Mt our hands. There
was time when these interests were 80 slightly
affected By extraueous things as to scarcely at
tract attention 10 the outside world; but think
that time has passed. and do not deem excuses
necessary for any allusion to other subjects
which conceive intimately relate To the happi-
ness and well-being OF every citizen Of whatso-
ever party or creed.
II is a matter for congra,ula,ion that VIC meet.
IL not strictly in time uf peace, yet ut time
when contending armies in the field have ceased
20 shed tratcrnal blood and dcsolstc the land
with the horrors Of war. The devastating and
protracted conflict Of arms which ragged when We
convened one year ago, has ended, although its
disastrous effects will extend to and be felt by the
generations Of the next century. The causes and
nature of the war through which the nation has
passed., are now too we'll known and understood.
and its events too recent to need explanation or
description here. Driven to mad desperation by
the persistent aggressions of the disunion party
OF the North, the South sought relief In n suici.
DIAL attempt to destroy the Union by open war.
fare and secession. Through the blood Of the
loyal men of every party and section that attempt
was foile,l and the rebellion in the South met its
just fate But rebellion in the North still RACES,
and dsunionists hold high carnival in the legisla-
tive halls Of the nation. To day the very men
who were lately loudcst in their cries IT "copper"
heal" TRAITOR" and "lisunionist," stand up in
the halls Ot Congress and tell the people that
there u no Union, and cannot bc unless they arc
kept In power! To-day, although the war long
since ended and peace has virtually been cstab-
lishcl. Onc-third Of the States are denied the
rirht nf rnnrcscntniinn and thnir ncnlln hell In