The Portland daily press., 1867-01-17
LEGISLATURE OF MAINE.
ESPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE DAILY PREss.l
STATE HOUSE, AUGUSTA, Jan. 16.

Several petltlOnS ana orders from tIe houS
were referred in concurrence.
Petition of town of Hartford, for authorit,
to assess on said town sum not exceeding on'
thousand dollars, for the purpose of extending
the Portland g. Oxford Central Railroad; pc
tition of the Maine Central Railroad Compan,
for an act authorizing said company to extent
their road from Danville Junction to Portland
were referred to the Committee on Railroads.
Mr.. Hobson, of Lincoln, presented bill. al
act to authorize the consolidation of railroa,
companies in this State.
Mr. Hersey, of Penobscot, presented the fol
lowing bills: An act in aid of constructing
the European and North American Railroad
Company. Also an act to authorize the Port
land, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad Company
TO aid in construction of European and North
American Railroad which were referred.
The joint select committee on increase OF the
Governors salary reported an act to increase
the same to twenty-five hundred dollars a
year.
On motion of Mr.. Crosby,
Ordered, That the Committee on the Judici-
airy be directed to enquire into the expediency
of repeating the law which prohibits the mar
rage between white person and negro, lndl-
an and mulatto.
The committee on bills in second reading re-
ported an act to ratify the Amendment OF the
Constitution of the United States.
The Constitutional Amendments were taken
up at eleven o'clock A. M, and were spoken to
for an hour and half, Messrs. Boynton, Of
Somerset, Woodman, of Cumberland, Crosby,
G.1I. l. II.
ter of Penobscot all taking radical grounds
favoring their adoption, but characterizing
them as not up to the present State of feeling
of the people of Maine Gen. Boynton spoke
at length in behalf of the soldiers of Maine
Those resolutions were not what they fought
for. He did not consider it necessary that the
rebel States should ratify the amendments be-
fore they became part of the Constitution.
Mr.. Woodman, of Cumberland, cordially en-
dorsed most of its provisions, but wanted more.
The act defined who are citizens of the United
States, and of the several States 1t provides
for their protection. There has been much dis
cussion on this. 1t is important that it be set
tied Alright. 1t provides that certain leaders
are to be ineligible to Congress or high offices,
civil or military who, having taken oath to sup
port the Constitution, afterwards violated it
by engaging in the rebellion This is right; let
the South raise up young men who will be true
to the Union to take their places 1t provides
for the payment of the public debt incurred to
put down the rebellion, and for the reputation
of the rebel debt; this is right. 1t does not
come up in the matter of suffrage to justice
and equality, but is a step in the right direc-
ton. We must ratify it to keep our faith. If
rejected by the South we are free to claim
more stringent amendments. These amend
ments have met with little favor at the South
and will not probably be ratified by them. If
not, ill the better for the country. 1t was the
best proposition that Congress could got
through at the time. Congress would not pass
it now There is great change in the poiti-
cal atmosphere since these amendments were
proposed. We live in an age of progress. The
Chief Executive and the two branches did not
agree upon this proposition. 1t passed over
the Presidents objections. This act of Con-
gress has been before the people, and sustain
ed. State elections have settled the question
that no one man, nor set of men, OF Assembly
or Legislature, can control or destroy the
nation.
On the failure of the acceptance of these
amendments by the South, Congress will make
another, embracing universal suffrage. This
is question which must be met. The sooner
the better Ii we are to make conditions of
education, or property, or anything else, make
the conditions universal without distinction
The poor whites of the South, many Of them
can neither read nor write, and are as degrad-
ed as the negroes. The negroes will be safe
repositories of equal rights The element pre-
dominates with them. The prospects of the
country are bright. The hand writing is upon
the wall that this nation is to be the purest
noblest and happiest nation on the earth. We
may have to pass through great difficulties yet,
but the spirit of the people will rise with the
demand
Mr.. Crosby took up the amendments, and re-
viewed and commented upon them in order
He was in favor of absolute civil, political and
social equality, and Tor abolishing from oui
statutes all distinction of color even in the
matter of intermarriages
A dirty, ill-mannered white man is no better
than a black one distinguished in the same
way.
Mr.. Caldwell was in favor of the Constitu-
tional Amendment but not greatly in favor Of
these, tor these fell short of exciting the enthu-
siasm which was occasioned by the Constitu-
tional Amendment abolishing slavery. e.
Mr.. Porter stated his own views, which were
in harmony with the other speakers; and in hi
motion the question was taken by yeas ant
nays as follows: Yeas 20, nays none. Two
Senators were absent who can record theil
votes on their return.
Mr.. Boynton laid on the table the following
resolve with preamble expressive of the
views of the loyal people of Maine, respecting
reconstruction of the late rebellious States:
Resol0ed, That those States should not be
recognized under the authority of the U. s.
Congress except through the action of the
loyal people of those States, under organic
laws that fully guarantee and secure the full
benefit of these great principles to all the PEG.
Pile thereof, and withhold political power from
traitors therein, before it is proper to re-admii
these States to representation in the gener a
government of the United States
HOUSE.
Papers from the Senate were referred in con
currence.
Petitions from eighteen lodges of Good Tom
plars, for alteration of the liquor law, were sew
erally referred to the Judiciary Committee
Petition of Oliver Moses, President of tn,
Androscoggin Railroad, for leave to extent
said road to Portland; petition of the Mayor o
Bath for authority to loan the credit of sal,
city in aid of constructing railroad from Batl
to Rockland; petition of John Penley ant
ninety-fve others, ior annexation of town o
Danville to the town of Auburn, were several
referred.
Mr.. Brown, of Hampden, from the Commit
tee on Joint Rules and Orders, reported tn
joint rules and orders of 1866, with the follow
ing amendments; To section one, add com
mittee on legal reforms and individual right
of citizens, to be composed of members VIII
have no private interest involved against sucl
reforms, distinct from the public good and add
ing an additional section, that no person shall
be permitted to vote on any question in eithe
branch of the Legislature and in committee
whose private rights distinct from public inter
esq, are Immediately COL cerned therein.
On motion of Mr.. Atkinson, of Embden,
Ordered, That the Committee on Federal Re
latlons consider the expediency of instruction
OF Senators and Representatives in Congress
touse their influence for the passage of TART
on foreign woods that shall protect the woo
growers OF this country. Also ordered that th
same committee be instructed to enquire int
the expectancy Of taking legislative action O.
the internal revenue tax of five per cent. o.
manufactures. Also in regard to drawback
on imported materials used in ship BUILDING
Barbarous Conduct of n Southern Sheriff