Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-03-13
Augusta Letter.
LAST DAYS OF THE SESSION.
Passage Of The Bill for Assumption Q
Municipal Wor Debts.
Position of the Democracy on Prohibit
ton &c.
AUGUSTA. Me-, Mar. It'll, 1868.


ton &c.
AUGUSTA. Me-, Mar. 7th, 1868.
Iditor Of the Ame5 lean -
The last week of the legislature was
spent principally in the consideration OF
the questian oil Assumption, resolves in ia
vor of several academies, bill, an act pur-
porting to be explanatory of Chap. 80 of
the public laws of 1858 and amcndatory of
chap. 100 Of the laws of 1867. Claws famil-
lar in name at least, throughout the State
as the Prohibitory Law and an order rel
alive to public printing. The bill tor the
equalization and knitted assumption of the
lures in accordance with the recommends
ton of the Commissioners appointed last
winter. was passed after q large number
of amendments were incorporated relating
principally to the. application of the same,
and the manner it should be carried out
| The principal discussion in the house.
was upon the senate amendment. TO as
| sumo two hundred dollars for each man.
! Instead of one hundred dollars as the
| original bill provided. Members from the
cities nearly all opposed this measure as
uajnst to their constituents, while many
opposed it as bringing upon the State too
great 4 debt. The principle Of assumption
was generally acknowledged by both par
tics rs in accordance with the wishes Of
the people and the promises Of previous
legislatures. During the early s,ages Of
the bill this side of the question was ably
examined in the Senate by Mcssrs. Crosby.
Goodwin. Stevens, and others.
The resolve for the proposed amend
ment to the constitution which must be
adopted by the people in order to make
the bill valid. caused less debate. Ia the
senate it was adopted by almost unani-
nous vote, the majority and ali the minor
itv except Mesrs. Matthews aud O'Brieu
yotins ia lis favor. III the house Mr. Il b.
inson OF Dover, Democrat went in
though he said his own family would lose
several hundred dollar. thereby. Eighty
four yo,ed for the resolution While but five
voted nay.
\ sharp debate occurred Tuesday in the
house upon bill to auth olize apothecaries
to sell distilled spirits for certain cases.
The friends OF Temperance considered this
bill virtually a repeal Of the Prohib.tory
Law, and entered their protest. 1t WAS re-
.jectcd By q large vote. Subsequently the
bill for the amendment Of the Liquor law,
SO as to authorize the sale of unfcrmented,
pure cider was passed, and another bill
was introduced to remove the imprison-
ment clause of the bill and TO reduce the
fines. 1t may be noticed though by no
means remarkably that the leading DEM
ocrats readily declared this a step in the
right direction as lbera,ing them from the
odi0us restraints of Prohibition. A bill
passed directing municipal officers to ell
force the Law for suppression of houses of
i'll fame, gambling houses, and tipping
and characterized AS constabulary junior.
and the ghost of the slain constabulary.
Well might they be terrified at the appar-
ton.
The resolves relative to appropriations
for academies failed of passage Will; ex-
eeptions of those for Hebron and FoXcroft.
The bill relative to State Board of Educa-
ton and the uniformity Of text books failed
of passage in the senate and was referr-
cd to next legislature.
Friday was spent in the preparation for
an adjournment on Saturday. At eight
o'clock Saturday the two branches ass en-
bled to enact the b lis passed the previous
day. and perform the usual ceremonies of
adjournment. Moist eyes might have been
seen IN either branch as the resolutions
compli mentary to the various officers, re-
minded them that the present session gen.
orally harmonious, rich in new made
friendships, ard on the whole intcrspersed
with happy experiences was closing. 1t
was an impressive reminder of the frailty
OF man, and the feetness of time, to real
ize that SO few weeks could form such cor
dial attachments, and one hour dissolve
so agreeable associations. Mr.. Talbot
in the house, and Nj. Farley in the senate
introduced the resolutions Of thanks to the
respective presiding officers. All the prin-
cipal men of the house minority, Hubbard,
Walker, Robinson, Andrews and Brad
bury seconded the resolutions in short, ear
nest, graceful and touching remarks. Mr..
Hale, Fessenden and Dmsley of the Re-
publicans responded in such a way as to
assure us that either party were not want
ing in the finer emotions. and acute sensi.
bilities Of which noble minds and magnan-
imous hearts are never wholly destitute.
Whatever mistakes may have been COM
mited, petty jealousies fostered, or pred
JUDGES stirred up, it treasured us that
men engaged in political life, the clear
power of particular principles or petted
theories, are not the cold, heartless, inhu-