Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-02-11
Correspondence.
Legislative Work.

cnlture. after mich active service in behalf
Of the great art Of farming for il seems
more of an art than anything else. has al
journed. and now there are igeniy Lesser
Legislature" IN session in the several com
mittee rooms and in the senate chambers.
to consider and act upon all the various
subjects which come MP for legislation. In
these committee meetings the special sub
iects referred to them are examined end
full inquiry made as TO their merits. and
the bills are prepared and then represented
to the Legislature. Before these conn.,
tees. parties arc heard. often by the best
counsel in the State and by the best aTgu-
meuts pro and con. which they are able TO
make. There is often an Attempting in
terest in these committee meetings draw
ing large numbers of persons to witness
the diplay of skill in the advocates, and
their graces of speech. The leading sub
jects. JUS, now are the Reciprocity Treaty:
Capitol Pu~lshment; State Police and
Railroad ent.prizcs. On these every fact
and force are brcught to bear, and the
closest inquiries are instituted. On one
evening while the committee we're consid-
enng the subject Of reciprocity between
the United States and the British Domin.
ION. various arguments had been made IN
favor Of reciprocitv. when Hon. Samuel II.
Blake with the feryor Of an eloquent man.
feeling the entire Weight Of his home city,
Bangor. resting upon him. made an argu-
rnent OF massive forces closely knit with
fact aud bitter experience glowing with
an earnest patriotism. aud ornameBied with
the flowers of discriminating rhetoric. and
welded aud nterlockel by enduring lsgic.
he crushed beoeath his feet, step by step.
every point which hal been raised in faror
Of the measure; AMI completely carried the
mass of his hearers. il not hi opponents
against any more ruiEous experiments Of
reciprocity.
On the subject OF railroad matters had
A&sN -f0b lNl ~ AAFAt4i ~ AAf HAa44EAitr
OF John A Poor. Esq the Railroad pro-
lecior. and whom any fact or figure touch
ing railroads is as familiar a. house Lold
words. He j. natural .iatistician lie
dreams Of all those fact. relating ID the
country which illustrate II. physical ana
industrial condition which can hv posiblI
iiy be wrought into numerica. statement
and arranged into tables. He treats every
fact as brother Of 4 large family aud the
larger the better. lie know. almost Ly
intuition the home Of facts. where they
may lie sosghi and found. II y interest
Ing to listen TO snch man. even if at times
he does seem TO summon vastly more facts
III u seem Necessary or useful. His recon
nolssance is va'1ahIe but the engineer
should he consulted before putting money
into an enterprise.
! am on the qA r,rr ia listen 10 the great
arguments TO be offered TO the committee
on the subject Of capitol punishment.
which subiec; i soon 10 be considered. and
for which much intercs, j. felt. 4 great
many people seem to tear the death psHal;y.
| am willing to dispense wi.l il ID All oa.es.
except traitors against the government Of
the United States and for such fellows
must 90 in for plenty of hemp.
Ii is not sufficiently considered by the
people in their homes. that by the arrange
ment of committees in the Legislature TO
hear and decide upon all questions brought
before them TO act az the eyes, and the
ears Of the Legislature. in special subject,
there il an opportunity for all III" earnest
men in the State, the wise men. the dis
erect men. TO be fully heard even If they
are no. members of the Legislature. This
work OF the committees IN preparing bills
for general legislation Is often unseen be
cause unreported, but quite as important
as the action OF the whole legislature in
general session.
Ii il satisfaction 10 ne that IN the
legislative delegation from good Old Han
cock county there Is no Mr.. Blank. but that
force
One Of the Interesting incidents connect
Ell with the several committees having the
oversight of our public institutions. l. the
annual visit made by each TO the lnsiItu-
ton in charge. The committee on Educi
ton, for instance. IN company with the
Governor and a committee Of the Executive
council make pleasant visit TO the Nor
NAL Schools. The State Asylum for the
Insane the Reform School and the State
Prison are each visited by their sepera.e
committees of the Legislature. These oc
casions are made socially pleasant and are
sometimes highly interesting. Special re
ports are made on these visits. and where
the duty Of writing such report is assigned
10 an organized and suggestive mind. they
are of.untnld value. The reports ought 10
be most thorough aud plain spoken; a 10
the impression made upon the mind Of one
VINO had closely observed the brief work
ing of the Institution and the results. but
without having fully studied its details
Ny bnct visit to the capitol and especial
ly at the capitol has clearly show the ebb
and flow Of the tile Of Attendance On
Monday the attendance Is small aud but
little legislation is effected The railroad
train IRON The East brings large number
Of The members from their homes. at ii
O'Clock In the afternoon the Western