The Republican journal., 1869-01-21

der to escape punishment, he prayed for
the young reprobate first, and whipped him
afterward. He told me, however, that he
had never been able to make anything OF
the boy till he gave up hogging and ap-
pealed to the boys sense Of what was right
and proper.
This seemed to be Il general experience
in the States. In most Of the American
schools whipping is discontinued, and in
many cases prohibited by law; and yet l
can testify from my own observation, that
the order maintained in these schools is
more perfect than have ever seen IN sim
liar schools elsewhere.
The precocity of American children and
the democratic ideas that pervade society,
and filter down even into the minds of the
youngest, account, probably, for three
tacts-tirst, tina. American parents, guar
dians, and teachers do not expect the same
reverence and unquestionable obedience
that is looked for and inculcated here sec
ond, that the children the. will not be gov
erned by mere authority and force; and
third, that happily, as counterpoise, they
become at an exceedingly early age amena-
BILE to reason.
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS. correspondent
writing from Augusta, gives the following as
the principal matters to be acted upon this
winter
Our educational interests will claim special
attention. Our common school system is very
defective, and a remedy will be prescribed that
49,,
vention in this city. 1t will be urged upon the
Legislature to establish State Board of Edu-
cation, to consist of one member from each
County to establish Teachers Institutes in
every County; to place the power of employ
ing teachers in the hands Of Superintending
School Committees instead of District Agents,
which is now the case to compel the attend
ance of all children of the State from six to
sixteen years of age, at some school, at least
three months yearly; and, lastly, to provide
for uniformity in text books.
Our railway SYSTEM which has done so much
to develop the immense resources of the State,
will form an important subject of debate, eff
/ forts being made to establish new lines of com
munication, and to extend existing lines. APP
plication will be made for an act of incorpora-
ton, authorizing the building of railroad
from Houlton to the St. John river, opposite
Little Falls in Aroostook county; also for
building 4 railroad from some feasible point
on the European and North American Railroad,
in or near the town of Winn, in Penobscot
county, thence through or near the town of
Sherman, and the plantation Of Island Falls, by
the most direct and feasible route to Presque
Isle village in Aroostook County; for Il rail-
road from some point on the European and
North American Railroad, between Lincoln
and the State boundary, to the north line of
the State; for an extension Of the Bangor,
Oldtown and Milford Railroad at Bangor, or a
branch thereof, 10 the tide waters Of Penob-
scot river; and authority to connect this road
with the European and North American Rail
road, at the Bangor and Pscataquis Railroad,
and to contract with either of these roads for
lease, sale or management of this road; for an
enlargement OF the haltered rights Of the
Portland and Rutland Railroad Company, and
for State and municipal aid; for branch line
from the Maine Central to Hartland, with the
expectation of going to Athens Charters will
be asked for u railroad from SkowEegan to
Athens, or from Pittstield to Athens, with the
right to extend the road to Moosehead Lake =;
also from SkoWhegan to Scion. The directors
of the proposed railroad from Winterport to
Bangor " i'll ask for an IN relse OF their capt
tai stock to SlOO, 900.
An effort will be made to re-enact the State
Police Act that was repealed last winter, with
several notifications; also to modify the law
for the suppression Of tipping shops.
A call will be made for the passage Of a law
lorbidding the taking OF porgies on the coast
| Of Maine earlier in the season than the first
day of August, each year, and for making Oil
or SliVerS tor bait.
The capital punishment question will be dis
cussed, and an effort made for its abolition.
movement will be made to extend the right
OF suffrage to women.
revision of our statutes will be considered.
A division Of Aroostook county will be asked
for, and the formation OF a new county by the
name Of Madawaska. Also for the incorpora-
tion of several towns in the French settle
ments.
An attempt will be made to annex the town
of Auburn to the city Of Lewiston, and to pro-
cure a city charter for Ellsworth.
Several charters will be asked for to incOr-
porate water power companies and to establish
savings banks, while efforts will be made to
continue the photographic survey another year,
and to establish an inebriate asylum, and an
industrial school for girls.
Appropriations to erect new wing to the
Stale Insane hospital, and for aid to the State
Agricultural College, will be asked for.
A SINGULAR CASE OF SHAM MOTHERHOOD
Mr.. George p. Elliott, Visiting Agent of the
Tewksbury, Mass, Amshouse, in his work,
the past year, OF looking after the children put
out to service from that institution, encounter
ed the following decidedly novel case:
ga founding babe was charged to Il man
in -. | visited the family and found them
to be worth a little property, frugal and indus
tflous. saw the man and asked him about
the child. He Indignantly, but with apparent
honesty, denied ever having taken such boy
from the almsAouse; and l could get no infor-
nation from him concerning the child, though
he admitted having one in the house about the
age Of the one | was in search Of, but said it
was his own, born Of his wife; and he produc-
ed priests christening certificate as testimo-
ny to his truthtulncss in the matter. left him,
as he became abusive in his language, and
made inquiries Of his neighbors, who corrobo
! rated his story, as also do the town records.
| On further inquiry, however, found a gentle
man who was personally cognzant of the fact
that the mans wife did take u child from the
almshouse and that the child SO taken was the
one claimed by the man to be his own. Be
coming convinced that l could not saLisfactori-
ly get at the true facts in regard TO the chld's
welfare from the family at their home (the man
having threatened to shoot me If | ever visited
him again,) | soon after caused a letter to be
sent, enjolning him to appear at the Institution
at time specified. He didnot come i'll answer
to the letter, but his wife appeared in his stead,
hun, hot ha i'm ,t,,l