The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-07

Inc oSale Ienslon Law has been al
minIstered with. much care. The wbol.
number Of applications for 1869 up 10 the nreO ,e
ent time is ~ OF these 635 have been az
lowed at various rates. The whole amount ex-
pended to date, is S24,562. The pension wear
ends somewhat awkwardy on the 23d of Feb
ruary, which constantly renders complete
report to the Legislature impossible. 1t would
be better to make the pension account end with
the year. 1t is estimated that some fifty claims
more will be presented and allowed, render
ing the whole humber of pensions some 700,
and swelling the amount paid tor the full
year TO about $4,000. These figures we may
now regard as about the settled amounts of
our liabilities ON the score of pensions. The
law and its application is now so well under
derstood that few but meritorious cases will
apply, and these, it may be presumed, are
now nearly all in. 1t will be seen that the
amounts received by the pensioners fall very
lar snort OF the maximum allowed by law, via.
S9o eaen' The average is now very nearly
S9o' Inc appropriation being limited.we are,
Oh course, anxious to keep within the amount;
%nle tne aPpileants are so many that 10 rem
der aid to all, the sum allowed TO each must
necessarily be small, and some have to be sent
away empty, and perhaps rather summarily.
You will doubtless continue this aid. II seems
indeed pitlfully small, compared with the
great git these widows and orphans and
wounded men have made to the nation in her
hour of peril. This pittance does not restore
health, nor the son, or husband, or father
The guide of youth and the stay OF age Is
smtten from their sight. The best we can do
is poor-the most we can give is little. That
at any rate we should give. The cost
of the Pension office will be S2,100 for the
year. Perhaps some saving might be made
and some other advantages secured by plac-
ing this business in the Adjutant Generals Of
flee; The ordinary duties of that office will
s ve ,h i.es - settle uD tbe
be obviated-the changing ofhands each year.
In all doubtful or disputed cases as now, ap-
peal might still be had to the Governor.
SOLDIERS AND ORPHANS.
The Board of Guardians of destitute Or
phans of soldiers and sailors have used such
diligence as they could in fulfilling their
trust. The duties Of this Board are varied
and wide. Besides receiving applications
they have to search out cases, visiting distant
places for the personal inspection OF reported
destitution, and sometimes assuming the en-
tire care OF the homeless and unprotected.
The result has shown many bereaved families
and much suffering. The number of orphans
now on our list is 2,270. or these. 1900 have
more or less been aided. Sixty have been abso-
lutely taken into our care, and most of them
placed in those benefcent institutions which
are well called homes. The Orphan Asylum,
at Bangor, has received 25, and the amount
paid for their support thus far is 81 000 This
institution is not primarily devoted to or.
phans OF this class. Bat the broad and ten
der charity that presides over it has admitted
these little ones as special favor, which we
were authorized by the Legislature to accept.
The Orphans Home, at Bath, is now estab-
lished under the most happy auspices. The
10 t,a rs.t;< II
last winter were promptly fulfilled by gener-
Gus citizens of Bath whose names are al
ready venerated for acts OF charity, and a
commodious estate was bought and rettted
fer the Home. 1t is not completely furnished
as yet, but the space is ample, and with the
benefactons which will follow this institu-
ton will become the dispenser OF many bless
in9s. There are 33 orphans now there. The
amount paid for their support is $1,000. The
whole amount d'sbursed up to the present
time is Sl1 ,230; remaining in the hands of the
Board for disbursement during the next
quarter So, ,0S0. Expenses OF the Board thus
tar $3.50, making the total drawn from the
treasury on this account for the year $4,000,
which leaves the balance of the appropriation,
viz, S. GOO, unexpended and not drawn !. ON
the treasury. Whatever means you provide
for the care of these orphans, 1t is duty too
sacred to be sighted. The aims house, the
hovel, and the street, are sad homes for the
sons of martyrs.
LEGAL.
The Attorney General suggests important
changes in our law. Especially do L concur
in his recommendation that the act of 1859
relating 10 reviews in capital cases, together
with the related and consequent sections Of
other acts, be repealed. This was one of
those acts hurried through near the close of
the session without due consideration. AL
though impressed with grave doubts as 10 its
constitutionality and fitness to promote the
ends of justice, was in that brief time un-
able to prepare and present such reasons OF
p"Dii0 po'icy as would warrant me n op2os-
ing an act which had the weighty sanction of
majority of the Legislature. / believe the
intent and practical working of the law were
not at that time fully understood.
The Governor and Council were instructed
at their last session to provide Tor a revision
and consolidation of the Public Statutes by
contract or commission. After careful con-
sideration it was deemed advisable TO appoint
Commissioners for that purpose. These gen.
tlemen have been diligently employed upon
theis work, and their report will be laid be-
fore you at an early day. The matter of
changing the phraseo.ogy, be it never so
slightly, OF existing laws, in order to harmo-
nize and consolidate them, is so delicate
a task that you will pardon me if l remind
you OF the close scrutiny with which such q
revision must be examined before it is passed
upon, making no doubt at the same time that
the work of the board will be found in high
degree accurate and judicious. The period
happens to be critical one the census about
to be taken, the new valuation of property to
hold for the next ten years, and various mat
tiers OF unusual importance awaiting your de-
c!sion, render it OF the utmost Importance
that you should use the best discretion aud
foresight in repeating obnoxious or upneces-
sary laws, and in enacting such as iucorporat-
ed into this revision may give it some chance
OF standing for ten years without being so
mutilated and overlaid as soon to become al
most without advantage.
THE SUPREME COURT.
The complaint is not unfrequently made
that the administration of justice is neither so
prompt nor so impartial as it should be In
this State. If this is so the remedy is beyond
the reach of my suggestions. am OF opin-
ion, however, that an injustice is done the
court as we'll as the people by reason of the
fact that the Judges Of the Supreme Court
are required to travel over the length and
breadth of this State without proper remun-
Grafton. am not aware that this is the case
with any other officer on public duty. 1t Is
well known the salaries of the judges are in
adequate, and without derogating aught from
that nigh reverence for the court which is
naturally entertained by us all, and so espe-
cially commanded by the character of our
present Bench, it is still by no means unnat-
ural that judge detained from home at
heavy expense, every day making deeper in
roads upon his scanty means of support,
might become impatient of long terms and In
his anxiety possibly slight some duties. When
it is the case as now, that the more one does
the less pay he has, the tendency and effect it
is rot difficult to perceive. An unembarrass-
ed independent Judiciary is of inestimable
value. l would respectfully suggest that the
actual circuit expenses of the Justices of the
Supreme Court be audited and paid by the
State.
TAE AMENDMENT ID TIE CONSTITUTION.
1t was made the duty of the Governor aud
Council to count and report the vote on the
proposed amendment to the constitution, au-
thorizing the legislature to divide towns into
voting districts. The whole number of votes
upon this amendment was 5lS6. Number
voting "Yes," 2S09; number voting "No,"
2377. So the constitution is amended ac-
cordingly.
STATE LIQUOR AGENCY.
The account of the State Liquor Commls-
sioner, and his method OF doing business have
been carefully examined and are found highly
satisfactory. Some points remarked on in bis
report, will demand your attention. The
practice of turning in confiscated liquors al
ways more or less impure, to the town agen-
cies, taken in connection with the fact that
we have provided State Commissioner VINO
is paid and placed under bonds to iurnisn
nothing but the purest liquors, WHICH tue
TOWN aoeOtS ara imnpr1tivelV required W puf~