The Portland daily press., 1872-01-01

MoNDAy MORNING, JAN. 1, 1872.
Uhe subsidized Railway.


T. ,,stated that the deed given to the Euro t
Noon q North American Railway OF the pup. I
lie lands ON the waters of the PehopscoU 0"
ST. John embraced three hundred tnousanu
ocro. more than it would if the schedule haa
hoe,. orenared by the Land Agent instead oi
Mr. T r Clark 1t is true that the company
can receive only what the Legislature HAS
granted, but it is equally true that 1t cia''i1
almost double what the Legislature SUPPOSED
- Granted. and that an appeal is made TO the
clark deed as an evidence of the construction
given to the Legislative grant by the authofi-
ties of 1868. 1t is impossible to get this lact
ont of sight by the mere buster that has been
resorted TO by the friends of the road. LII
ought not to be necessary for us TO sta'e
second time that Gov. Chamberlain letter
does no more than to clear himself and other
State officers from the injurious aspersions OF
the argus, and to indicate what the company
NAV properly claim. What they o~9he 'il.
what they do claim are two very diileion
THINGS II is true that "a clause was ap-
pended to the deed expressly limiting tne coii-
yeyance to those lands, and no otners' in'eho-
ed to be conveyed under the acts anu resolves
referred to-" as Gov. Chamberlain says. But
what matters that to the company? Its man
ayers triumphantly exclaim: THE act OF
1868 granted timber and lands; the reserVa-
ton was only of lands, and the deed, given to
us in the same year, by including the settling
lands in its description of the territory con-
viewed, shows that in the opinion OF those VINO
signed that deed we had claim on the timber
of the reserved lands" This is exactly how
they ssfound their claims on the grant OF tne
Legislature" Their ''claims" as presented
the other day before the Governor and Coun-
Gil wouldn't have had leg to stand upon had
it not been for kind of plausibility given to
them by the CLARK grant, Happily the man
ayers of the road were unable to induce the
Executive to cause the Land Office to cease
issuing permits to settlers. Possession is
more than nine points of the law with fat
corporation, and if this usurpation had not
been promptly resisted the State would no
doubt have been entirely dispossessed of the
little plot of land it saved for the people.
The enormty of the claim of the company
Just begins to dawn on the public mind. II
map used by the company in the sale OF its
bonds-a map evidently founded on the sched-
ule in Clark royal grant, could be placed in
the hands of every member Of the Legisla-
ture, we have no doubt great impetus would
be given to the proposed investigation. The
townships claimed in whole or in part are sur
rounded by blue line. The map is now be
fore u.s. The blue line indicating the bounda-
ries of the empire claimed by the road sur
rounds the towns of Presque Isle, Sherman,
Glenwood, Crystal, Oakfeld, Amity, Mars
Hill, Washburn, Perham, Hamlin, Mapleton,
New Sweden, Cyr, DickeyEille, Fort Kent,
and score of towns and townships besides.
If the road can establish by any means its
ownership of the disputed parts of this do
main great distress will ensue. Its claim is
substantially to the timber on all lands not
decided at the time of the act of 1868. There
-ettlers on some of these lands that have
pied them ten fifteen years without
troubling themselves to obtain the deed
lich they are entitled. Are these men to
~ listed? Is the State to suffer the Swedes
to be driven from the spot where it has placed
them at an expense of $4,000? Let the Leg
islature see to this thing now, before the claim
of the corporation gains any more weight
from the lapse of time. H3At tA
An insinuation comes from the Bangor
Wing that somebody editorially connected with
the PRESS was conspicuous as member of the
Senate in giving the act of 1868 its peculiar
phraseology. This is mistake. If it were
true, however, it would signify nothing. We
doubt if a single member of that Legislature
perceived the hidden purpose Of the company
1t is only later developments that have made
evident the intention even then to abuse the
generosity of the State.
- GENTLEMEN thoroughly conversant with
the affairs of the State earnestly advocate the
abolition of the Executive Council and sub
shutting therefor an auditor and the heads of
the several departments. Many urgent rea-
sons are given for this change among which
are that it will be cheaper and that of necess-
ty the heads of departments will know better
concerning matters in their own departments
than any member of the council. There are,
on the other hand, good reasons for retaining
the old system; and, if the State was sure of
obtaining a good council every year, there
could be no reason urged for the change. The
present system which gives frequently a coun-
Gil made up almost entirely of inexperienced
men and once in a while of man who would
make respectable third selectman in small
town but in nowise qualified for the Honora-
BILE Council is the chief point against it. The
best men in the State, the most careful, con-
sciencious and prudent should be elected for
the position, fits Importance is considered
SENATOR WILSON is preparing careful
and extended speech reviewing and answering
the charges against the present. adminstra-
ton, and showing by facts and figures that it
is the most frugal and honest since that of
John Quincy Adams. He will deliver it be-
fore the New Hampshire Convention which
is soon to meet and i1iaugurate the first cam
paign of the Presidential year. Senator Will
son is one of the most judicious friends of
'inistration as he is one of the most
cans in the country. His
VS. for peace, harmony and
alton, while he is sound in
principle div. I'm in the right.
THE Rockland Free Press complains that
the Democratic Commissioners of Knox
county have not made proper returns of their
expenses, and intimates that they have di-
verified more Of the public funds to their own
uses than they care to have the people know.
The expenses of the county have increased
largely under Democratic rule, and the Free
Press says "there is a way to make these
men refund every dollar they have drawn il
legally for their services
THE Argus intimates that Hon. c. p
Kimball will be the Democratic candidate for
Governor this year.
The appointment of Hon. G. P. Kimball as a
Commissioner from Maine to the Centennial
Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, by Gov.
Perham, is not only graceful compliment to
his competitor, but is in every respect nomina-
tion fit to be made. MI. Kimball is identified
with the manufacturing interests of Maine, and
has degree of State pride that will prompt
him to make the best showing for the Pine Tree
State that is possible in that industrial exhibit
tion, that will display not only the progress of
this country during the century, but the civiIiz-
ed world. Hon. Joshua Nye, the other Com
missioner, possesses in rare degree the execu-
tive qualifications necessary for the successful
accomplishment of the mission, which promises
To ha