Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-13
To the Senate and House of Representa-.
tives of the United States of America.

tives of the United States of America.
WE, the undersigned Citizens of the United
w States. having at heart the best interests Of
our county, above all party or selfish considera.
tons, do most earnestly petition you in such behalf,
to give your earliest and most thorough attention
to what We deem to be some Of the most vital ques-
The laws aud regulations affecting and governing
the following subjects: - .
First, appointments to and remoral from pabHc Of
fees. 1.
Second, Salaries, perQuisteS, and moieties Of pu6-
Tic officers.
Third, Sei-ures ofprivate books and papers.
We believe, and many of us from personal eXper-
fence observation know that in all these depart
ments gross and nquitous practices are the newt
able result OF the various existing systems
The considerations which should alone govern
appointments topublic Office are capGdtty efficiency
Removals from Office should solely upon
proof of incdpdbHity, incfcieacy or dishonesty.
The salaries Of public officers should be comtnen-
surate with the quality oil the men required and the
duties to be performed.
~ per9uisites and moeties to officers should be
abolished, as the inevitable effect of either is to de
moralize the service, corrupt its servants, and even
extend Its pernicious influence to the business COM
munity at large.
The seizure and examination Of the books and pa
perS of merchants and manufacturers, as now au-
thorzed and practced, is in effect placing in the
hands of irresponsible persons the power to lnjure
and even ruin the business and character of citi-
zens of the highest known responsibility. An lin
former" upon his affidavit based simply on his "be-
lie" can obtain the seizure of the private books
and papers of any merchant, and cause their in
definite retention, TO the certain injury OF his busi-
ness and the public defamation of his name. This
power in the hands of those who interested in
fines, penalties and torieitures, may be, and fire.
queny has been, used for the persecution of limo.
cent men with the hope of illuminating them into
compromises and settlements of unfounded charges
as preferable to the alternative of expensive and
tlme-consumng lawsuits.
Laws authorizing such proceeding subver-
sive of private rights and unworthy of free coun-
try.
Other matters than these, pertaining to customs,
revenue laws. reqdire your attention and will
doubtless be brought before you We confine our
selves here to the evils most patent and Of broadcast
effect to the reform of which every good citizen
must lend his aid, and we confidently hope for
your early and favorable action.
CALAIS-Chase Baker & Co, F A Pike, Joseph
Granger, Copeland, Duren & Co, Albert ii. saw
yer, G D King \ Sons, 5 I King, l.. Wadsworth,
VIM Woods y Co. Mernchy Bros Co, E Bar
nard Il SON q NJ Porter 4 sons, Deming 4 Sons,
lee, d stiles, + A stoddard, Pike, Gates
Wentworth, I Uharf 5 & Pike, II d Pike,
VIM Corthell, VIM Mcdonald, L Bailey, Wanen
II Atheway, Foster & ellis Albert Neill, Pea
body Crangle Bros, Is I Kelley, Geo a Murchie,
slml Kelley Jr, Asher Bassiord, { II Newton.
ha Stevens sore CO Geo f So
NJ Payson, W NJ Thomas, d Clark, King & Dex-
ter, Loring Thornton, Charles W Hurt, " Water
Pres. Frank Noyes, w Phillips & Co. c L Jose 4
Co, Woodman iced Esq, Harris 4 Smith, Lucke
Jussen c. Co. re1 RS SDS Co. M Hras.
Forbes & Co, Twitchell, Champiinl& Co, Chas NJ
Laughlin 4 Co, John W Perkins & Co, jefferson,
Horst Co, Z Corey 4 Co, LIE Dana Il Sons, Dana
< Co, + Randall X Co, Jeremiah Howe, Z NJ
Davis, Charles b Merrill. VIM Curran, Geo A
Lynch 4 CO, DIV True Co. Richardson, Harris &
CO, Harris, Atwood 4 Co, A shurtleff, Chas II
Haskell Man, True 4 Co, Geo NJ Small Fletcher
& Co, Ryan & Kelsey, King Gilman u Co.
Baltic IL Mcclellan A G Page, Jas II Trott,
son Hit Hn@phrsys jamison Seas Of
Neat Lang 4 Co, d Fisher, II A Duncan, BENZ
n Rigs, " v Moses, Frank iS,, Reed, James W Wake
Croker, ii W Swanton, John Hayden j ii Allen
CO, Augustus Palmer, John Lambard, VIM II
ton, per c ii NJ, j ii kimball John Patten Chas
Clapp, Junr, VIM Shaw.
Joshua Howard, John Dawes, John W Caswell
Reuben Hobbs, J II Iilsley, T Sampson 4 Co, A
Morse VIM II Taylor, Josiah Monroe, W Hill,
Gray, Chas Tolman, Theodore NJ Tolman Geo
Chadbourne, John Mead, Geo II Brown Thoma 5
Mead, NJ Gould, j Webb, q o Webb Freeman
Dunn, Samuel Grazen Franklin w alker, Charles
Whitney.
BANGoR-J wheelright, G W Pickering, W B
Hagford, James Dunning, NJ Schwartz A Leighton,
Worn, Bishop & Co, Geo W Ladd, Alfred Veojer,
Hayward \ Co, stitson & Co., Menill, Cutler,
T Thatcher Co. stoekwe! i, Co. L smith
Rollins, Babu Lancaster, Hoegkins, Hall e. Co,
NC Aver, Newell Blake, E W FIage, John II vii,
son, A & W Paine, Parker z Burlegh, John III
Lynde. Gilligan, D Rughee Co, Z II Cass
EAST WILTON-Hiram Holt Co, ID q Bean G
Head, A Houghton, j b Harrington, Geo ii
Farnum, Warren Weeks, James Harper George
Bass, Reuben Ranger, $. A Weke W 5 Hnckley
Green, j Bean, Joseph Townsend.
BRIDGToN-Taylor & Perry, S NJ Harmon, H J
Gibbs.
S Houghton, III Hyde Arthur Sewall L S
Alexander, w ID Hin VIM Sewall, Thos w HYDE
Blaisdell, w ID Messenden Geo Huso T q
knight, James I Patten, John Elliot, S Shaw
Drummond, David Stinson, q Goss of
Goss SAFER, Alfred Lemont, NJ Gannett per
II NJ Alfred Winslow, J Wesley Gilman b II Mitch
ell j Bachiider SSons, A Bates 4 SON. Chas w
Folsam, Benjamin & Allen, Emerson, stevens &
Co, Hubbard. Blake 4 Co. Dunn Edge Tool Co