The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-05
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
SENATE,

Soi"hoc u W. II. lduiock dSainSI tne rlgnG OI
John Moore to seat in the Senate Referred
to the Committee on Senatorial votes
1000 copies of the Governors Address were
ordered to be printed Harry Rutherford was
appointed folder. In the Senate the standing
committees were appointed as follows: On en-
crossed bills, Messrs Sawyer, Davis, Earring
ton, Foster of Penobscot, Philbrick, Nickels,
Pencil, Humphrey, Dunning
On bills in second reading, Messrs Hayford,
May, Dingley, Irish, Halves, Hincks, Kennedy,
Smith, Kimball, Hobbs, Chaplin, Moore.
HOUSE.
The House met at 10 o'clock a. m. On mo-
ton of Mr.. Wilson bill an act to authorize
certain towns and cities to aid in the construc-
: ton and equipment of the, Knox and Lincoln
Railroad was passed to be engrossed under a
suspension of the rules.
IN CONVENTION.
Alta of IL o'clock, a. m. a convention of
both branches was formed and the following
State officers were duly elected Secretary of
State, Geo. G. Stacey; Attorney General, Thos.
b. Reed; Adjt. General, BENZ. B. Murray; Land
Agent, Parker P. Burleigh; seven State Coun-
cilors were also elected as follows: District LIST,
E. G. Harlow of Dixfield End, F. N. Dow of
Portland; 3rd, j. r. Pulsifer of Poland; 4th,
M. V. B. Chase of Augusta; 9Th, Geo. Weeks
of Jefferson; 9th Silas c. Hatch of Bangor; 7th
Cyrus M. Powers of Houlton.
In Convention Sidney Perham was duly in
augurated Governor of Maine and delivered his
annual address.
By the report of the Committee on Guberna-
torial votes it appears the whole number of
votes returned was los, S97-Sidney Perham had
5S,2S5, c. P. Kimball had AZ ,57S, scattering 49,
The towns of Prescott, Benton, Carthage and
Plantation of Milton, sent blank returns, prop
erly signed. Wallagrass returned 40 votes
cast but for whom they were cast the returns
did not say. The returns from Newfeld, York
County, were so mutilated they could not be
counted.
CUBAN MATTERS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-Gen. Sickles called at
the State Department to-day and was engaged
with Secretary Fish several hours on the sub
ject of Spanish and Cuban affairs. He will
leave Washington tomorrow and spend Satur-
day with Gen. Grant in Philadelphia and return
to Washington early next week. Towards the
last of the month he will take passage for Mad
rid @
L.
From sources altogether reliable it is ascer-
tanned that the administration has not changed
its policy on the Cuban question, but will con-
tinue to act according to the principles hereto
fore declared, namely, that while it will observe
strict neutrality in regard to the difficulties now
existing in the Island of Cuba, it cannot con-
sent that our merchant vessels be molested in
their lawful pursuits or overhauled and exam
ined unless found committing some violation of
Spanish authority. This they can only do by
landing guns and munitions of war Ournaval
officers have therefore been frequently instruct
ed to give full protection to American citizens
and American commerce whenever an opportu-
nifty shall occur for so doing.
THE FLORIDA.
So in accordance with this policy our govern
ment has protested against the act of the Span
ish naval officer in boarding and searching the
Florida on the high seas, and has required the
Spanish government first to apologize; second,
to disavow the act of the officer; third, to pun
ish him; and fourth, to pay damages. That the
Spanish government will meet the require
ments is not doubted as was previously said
in the official communication, the searching of
our vessels was subject in which the United
States has always been very sensitive and ON
which they went to war with Great Britain in
1872
THE HORNET.
With regard to the Hornet there will be no
difficultuy, as the Congress has been despatched
to Fort au Prince to convey her to an American
port If Spanish Minister alleges that she
has committed breach of our neutrality she
will be amenable to our laws and not to those
of Spain. While it is true that Sagosta, who is
at the head of the Spanish ministry, is known
to be hostile to the United States, it is also
known that he has no power to do any harn as
his party in the Cortes is in minority and
would therefore Outvote him on any policy un-
friendly to this country.
SPANISH MILITARY EXPENDITURES.
1t is matter of official record that about
seven months ago, Gen. Sickles, in converse
ton with distinguished Spanish General,
whose official employment afforded him ample
means of accurate information, was informed
for military purposes during the year then pas
not this large snm included any portion of the
amount disbursed for the fleet of gunboats
maintained in those waters especially with ref
erence to the instruction. 1t was further sta
ted that the aggregate force under arms ex-
ceeded 100000 men, more than half of them
regular troops and that the losses of the army
in Cuba from various casualties Of the service
exceeded Is, 900 men. 1t was a Spanish Gener-
ais impression that the insurgent force did not
number more than 5000 of all arms Gen.
Sickles then heard from trustworthy sources
likely to be well informed that the insurgents
lost no ground of Importance; that their troops
better disciplined than ever, andsthat in several
recent actions they had gained considerable adj
vantage over the Spanish troops, many of
whom are reported as deserving to the insur-
gents.