Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-24

the county Of Somerset. For the time being,
the people seemed paralyzed with amazement.
Soon, however, reaction commenced. A few
towns sent delegations to this place to explain
to the legislature, still in session, the nature
ana effect OF the act, which, when they came
to know, the House of Representatives
promptly, and by an overwhelming majority,
voted to submit the whole subject to the peo-
ple.' This movement, however, was defeated
IN the Senate, if l am correctly Informed,
simply by tie vote. So that Skowhegan
stands to day as the shire town of Somerset
| county simply by the skin of her teeth, and
In direct opposition, as we believe, to the
| wish and desire of great SHORTY Of the in
habitants of Somerset county.
This act was passed, without any provision
to sumbit the same 10 the people for their rat
itcation or rejection and why? Because
they dared not do it, The friends of the
measure well knew that the voters of Somer-
act, would by an overwhelming majority,
stamp the act most emphatcally, with the
seal of their disapproba,on and condemnation.
| The originators of the movement, and those
who engineered il were well aware that the
people did not favor and would under no con-
sidcration vote for it. Consequently they
dared not submit tile same to them, and so
the voters aud tax payers of Somerset were
gagged denied The right of expression,
and were obliged to suffer this thing, obnox'
ious as it WAS, forcibly thrus. down their
throats. In this way our Skowhegan friends.
for the time being accomplished their object,
| but yet there is uar i.ht obstacle in the way
of complete and inal success.
This little thing won't stay down. The
| people reject and rtpudiate il. 1t may be
| thar we up III Somerset are TOO Jealous of our
| rights ior we really feel that have been
treated hardly politely in this matter. We
are so unreasonable as TO imagine that 1t
would have heer nothing more than matter
of RICH, and Justice 10 have consulted us even
had our expression been allowed no weight
| in the final decision. Ia short Mr. Speaker,
the people OF Somerset are dissatisfied, and
my standing before you day, Is politically
lillegitimate and purely accidental arising
from this cause. have the honor TO repre-
sent district comprising almost eleven hun
dred VOTES actually cast at the late state cleo
ton Now the great majority of these voters,
are honest, intelligent, hard larboring far
tners, who earn their bread by the sweat Of
their brow men. who know their rights, and
knowing, dare maintain them. This district
is composed of the towns of piusfield, Palmy-
ra, and Canaan, each town being FIVE miles
nearer and consequently better Accommodated
at owhegan. than Ncrri1gewock, so that
the matter of distance or cenve nience can
have nothing whatever to do with our open
| -
trict threw a straight republican majority of al
most leo, but believing that their most sa-
cred rights were by the last legislature inyaa
ed, the people, regardless of party ties or
political associations, have arisen in their
might to defend them, and strange as it may
appear. actually pressed into service the hum
bic individual who now addresses you, and
whose political antecedents are represented
by a minority in the district
Now ! am not so unreasonable as to claim
this as political victory, and surely not so
egotistical or presumptuous as to claim it as
a personal tribute; but it is the result of
great spontaneous and determined uprising of
the people, and their demand for justice, and
the right to manage their local affairs in their
own way and manner, subject only to the die
tates Of their own conscience and the laws
which govern the land. l am thus particular
and explicit, ia order that each and every mem
Der of this House may thoroughly understand
and fully appreciate the depth of feeling ex-
isting concerning this great grievance of
which my constituents complain. Ard not
my immediate constituents alone, but the
great majority of the voters and taxpayers OF
Somerset county, for with the exception of
Skowhegan and its immediate vicinity, the
way and manner in which this act was cen
summated is very generally condemned
throughout the county. As to the correctness
| ~; III l,
"a mp an .AaS Juus iio'li I'VE
,nat III - TINS county .nre" stfaa ea ,epuo-
ne, ,lcan senalorai majority % aooul ooo' out ,i
-, tnis county seat question entering larry
anu squareiy ,h'o 'ne contest, 'la' majority
was eoinpieleiy ahhiniia'eu' ana tue regular
senator's g, NOMINEES OF .ne uo'iIihaht parry IN
eastern somerset VINO was SUPPOSE 10 DC
commli'ea 10 inns acs' anu "ho' oy Tue way,
e.'i@en u my own tewh' seh'is'na" VI
i"'ei'ieehce' ,ionesy anu aoi.ity' anu !" ho
way personally oonoHioos 10 'iie people, was
aecioeoly anu most empna'ica'ly oeateh ~
Ills opponent whose WISDOM ana ripe expert,
ence to-uay aua o'enHy ~ ale ouna.ei Az
.,ils oeins oue 10 .ne nohe" inuisaHs'oh %
the people concerning lnis county sea- aes'
hu' ID justice 10 my ue,ea'ea ie.Io"-'o".s'
man. am happy 10 oe apLe 10 stare, upon me
very pest authority, tnal ne mas curing tue
past lie" weeks, anu uoes at the present .'uie'
express himsel mos! enhphalca,ly OF tne
| opi'ioh tnat 'ise only just, equitaoie anu ein
cleht tne'hou OF setlilhg ,iis uilHcui'y IL py
submitting tne same 10 tue people nor was
the deleal OF my leiio~'tow Tue only
result LOT a majority OF the county onncers