Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-13

made the same report on petition Of Isaac
Wilder sheriff of Washington county, for an
increase Of fees. also made the same report
onpetition Of j. S. Little ct ais. of kenne-
bunkport for a law subiecting citizens to
fine who vote at any State election or other
meeting, who have two or more years of I'M
paid taxes. Also reported Fought not TO
pass" on bill an act additional to chap. 90 of
the revised statutes; also reported on peti-
ton, bill and act to make valid the do
ings of the town of Minot. Read and
assigned. Also reported Fought TO pass" on
bill an act to amend chap. A of the public
laws of 1872 entitled an act additional to chap.
of the revised statutes, relating TO lands in
unincorporsted townships Printed under
| rule.
| Mr.. THOMAS from the Committee on Legal
| Affairs reported "ieave to withdraw" on Pc
| tilion of VIM. II. Rhodes and others in rela-
! ton to the Rockland Water Co.; also re-
| ported sought to pass" on bill an act to in
! corporte the Portland " oman's Christian AS
| ISOLATION, and an act to incorporate the Gree n
ough Church Edfce Association. Also re-
ported, on petition, bill an act to incorporate
the Ellsworth and Deer Isle Telegraph Co.
| Read and assigned.
| Mr.. NASH from the Committee of Confer
| incorporate the Gould Engine Co., rec
commended that the Senate recede and con-
eur with the House.
Bill an act to incorporate the Portland and
| Deeripg Railroad Co., was read the third
! time and tabled on motion OF Mr.. FEssEN-
| DEN.
Bill an act 10 incorporate the State Of
Maine Trust Co., was read the third time,
and recommitted to the judiciary Committee,
on motion of Mr.. TIrCoMB.
On motion of Mr.. MATTHEWS, bill an act
amendatory to sec. IL of chap. 80 of the re-
| vised statutes relating to marriage and its
| solemnizstion was taken from the table, the
vote passing the same to be engrossed recon-
| sidered, and recommitted to the Committee
on Bills in the Third Reading.
| PASSED TO DE ENGRossED resolve prori-
ding for surveying and marking the line be-
tween Maine and New Hampshire an act ad-
ditional to chapter &C Of the revised statutes,
relating TO insolvent estates; an act to
amend section 81, of chapter IS of the re-
vised statutes, relating to ways; an act to
extend the time to locate the Portland, Rat
land, Oswego, and Chicago Railroad Co; an
act 10 incorporate the Androscoggin and Ok
| ford Railroad Co; an act to amend chap. 1l5
| of the revised statutes relating to the com
pensaton of the members Of the govern
| ment.
PASSED TO BE ENAcTED.--An act author
| izing l. d. Sturgs to build piers and wharves,
to drive piles and maintain booms in Wiscas-
set; an act to annex the plantation Of Hamlin
Grant to Woodstock.
The resolve in favor Of Simon +. Walker
came up by by assignment, the question be-
ing on the motion Of the gentlemen from
Thomaston (Mr Kelloch) to reconsider the
vote whereby the House adhered to its vote
| Indefinitely postponing the resolve.
Mr.. PATTEN moved the Yeas and Nays
Lost.
The House then refused TO reconsider its
vote, whereby it adhered to its vote indef-
nitely postponing the resolve.
On motion of Mr.. KENDALL, bill an act to
educate the youth Of the State of Maine, pro-
viding for compulsory education was taken
from the table, the question being on the mo-
ton of Mr.. Weeks, to reconsider the vote,
whereby the bill was passed to be engrossed.
| The House voted to reconsider.
Mr.. KENDALL then moved the indefinite
! rostponement OF the bill.
| Mr.. MATTHEWS favored the motion, and
said sense of duty impelled him to enter his
solemn protest against the principles sscon-
| tanned in the bill. He was aware that he
might be considered by some as opposed to
the great subject of popular education, that
| he did not understand that in order to stand
/
was necessary for him to indorse every view,
and every bill which over-heated zeal, or err
Ioneous Judgment might force upon the at
tention OF the House. lie claimed to be a
friend of popular education, for he had been
! in the past closely identified with its interests.
He objected TO the bill in the first place, as
unnecessary. He fully Endorsed the senti-
| ment contained in the Constitution, that the
| advantages of Education are necessary to the
l..
| people, but he did not fail to observe that in
the expression of this sentiment, the rights
and liberties of the people are something to
| be subserved. He claimed that the bill was
| opposed to the principles of our government,
| and warned gentlemen of the republican par
| ty to be careful how they committed them
| selves to a measure which their enemies may
| see fit, eflec,ua!ly, to assail. With us, our
| government starts with the individual, and
| from the individual we deveope into state.
! In Prussia, and in other countries, refer
red to as ailording excellent systems of edu-
| cation, the State government stands at the
| head, and lays It's hand on the individual
When the Prussian system of compulsory
| education is cited, let us also cite compul-
sorry military education, where boys are taken
and forced into the military service. Is that
what We demand,--a strong power alone,
| through the influence of the state, or shall it
be by the deyelopcment of the individual?
Shall our system of education be an inposi-
| ton placed upon the people, through the in
| fluence of the state, or shall it be like our re-
| ligious systematic natural outgrowth and
effusion of principles innate in the individual !?
lie further objected to the bill, on the ground
that it is not necessary. Our people are
thoroughly impressed with the Importance Of
education. They ask us to prepare the feast,
and they will come in and partake thereof;
but we have neglected this, and to-day our
schools are no better if as good, as they were
twenty years age. We are asked to go out
into the highways and with whip and scourge
drive our people in to the feast. table
spread with dry bones. Let us rather attend
to the preparation of the table, and our peo-
pie will readily come in and partake thereof.
He claimed that compulsory education, will
tend to excite enmity, opposition, and hatred,
and develop spirit which shall be opposed