Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-28

fixed by law, which within eight years has
climbed, by climbing scale, from $1,000
year, until within the last two years it has
been $4,000 besides house, horse and car
riage and perquisites, If this should come out,
it was time that the salary should be fixed by
law.
He believed the Joint standing committee
to be in the interest of the warden; the war
den himself had GENE to members of the
House and suggested the perplexity of accept
ing the amendment. When denied, the
proof could be furnished. understanding
the matter just as it was, he would thank the
House to relieve him (ralbo.) from the re-
sponsibili;y of the position in which he was
placed Is '"emher ii the special committee,
bat wheii the llou>. changed front and adopt
ed the amendment, the public would interpret
it, and they La a ght to, as back down
and whi;tsashing. He moved that the
question, len taken, be by yeas and Maya,
hich the House ordered.
Mr.. Nor :ow was surprised at the action
of the SEM in regard to the order PASSED
by the House. The members of the House
evidently wished a full investigation and
they should haze it, He would be the last
man TO question the honesty of the Joint
Standing Committee on State Prison, but the
people would not be satisfied with an invest-
cation coming from that committee, although
they should go there and do the best in their
power. The people would not be satisfied
with it because it was generally understood
that that committee was made up in the inter-
est Of the State Prison. He did not say it,
or any such thing, but that was the under
standing among the people. If the charges
made against the managers of the prison
were true, the people wanted to know it; if
they were not true, Mr. Rice should ask to be
vindcated. He therefore hoped that the
House would adhere to its former action.
I Mr.. KNowLToS did not want it understood
that he was not in favor of a thorough inves-
tigation in every respect. If the man was
unable to stand upon his record, he must 60
down. He thought well OF the investigation
and thought there ought to be one. He was
entirely satisfied with the course of the House
the other day and thought it indicated desire
for investigation. He thought the action Of
the Senate indicated that it desired a careful
and proper investigation. He could see from
his stand point one or two objections to the
Senate amendment in regard to the Joint
Standing Committee making the investiga-
ton, but of no greai Importance. One was
the size of the committee, because he thought
five could do the work better than larger
number. Another was, if he were going to
constitute committee with a view to this in
vestigation, perhaps he should give those
gentlemen who are so anxious about it lit
! tie larger representation upon it than they
have on the joint standing committee. He
would 90 that for their qualification and not
because he had not entire confidence in all
the gentlemen who made up the committee.
| He thought they were honest men ard if
they undertook the investigation would con-
duet it fairly and honestly, without regard to
any party or person. He was glad the mat
ter had taken the course il had, because the
gentlemen who had made speeches had had
an opportunity to say what they were exceed
ngly anxious to say, in order that the House
might hear it, and in order that their constitu-
ents might see it in print. He believed that
the Joint Standing Committee could make
the investigation and that the report would
be as satisfactory to the House and people as a
report would be By special committee. He
hoped the House would recede and concur
with the Senate.
Mr.. TALBOT again spoke in opposition to
the amendment.
Mr.. SwAsEY remarked that when this affair
was first opened to the House, it was thing
unknown to him, and he presumed majority
of the House were in a similar condition. He
might have read in the press Of fraud in the
management of this State institution. He
understood now, that this charge grew out of
report in some little scurril Gus paper-some
personal matter, yet he felt that whatever
fraud was charged in any department of the
State government, that for the good of the
people, most thorough and impartial inyes-
tigation should be had. lie felt 1t in regard
to this matter and he had confidence in the
special committee raised by the House, with
the exception that he did not want to send to
| Thomaston, as an investigating committee,
men who upon the floor of the House, shew
evidence to him, conclusively, that they pre-
Judged the matter lie did not consider such
committee impartial. The Joint Standing
Committee on State Prison was the cream of
both branches of the legislature, in honesty,
integrity, and IN point of intelligence, and
they would start ont upon this investigation
with an impartial mind. They were men who
could not be bought up by good dinner.
Who desired to 60 to Thomaston at the ex-
penss of the State? who endeavored iy the
force of all their logic to get ride at the ex-
pense OF the State. He repealed the insinua-
tons made against the Committee on State
prison, and hoped the House would rocede
and concur with the Senate.
| Mr.. TALBOT replied, denying that anything
in the order, or what he had said upon the
floor, shew that there had been the least in
situation of charge of fraud or corruption
upon the part of any man.
Mr.. SwAsEy replied. When the order was
| introduced, 1t was stated that $500, 200 had
been appropriated for the institutions; it had
been put into the papers and circulated over
the State, without any qualification. That
was Misrepresentation, though he did
not accuse any gentleman of doing it nten-
tionally. The gentleman who last took the
floor, said that Mr.. Rice commenced at
$1,000 and had kept climbing until he had
reached $4,000. If this was not prejudgng
the matter, then he did not understand the
force of language. He wished for an inves-
tigation but was in favor of an impartial
committee.
| Mr.. KELLocH said that few days ago when
the order under discussion was introduced, he
gave his sanction to that order, and made
some remarks in reference to the financial
condition of the State prison, and to-day he
was ready to advocate those remarks, and
ready to prove the basis upon which they
stood. He hurled back to any gentleman who
charged upon him a misstatement of the facts.
He was not there to submit to any such con.
duct The statement that he made was that
over 5000, 600 had been drawn from the treas
ury since 1862, as he obtained it from the
records in the department of the State, and he
referred gentlemen to them in support of his
statement More than that, the report had
gona forth from the Warden of the State Dri-