The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-30
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE STATE CAPITAL.
Especial to Press.l


Grand Army of the. Republic.
The annual Encampment of the Department
of Maine, G. A. R., assembled in the head
quarters of Post William at two o'clock. Com
mander White of Bangor, presided. Nineteen
posts We're represented by about fifty delegates.
The reports of Adjutant Gen. Small Quar-
termaster Dole and Inspector Pencil, shows
the organization to be in most fourishing
condition. The several Posts were never in SO
high a state of efficiency. The number OF
Posts in the State is 81, which have an active
men beaship of 1160. The financial status OF
the Posts was never so favorable. The several
Posts in the State expended about $2uoo Oh
their funds to rrleve needy soldiers, etc.
Resolutions were adopted thanking Governor
Perham for his recommendation that Memorial
Day be made holiday and asking the Legis-
lature to SO legalize it; requesting the Governor
to make the Department Con mander one Oh
the Board of Trustees of the Bath Asylum
The matter of State pensions was considered,
and H. A. Smith of Portland, W. B. Lapham
of Augusta, and A. S. Perham of Lewiston,
constituted to consult the Pension Committee
and the Executive Council relative to such new
features as are deemed necessary.
The following officers were elected for the en-
suing year: Selden Connor of Augusta, Dept.
Commander; Isaac Dyer of Skowhegan, Senior
Vice Commander; Will M. Woods of Biddeford,
Junior Vice Commander; DIR. N. A. Hersom OF
Portland, Medical Director; Rev. 2. Thompson,
Chaplain; VIM. II. Green of Portland, G. X,
Halves of Pembroke, G. A. Parker of Lewiston,
P, H. Cummings of Gardiner, Herman Bart
lett of Bangor, Board of Administration.
The G.. A. R. banquet at the Cony House
tonight, was one of the finest affairs of the
kind ever known in the history of the Encamp-
ment Speeches were made by Gov. Dingley.
Col. Mattocks, Judge Goddard, Coils. Wilder,
Boynton, Shaw, and the new Commander,
Gen. Selden Connor.
The asallows.
The public hearing en- the capital punish
ment question, in Representative Hall, before
the Judiciary Committee, was continued this
afternoon Hon. Chas. w. Goddard re appear
ed for the evident purpose of shaving it OUT
with the Univ ersalist church, Hon. 7. B. Reed
and the PRESS. consuming two hours and
half, after which the COMMITTEES. listened with
great pleasure and satisfaction to an able, elo-
quent and scholarly address on the merits of
the case from Hon. Geo. F. Talbot, celebrating
the points made by him at the former hearing,
and pointing out the unreliabilty of statistics
showing the decrease of murder following abo-
lition of the death penalty. He depicted forci-
bly, the power of the fear of death in prevent
ing crime, and illustrated its great influence
over low and brutal natures as determent from
murder He treated of the disgrace of hang
ing and said that it was the crime and not the
punishment which was disgraceful, and that
cruciixIon, much more brutal mode of death
than hanging, was now celebrated, because it
had been dignifed by blotting out the purest
life ever lived on earth. As to the disgrace of
the hangman, he said that sheriffs are the most
popular of officials, and that he never read the
last speech of man about to be swung off
which did not laud the official in charge of the
ceremonies. He elaborated the subject of
great wrong as affecting the degree of murder,
which is one of the novel and distinguishing
features of the bill and probably the most &C.
ceptable of the new provisions
State Temperance Convention.
The State Temperance Convention held two
sessions and adjourned finally this afternoon.
Speeches were made by Mrs. Gustin of Mans
geld, and Mrs. Eastman of Lowell. Resolu-
tions of the usual character were adopted and
State Central Committee chosen.
The First Regiment.
At meeting of the officers of the First
Maine Regiment holden at the Senate chamber
this evening, Melville M. Folsom of Oldtown,
was elected Major in place of w. Fl. Fogler.
resigned. 1t was voted to tender reception to
Governor Dingley at City Hall, Portland, Feb
ruary 26th, under the auspices of the Portland
Light Infantry
Committee Hearings.
The Committee on Railroads gave hearing
this afternoon ON the bill for union depot at
North Berwick. Judge Hobbs appeared for
the 2. S & p. road, VIM Hobbs for the B. &
NJ, and f. Hill for the petitioners.
The hearing GA the West Waterville & An
gusta railroad is assigned for Feb. 9Th
The Committee on the Insane Hospital to-day
received the proposition of J. P. Baxter, to
build the new hospital on his farm at Gorham;
and assigned next Thursday for hearing.
The committee on Banks and Banking spent
the afternoon in hearing the views of financial
gentlemen on the various orders relating to
savings banks, but reached no decision. They
announced a second hearing one week from to-
do