Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-05
The Constitutional Commissions.

In the constitutional commission yesterday, Mr..
Madigan offered an amendment to the proposition
authorizing towns to loan their credit to the
amount of five per cent of their valuation to rail-
roads, to the effect that towns NAV be empowered
TO exempt from taxation for a term of years such
capital may come from beyond the limits of such
towns to be invested in manufacturing. The
amendment was voted down, to s.
The second report Of amendments in due form
was made by Mr.. Talbot. The article relates to
the removal Of officers by the Governor and is as
follows:
SEC. /. The Governor may suspend from office
the State treasurer, the Attorney General, and
Sheriff, County Attorney, County Commissioners
register Of probate, register of deeds, for insanity
or mbeclllty, or corrupt practices, or gross and
wiliul non-easance or malfeasance in Office after
such officer shall have been furnished with speci-
fications of the charges against him. and has had
opportunity to be heard in defence; and NAV ap-
point another person to perform the duties Of such
suspended officer.
Seq. Ii there shall be no session of the leg
lslature after said suspension, and before the ex-
piration Of the term OF office of said suspended
officer, then such suspension shall be an absolute
removal Of such officer. But if there be session
Of the legislature after such suspension and be-
fore the expiration of the term of office of such
suspended officer, such suspension shall not be a
removal from office, unless the legislature, after
the examination of the charges which the Gov
ernor shall submit to it, shall sanction the action
OF the Governor. No person removed from office
with the sanction of the legislature after the OK.
animation Of the charges, which the Governor
shall submit to it, shall be again eligible TO the
same office. Vacancies in said offices by reason of
removal shall be filed by appointment, by election
by the legislature, or by the people at the next
election for Governor, senators and representatives,
as the constitution may prescribe in relation to
said officers.
Adopted, yeas S, nays 2-Gilbert and Pike
Mr.. Haines presented report No. 3, entitled,
"Resuictions upon municipal corporations, which
is follows:
SEC. l. Municipal corporations shall not give
money or property, lend their credit, incur any
liability, or raise money by taxation, except fol
MUNICIPAL purposes; Pr0t'ded, ho0eeer, that any
such corporation, by two-thirds vote, at legal
meeting called Tor the purposes, raise by tax
or loan, sum OF money not exceeding five per
cent. of its regular State valuation at the time,
aid of the construction of railroads; and that any
such debt shall be paid within twenty years by an
nual taxation of not less than five per cent, with
accruing interest.
Unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Lbbcy presented report No. 4, entitled an
amendment to article 9, which is as follows:
Amend article of the constitution by striking
out section s, and inserting instead thereof the
following:
SEC. s. The legislature shall never in any man
ner suspend or surrender the power of taxation.
SEC. 9. All taxes shall be uniform upon the
same class of subjects, and shall be levied and
collected under general laws.
Adopted.
VIM. Atkinson, Esq, of Emblem has submitted
to the constitutional commission proposition
thai the constitution should declare in unmista ak a.
bic language, lst, that the e1post facto clause
should apply exclusively to criminal remedies
I'd, the Legislature to have the power clearly ex-
pressed, to pass retroactive laws 3D., the legisa-
uie to limit, open or eXtend the time within which
the remedy may be applied to the enforcement Of
the right of action or the obligation of contract
4th, that actions may be brou sht and maintained
for legal or judicial torts, or forts committed by
referees, the jury 10 be judge of the law and the
facts 9TH, the first duty of the State to provide
remedy for the protection Of the rights of the citi
zens; falling to do so, it should respond in dam.
ages; 9th, no person to be deprived of their prop.
erty or rights by techncalities of law