The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-25
FIFTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE
SENATE.
Especial to the PREss.l

Especial to the PREss.l
AUGUSTA, Feb. "a, 1876.
The Senate met at 8 o'clock.
The bill in relation TO poor debtors was taken
from the table and put on its passage to be en-
crossed.
Senator Emery addressed the Senate at
length in favor of the bill. He thought the
present method of practice relating to disclos-
ure is very expensive to the debtor who is
poorly able to stand the burden. And the
present laws are very liable to be abused, and
that the hardship occasioned is unjust and I'M
reasonable.
Senator Foster thought the law as it stands
is not possible of a construction OF hardship.
The debtor has remedies sufficient at law to
prevent any abuse, unless he is obstinate and
refuses to pay. He also thought the creditors
had some claims which should be considered.
Mr. Emery thought the principle was wrong
of arresting a man first and sending him tt
Jail and making him disclose afterward. lie
should be allowed to disclose first and if he
will not do this he should be sent to jail.
A motion to indefinitely postpone was lost.
On motion of Senator Stevens the matter was
referred to the next Legislature.
Senator Hall offered the following amend
meut to the constitution of the state, entitled:
Capitalization of Voters"
No person shall have the right TO vote who
shall not be able to read the constitution in the
English language and write his name; provid
ed, however, that the provisions OF the amend.
ment shall not apply to any person prevented
by physical disability from complying with its
requisites. nor to any person who now has the
right to VOTE
Senator Lord advocated the amendment
He said it was method of compulsory educa-
ton which would be brought home to everyone
in the state.
The resolve was refused passage by the fol
lowing vote:
Yeas-Campbell, Emery, Foster, Hall, Han
son, Hinckley, Kent. Lord, Rounds, Stevens,
Nays-Atwood Corthell, Cross, Gushing,
Cutler Donworth, Dyer, Foss, French, Goold,
Haskell, Morrison, Prescott, Richardson, Rus
sell, Swasey-16.
The resolve giving to Benjamin Smith q
pension for life came from the House and was
indefinitely postponed.
Senator Hyde called up the II solve for mill
tary purposes and offered an amendment to the
House amendment. that $4,000 be appropriated
for the purpose of a general muster to be held
in some retired place away from large cities,
and the time should be devoted entirely to in
struction in military and camp duty.
Senator Swasy opposed the amendment and
advocated the resolve as reported by the COM
mittee. He was opposed to heaping reproach
upon the soldiery of the state by saying they
were surrounded by drunkenness at the mus
ter. Far from it.
Senator Haskell favored an efficient military
organization such as he believed ours to be and
advocated the resolve.
Senator Hall advocated the cause of the
militia and enlarged upon the importance of
the organization.
The amendment was adopted and the resolve
passed to be engrossed.
The tax bill assessing tax at the rate of
four mills on dollar was passed to be engross-
ed in concurrence.
The Senate insisted upon its bill regulating
the travel of members and proposed commit
tee of conference.
The resolve in favor of the Maine General
Hospital was called from the table by Senator
Cutler. Senator Morrison moved to amend by
making the appropriation $4,000.
Senators Gould and Foster advocated the bill
as it is.
solve was finally passed.
The resolve in favor of JAS Farmer and
others was indefinitely postponed.
The resolve to pay the orphans Of soldiers a
pension of $3.50 a month to those who have
no other pensions was taken from the table,
and pending action upon it the Senate adjourn
ed.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The military appropriation bill came back
from the House non concurred in, and the Sen
ate voted to insist on its action.
The bill granting pensions to soldiers and
sailors orphans was taken from the table and
indefinitely postponed.
Senator Swasey called up the capital pun
ishment bill and was proceeding to explain
where he stood when in the midst of the debate
the cry of "Message" was beard, and in filed
the House Committee of "a headed by ''Sam"
Leavitt who proceeded to deliver the message
from the House requesting an evening session,
and then they filed out again. The Senate
would have been happy to have acceded to the
request had not their business been in such an
unfinished state that it was thought impossible.
1t was finally decided to have an evening ses-
sion.
The capital punishment bill was then called
up and the yeas and yeas called on the question
which resulted as follows:
Yeas-Atwood Campbell, Cross, Gushing,
Donworth, DYER, Emery, French Goold, Has
kel, Hinckley, Hyde, Richardson, Russell,
Thurlough-15.
Nays-Corthell, Cutler, Foss, Foster, Hall,
Hanson, Kent, Lord, Morrison, Palmer, Pres
colt, Rounds, Stevens, Swasey-14.
Absent-Holbrook.
The bill was passed to be enacted.
Bill relating to the Ocean Insurance Co. was
indefinitely postponed.
The bill authorizing the Governor to appoint
women to certain offices was amended by strik-
ing out "Justice of the Peace" and passed to
be engrossed.
Resolve establishing the valuation of the
towns of Berwick and North Berwick was
passed. Resolve relating 10 purchase of chem
ical fire engine was recalled and indefinitely
postponed.
The resolve giving George M. Weston au-
shorty to bring his case before the courts was
tabled.
A motion was made that all after the word
Preserved be struck out and that he be given
swamp lot 10 Aroostook County be inserted
instead. The resolve was indefinitely post
poned.
The following were passed to be enacted and
sent to the Governor: An act explanatory of
and additional to section 65 of chapter 81 of the
r. S., relating to civil actions; an act to amend
section of chapter SO of the r. S. relating to
marriage and its solemnization; an act to
change the name of Helen M. Merrill; an act
to incorporate the Ocean Mutual Marine Insur-
ance Company; an act to incorporate the Ok
ford Manufacturing Company.
Resolves Finally pasSed-Resolve IN favor OF
Bowdoin r. Blackstone; resolve IN favor OF tne
Maine Industrial School for Girls; resolve IN
favor of the State Reform School; resolve IN
favor of the own of Shirley; resolve relatlHs 10
the advertising of the public laws; resolve In
favor of the Eastern State Normal School at
Castine; resolve in favor of the Western Nor
NAL School at Pennington; resolve In favor OF
Joseph l.. Young; resolve in favor OF Silver
Ridge plantation; resolve in favor OF the town
of Roxbury.
EVENING SESSION.
The usual messages in the Senate were
passed with the House regarding the finishing
ND of business and a communication received
from the Governor giving the list of acts and
resolves passed this session. Then Mr.. Don