The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-30
The Constitutional CommIssiOn-Hearing
on the Question OF Capital punishment
Railroad Tax Bill, ETC., ete.
Especial to the Press.)

AUGUSTA, Jan. 20, 1875.
The proceedings of the Constitutional Com
mission were characterized by the usual inter-
est. DR.. Robbins presented the following re-
solve, which was adopted without dissent;
Resolved: That article section of the Con-
stitution be so amended by striking out the
words. "and all religious societies In TINS sIaoe,
whether incorporate or unncorporate, snail al
times have the exclusive right of eiectIng their
public teachers and contracting with tnem lor
the support and maintenance.
All the propositions respecting some method
for the removal of sheriffs, etc.. part of which
were presented few days since, and resolve
of Mr.. Libby to the effect that some amend
ment should be made to the constitution pro-
viding for the removal of election officers, were
referred to Messrs. Haines, Talbot and Gilbert
to draft In amendment or report otherwise to
the Commits. ion. ... ..........
The proposition of DR.. Robins to strike out
all that part of article 8 which authorizes the
Legislature to endow colleges, academies, ETC.,
called forth an animated discussion which
turned upon the merits of the Agricultural COL
lege Mr.. Madigan warmly advocated the
Orono College and Mr.. Talbot made an able ar
gument in defence of the policy of aiding col
leges and higher schools Others seemed OPP
posed and took grounds against the general
principle. 1t was not the purpose of DR.. Rob-
ms to have this resolve applied to the Agricul-
tural College, but generally. ,,...l..
DR.. Robins based his advocacy of the propo-
sition to strike out the clause, on the follow
ing. .....i, .5......,...... ..--... I'D.
1. A general diffusion of the advantages of
education, as the Constitution now asserts, is
essential to the preservation OF the rights and
liberties of the people ~ .,. ....,. 49,.
2. Therefore the Legislature should prescribe
course of study suited to children under 10
years of age,
8 The Legislature should be restralned from
givingipecuniary aid to Institutions of learning
other than the schools in which the prescribed
course shall be taught. e.
4.The Legislature should provide for compulso-
ry education within the limits of the prescribed
course of study. i.....ll .i o.
The proposition was lost to 5. .u ! .
Mr.. Libby presented q resolve to SO amend
section that it shall be at the discretion OF
the Legislature to endow academies and collie
ges where it is now made duty. Adopted, 6
tod. 500 ..t., ..,s. 4..ss.r.it. a.. 7e
The following articles were reported by
Judge Kent in form for presentation to the
legislature: ... ~, .r5...lI .-f...lat
article 10. The legislature shall from time
to time provide as far as practicable by general
laws for all matters appertaining to special or
private legislation a'
article a. Corporations mag be formed I'M
der general law S but shall not be created by
special acts of legis ature, except for muncipal
purposes nd in cases where the objects OF the
corporation cannot be obtained under general
laws. ~ a,f5...5 ..i... .4.I iii .'-Iaa
Adopted. I'D. .t ...
The balance of the day was consumed in con-
sidering the question of taxing corporations,
particularly railways.
Mr.. Libby offered as a substitute for his
proposition offered Tuesday relative to the
taxation of corporate property, the following:
Resolued, That the Legislature shall never, in
any manner, suspend or surrender the power OF
taxation. tit-4 .ih B.
Resolved, That all taxes shall be uniform up
on the same class of subjects and shall be lev
led and collected under general laws.
The above was under consideration when the
session closed.
The number Of towns claiming reimburse
ment for money loaned the State to fill balances
of their quota for October, 1868, is 10, as fol-
lows: Alexander, Lexington, Harrington, Vim
alhaven, Bradley, Lubec, Scion, Fairfield, Mil
ford, Arson, Mt. Desert, Sullivan, Brooksvie,
Marshfield, Smyrna, Mortified, Linneus, Eus-
tbs pl. The amount required to adjust all these
claims is about $14,7OO The largest amount to
any one town is $2400 to Linneus.
In the figures given as the bills of the Secre.
tary of the Board of Agriculture it is fair to say
that about $3.50 was paid to lecturers, and that
500 was the expense of short hand report of one
meeting instead of SIS day. The session was
three avs, but it took as much more time to
write out the notes; also $50 was paid for col
lecting materials for paper and for short hand
report. There has also been paid for circulat-
ing reports to members of the Legislature in
September last and the present winter, 1882.
This sum only pays for packing. Mr.. Board
maa's bills are moderate enough, well vouohsd,
the only question is to the necessity of increas,
ing these expenditures. . f.. ..-....-5js '
The Berwick division hearing will take place
next Wednesday.
The hall of the House was crowded to-day
by very intelligent audience of ladies and
gentlemen to listen to the arguments before
the Judiciary Committee on the capital pun
ishment question Messrs. Quinby, Pillsbury
and Friends Lang and Taylor opposed the
death penalty, and Hon. G. f. Talbot in a
most able argument advocated it. The arsu-
ment of Mr.. Pillsbury was eloquent and adroit.
The audience was evidently opposed to capital
punishment. The general impression is that
the committee will report bill to abolish the
death penalty, though the committee is quite
evenly divided. -nsH - .,ris.r1t .H
The Election Committee will continue the =
cases at four o'clock Monday. 1t is said that
the Judiciary Committee will certainly report
bill abolishing the death penalty. If this fails
they have one prepared relieving the Governor
and Council from the duty of reviewing capital
cases. .....,..s.tf-. -.. Id ..5,-r it|
Llewellyn Morse, Esq, of Bangor, has been
excused from further attendance on account of
the condition of his health, which renders it
necessary for him to go South. Scores Of
friends in the Legislature regret the loss of SO
good man and unite ia the wish for his speedy
recovery. .g.u....t . .1r.- ..
To-day the report of a committee was seized
in one of the branches by an interested party,
and carried out of the State House, where it
was kept an hour.
The bill to enforce tn collection of taxes
upon railroads has been agreed upon and will
be presented in printed form on Monday
Section provides that in case a railroad com
pany does not pay the Tax levied upon it, the
state treasurer may issue his warrant for col
lection directed to the sheriff of any county,
requiring him forthwith to distrain the goods,
chattels and franchise of such company and
keep the same for four days at the cost of the
company, and if the tax and costs are not paid
at the end of that time, the sheriff is to sell
the same at auction after advertising 4S hours,
in sufficient quantity to pay the demand For
the purpose of distraint the franchise, engines,
cars and other property used in operating the
road shall be deemed chattels and goods. The
goods seized under this warrant shall be held
irreplernable, and no: action shall be main
tanned against the officer, Section 2 provides
that if any railroad company deems the tax il
legal, their remedy shall be an action of money,
had and received against the state treasurer,
which action is authorized for the purpose Of
testing the legality of said tax. S. "
FIFTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE