The Portland daily press., 1875-01-14
FIFTY.FOURTH LEGISLATURE
Especial to the Press.l
crNArE

SENATE.
AuGUsTA. Jan. 13.-The session was opened
with prayer by the Rev. DR.. Kicker of Augusta,
after which the House papers were disposed of
in concurrence.
An order was passed empowering the Com
mittee on Judiciary to get that printing done
which may be necessary in the transaction of
committee business
Somerset county presented petition asking fol-
a bounty on that festive quadruped
Senator Atwood offered resolve abolishing
the Office of Deputy Commissioner of the Sink
ing Fund, which was referred to the Committee
on Finance.
e The same Senator offered bill entitled an
act to amend chapter 135 of the Revised
Statutes. 1t provides that section of thai
chapter be repealed, and section 9 be so amended
SO that the work of review is taken away from
the Governor and Council. The Judge shall fix
the day for the execution of criminals convicted
Of capital offence, which shall be not more
than fourteen months after conviction. The
criminal shall be kept ia solitary confinement
until the day Of execution, and the warrant for
execution shall be issued by the clerk of the
court where the conviction is obtained. The
bill was referred to the Committee on Judi
ciary.
The Senate went into convention for the
purpose of qualifying Hon. Henry Williamson,
Councillor-eleet, and Immediately after return
ing adjourned.
Senate papers disposed of in concurrence.
Bills and petitions presented and Teferred:-.
OF several setl ers in Aroostook for deeds OF
lots OF land; resolve appropriating $500 for re-
pairs of roads in Indian Township, Washing
ton county; petition of BENZ. Ryder for au-
tbOrity to extend a wharf into tide water in
Islesboro'; of Inhabitants of Vinalhayen for
amendment of ferry charter; OF citizens OF SUI
Ivan for cha rter for steam ferry between Sui
liyan and Ha pct ok; of j. HI. BigelOw ct ais,
for an act to incorporate the Center Livermore
Cheese Co; of 1. HI Esty ct ais, for the Incor.
poration of the Trescott Cheese Co; of School
district No. q Monroe, to make valid It's do
iDgs; of inh abitants of Millbridge for legisla.
ton to PREV ent the destruction of herring; of
152 citizens of Montville for division OF that
town; of N. f. Carpenter ct ais, for authority
to build d am at the foot OF Wytopitlock lake;
of j. G. Arc her ct ais, to drain and How
Bluuts' Pond n Lamoine and stock the same
with trout; petit on of Alexander Martin ct
ais, to build harf in Rockport harbor.
,Mr. Randall of Island Falls offered bill to
repeal the act of the Legislature of 1874, abol-
isbing the office of Land Agent. Read twice
and assigned.
Mr. Powers of Houlton moved to reconsider
the vote of yesterday refusing the order for a
reprieve of Wagner passage. The question
being put the House voted II to Is to recon
slider. Mr.. Powers then moved to amend the
order by striking ont the words ''until the adj
journment of the Legislature" and insert until
the third Friday of March next which was
agreed to.
Mr. Powers said that no possible danger
could result from this action. 1t merely gave
the convicted man few days to breathe.
Further, the Governor and Council were re-
viewing another case at present tGordon's) and
he did not believe the people of Maine were so
fond of the gallows that they demanded fire.
quent exhibitions of them.
Mr.. Talbot of East Machias characterized
the order an Interference with the duties of the
Executive. At bestit was only request and
of the members of the Legislature. 1t granted
the Executive no new power. If the members
desired reprieve, why did they not petit
ton him in the usual form? If the House did
anything in this line it should be to request
the court to grant new trial.
Mr. Lyman of Machas advocated the order
at leugth. 1t was not question of ones Opin-
ions relative to the death penalty, but merely
a postponement of the execution until the
Legislature might act on the general ques-
ton.
Mr. Powers said there was a precedent for
the order in the case of the Legislature which
presented similar request to Gov Chamber
laid in the case of Harris. He wanted no
lodging. Let the question be taken by yeas
and nays. Why oppose delay? Why not let
the man breathe forty days longer? Wagner is
secure. He is harming no one. He did not
assume to question the guilt of the poor wretch,
yet in this country men have been convicted
and executed on evidence as full aud conclusive
as that in Wagner's case. There is no writ of
error which will reach the grave. He moved
that the question be taken by yeas and nays,
which the House ordered, resulting in so yeas,
80 nays.
Yeas-Allan of Dennysville, Allen of Brookn,
Barker, Barnard, Barron, Bracket, Buck, Burpee,
Clark OF Lincoln, Cobb, Colson, Crosby, Cunning
bam, Davis, Dodge, Doten, Durrell, Dutton. Eaton,
Hanson Harmon, Harris. Halves, Head, Hoyt,
Hubbard, Jones, Judd, Keegan, xiii, Lamb, Lane,
Lawler, Locke, Lyford, Lyman, Macomber, McGil-
very McIntire Merril Of West Gardiner Moody,
Monlton of Lagrange, Moulton OF Scarboro Mont
gomery, Morse, Nadeau, Oak, Park, Parker Pease,
Psbury, PinkhaIn, Pitcher, Porter, Powers Ran
dali, Reed, Roberts, Rogers, Sanders. Shepherd,
Simpson, Smith Of WhiJrteld, Snow, Stacley. Stew
ems, Smrgis, stratton; Taylor, iinkham, Treat
Trott futile, Vickery N3ss ~ gg, Wakefield, Wal
den, Warren, Webste. %e.b, Wheeler, Wheel