The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-01-14
The State Capital.
A Bit of Hist0ry-A Look into the Senate
Chamber-The President, etc.
AUGUSTA, Jan. Is, 1876.

AUGUSTA, Jan. Is, 1876.
THE SENATE.
Now that the excitement of organization is
over, the committees appointed, and the Legis-
lature settled down to work, it may not be un-
interesting to PRESS readers to take look
with us at the make up of the General Court. :"
In the Senate one meets great many strang-
ers. Party surprise in several instances un-
doubtedly accounts for the presence of certain
gentlemen at the senatorial board. Had the
Democracy dreamed of success in those local
tiles certain parties who prefix Hon. to their
names would never have been able to do so.
Their greatness is purely accidental. In look
ing over our old friends of the House L found
the name of one gentleman who now sits at
the senatorial board. 1t was in the terrible
days of the war that the gentleman referred to
represented district in the House as one of
the few Democrats that earnest and loyal
Maine had in her legislature. A Republican
Congress had submitted to the states an amend
ment to the constitution, abolshing human
slavery throughout the Republic To-day, for
getting the great struggle and triumphs of the
last two decades, one could hardly imagine that
Maine man could vote 'no" on such propo.
sition. Nevertheless twelve democrats did and
the first one SO voting is now member of the
Maine Senate. How would he vote to day
should the roll be called on the same question?
How would his ten party associates in the
House vote to-day on the question of declaring
four millions of human beings free people, were
that matter at issue? On which side would
the sixty odd Democrats in the House appear,
was that amendment pending to-day? Then
they would have voted nearly to a man with
Mr.. Baker of Windham. Now that they were
beaten; now that slavery has been abolished in
spite of their bitter and malignant opposition,
they doubtless acquiesce in the result and
many of them wonder that they could have
been SO blind twelve years ago. And yet these
political curiosities gravely tell us that Demo-
cratic principles haven't changed!
But did not mean to devote so much space
to this matter. 1t is all due to the stray copy
of the House Journal of 1864 and Mr.. Bakers
representative Democratic VOTE
The President of the Senate-one of the most
ready and digniied gentlemen who have occu-
pied that chair for years--is one of the young
est members. So young does he look, SO mod
est and quiet is he, that one wouldn't imagine
that any portion of his life had been eventful,
or that he had already made record both bril-
liant and enduring. He hasn't one of the
STACEY Ways or melo-dramatic airs of the mill
tary heroes of the novel writer's He never
tells anyone Of fields upon which he has fought
SO that no one would ever suspect that the
quiet man who is now occupying the chair of
the President of the Senate when parely:twen-
ty-one years of age led the gallant 7th Maine
to the bloody work at Antietam, or that two
years later he was commander of that brigade
which in the gray dawn of Sunday morning,
April 2, 1865, first swept over the rebel earth
works in front of Petersburg, and planted the
red cross of the magnificent 9th corps upon the
line of the South Side Railroad. Gen. Hyde
never told of such exploits, but others have
remembered them. Coming back from the
war he settled in his native city and started an
industry to which he devotes his attention. 1t
is said that he is prospering. He deserves
prosperity. No young man in Maine has
warmer or more steadfast friends. A
man of liberal culture, of progressive tenden-
cies, of solid ability; true son of the good old
State of Maine, who has brought her such re-
nown. though not in politics; his fellow citi-
zens approaching lis worth, will remember
him when they have honors to confer or re-
sponsibilities to be borne Gen. Hyde is one of
the most accomplished of presiding officers.
Hon. John P. Swasey Of Oxford is undoubt-
eddy the best debater in the Senate. During
the last session he took an active part in the
0nhatac and al Id +Lo
attention. He is ready, clever and logical, has
good voice and presence. Treasurer Hatch
calls him the fright bower of the treasury by
which he 1.-THE Treasurer) doubtless made use of
phrase of seamanship by which the term
blower is applied to anchors, and not to that
sinful game at which the heather Chinee. was
SO innocently skillfuI. Mr.. Swssey is young
man who did good service in the army, and
now enjoys lucrative practice in his own and
adjoining counties, where he is justly popular.
He is one of the coming men whom the people
of his section will entrust with their interests
and honor with their votes
The leading member on the Democratic side
is Hon. Charles Fl. Haskell of Cumberland.
He is a good business man and general fav-
orite, and President Hyde has fttingly recos-
nized his merit by putting him at the head of
the. Railroad Committee. The PRESS has fire.
quently spoken in commendation of Mr.. Hask-
ellis qualifications for the office Of Senator
and the important position of Centennial Com
missioner, so that an ex ended notice is not re-
quired at this time
FREE HIGH SCHOOLS,
1t is said that an attempt will be made to
repeal the free high school act, by those who
have not cared to avail themselves OF its adj
vantages This attempt will fail, simply be-
cause the system has proved great benefit to
towns in supporting high grade of schools
aud thereby giving hundreds of our young men
and women all the advantages of the old acad-
emies which they wonld otherwise be unable to
obtain. The free high school also affords the
town schools better educated class of teach
ers which must be made sure of unless we are