Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-31
Agricultural College Scrip.

In accordance with the hope of Gen. Anderson
expressed in the House on Saturday, we publish
below verbatim report by the official reporter,
of the remarks of Mr.. Powers the order reat-
ing to raising committee to investigate the sale
Of the lands donated by the general government
to the State for agricultural college. Gentle
men will judge for themselves whether there is
any very material difference between the abstract
of Mr.. Powers remarks and the verbatim report :
Mr.. POWERS said: As the order presents a
charge of inidelity, if not corruption, against
prominent men, and as | have never seen nor
heard of any evidence upon which il is based, and
as the business OF the morning hour Is not yet
concluded, don't believe this House is prepared
to give an order with that reflection a passage,
until it has been carefully considered 1 would
therefore move that it lie upon the table until after
the morning hour.
In reply to Mr.. Talbot.
We shrink from no investigation. Orders enc
mating from the same source have been introduced
here before, in former years, and the State has
been put to a large bill of expense to investigate
them. The result is well understood And now
similar committee is asked for, coming from the
same source. Look at the cost and see what the
result was | am perfectly willing that the gen.
temen should investigate, and simply asked that
the matter might be laid on the table until this
House could thoroughly understand what they
were voting for, and could vote intelligently. We
to have another investigating committee, as it was
deemed necessary and proper to investigate the
state prison affairs at a large expense, no man will
go more cheerfully for investigating any wrong
that has been doae, than l will. But l am not
prepared to give this order passage, appoint q
committee with power to send for persons and pa
per-, and entail expense of five hundred, or
one thousand, or two thousand dollars, in this
hurried way, without taking time to consider and
reflect upon it without any understanding upon
yyli has cd her are II la.
tons for the charges, OF whether they are mere
lumors,
| simply ask to have the matter laid on the table
until after the morning hour and then that it he
taken up, and if gentlemen then have any reasons
to present to this House, that there is reasonable
cause to suspect that this fraud has been commit
ted, | will join hands for an investigation. But
do not care to vote upon it until see that there Is
something to base it upon.
In reply to Mr.. Anderson
am extremely sorry that could not make my
self understood by the gentleman from Portland,
Mr.. Anderson. | think said, and think every
member of the House understood me to say, that
this order contained in its preamble a grave
charge at least, of nfdelity. if not Of corruption
and wanted time to look Of it did not know
npon what evidence il was based; that while
was in favor of most thorough investigation, and
should not oppose IT, yet did desire that 1t might
lie on the table until after the morning hour with
the amendment offered by the gentleman from
simply moved for that purpose, under these cir
cumstances, that the order lie over until after the
morning hour; intended to state that. 1t appears
the gentleman Anderson understood me to be
opposed to investigation. | am opposed to hastily
passing orders here and think the request, under
the circumstances, the order being of this pecu-
liar kind, is one that is reasonable and proper
And it is the first time that have ever seen an
order of list kind put through under the whip
and spur when simple request had been made
n request:
what intended to say, and think that is what
the majority understood me to say
Further remarks in reply to Mr.. Anderson.I
The gentleman from Portland Mr.. Anderson
says he has heard no reason assigned for laying
the order on the tablet 1t is not customary to
assign reason when You ask that new matter
sprung upon this house by order, may lie over
for an hour that you may look at it, ask simply
that, and nothing more. go as far as he An
dersonl does for investigation, and have stated
it repeatedly. But hasn't the gentleman perceived
that the very man who introduced the order now
wants to amend its preamble, seeing tdat II IS not
what it ought to be !?
Mr.. Bass. / did not ask it. ! did it at the re-
quest of the gentleman from Burlington Porter
Mr.. POWERS. wish to say to the gentleman
Henderson further, that in former Investigations
here the other and coordinate branch of this
legislature joined with us and had part IN the
committees. / wanted time to look at it, and see
if had not some amendments to offer to the or
der. | say it is unprecedented. during the time l
have been in this House, when member has
risen to ask that order, especially one contain
ing grave charges like this, may be laid on the
table that he coald have time to look at it after
the morning hour, that it was not granted. And
when a gentleman assumes that |, or any other
member who votes for tina. delay that he may
offer his amendment. is opposed to the fullest and
the most thorough investigation, he assumes that
which lie has 10 right to assume.