The Portland daily press., 1876-02-18
The State Capital.
The Land Scrip Observation-Disclosures
tors Becoming Charlottesville party.
AUGUSTA, Feb. II, Is

AUGUSTA, Feb. II, 1876
My dispatches have already given the read
ers of the PRESS the jist Of the testimony of the
gentlemen who have testified before the Col.
lege Scrip Investigating Committee. Much of
the testimony would not be admitted in any
court, but they take everything that is offered.
There is something peculiar about the testi-
mony of Mr. Brown of Bangor. He states that
before the lands were advertised he offered
Gov. Cony 63 cents an acre. The offer was
made in the presence of person whom he did
not know and the Governor who has since died.
Of course such testimony would enot be ad-
missahle in any court But Mr.. Browns testi-
mony in this particular is not creditable to bis
well-knOwn shrewdness as a business man, for
he distinctly states that he was anxious to take
the whole of the college scrip, 100000 acres, at
SO cents, because he could thereby net ten cents
an acre, aggregating $21 1000, which is very
convenient little sum even for a rich man like
Mr.. Brown to add to his pocket money. Yet
with the certainty of this profit he did not even
write to Gov. Cony reminding him of his offer
and his readiness to make co attract in accor-
dance with his proposal! For candid witness,
Mr.. Brown has evinced a greater interest than
is discreet. Wednesday evening he was not
only present but quite busy in suggesting ques-
tions to Democratic members of the committee
to sbe put to the witnesses testifying re-
specting the price of land warrants and scrip
and the comparative value of the same. 1t was
also noticeable that Mr.. Browns memory only
served him as to the offer to Gov. Cony. He
could not recollect whether or not he purchas-
ed land warrants to any amount while this
land was in the market, and would not swear
that they were worth over sixty cents an acre
at that time.
s'Col." Wilson of Orono, was put in an I'M
pleasant fix by the cross-exnmination He
began by parading his deep interest in the
Orono College. He would sacrifice himself for
the institution. One got the impression that
he laid awake nights devsing schemes for its
future greatness Consequently the bystanders
were prepared to hear that public spirited gen.
tleman declare that he would have taken the
lands at dollar an acre. When, therefore,
Mr.. Wilson's letter was produced showing that
he offered from 50 to 81 cents an acre for the
land, how did the mighty philanthrophist
dwindle down to the puny proportions of the
graspng speculator. Such is man, and par
ticularly that sort of man who toots his own
virtues with his own horn. 1t wouldn't do to
repeat the statements of some of the best citi-
zens of Oropo and Bangor respecting the BUSH
ness reputation of this martyr of the Agrcul-
tural Collage who hasn't been happy since he
was compelled to retire from the board of
trustees. Volunteer martyrs are very different
from the class that are bound and forced to the
| sacrifice. But "Col." Wilson's testimony is
the hardest thing that can, be said of him
and one can leave him with it.
Of the balance of the testimony it is not nee
cssary to speak. Mr.. Harmon proved an en-
cyclopedia of facts respecting the price, value.
ETC., of western land. Gov. Coburn, one of the
largest purchasers of timber lands in New Eng
land for location declared explicitly that he did
not get interested in college scrip at the prices
| at which it was disposed of at first or second
| sale. Mr.. Lancy did not give his Democratic
| friends on the committee the least comfort He
told the truth. The only man who ever lived
in Maine to whom he sold scrip was one Mer-
rill, son of Paul S., who served several times as
| chairman of the Democratic State Committee
and author of that famous letter just before
the war, in which he expressed the wish with
profane fervency that the men who went to
| conquer the South would be welcomed to hos
| pitable graves.
Some visitor who was in the State House
during the first three weeks remarked that the
makers were suffering from lock- jaw, the
lack of talk was so observable. This is all over
He would now say that the silent ones were
being punished by "multitudinous slack-jaw.'
The House takes four hours session in the
morning and over three in the afternoon. The
majority is SO patient body that it may we'll
| enter lists for that rather contemplate virtue
which one Job has monopolized for some
| years.
Despite the hard times it is very CAV here.
No one would ever believe NJ. Pixies re-
mark that everybody from Quoddy to Kittery
was economzing'' should be glance at the rich
and costly attire of ladies and gentlemen at the
| parties, and even Mr.. Pike must have doubted
a little had he just paused in his speech and
| glanced at the attire of the beautiful ladies in
the area about the Speakers desk.
1t is said that some Of the gay would expect
to see little display of the jenkins style Of
correspondence after the Legislative party. 1
have never taken lessons of Jenkins, know
nothing of dry goods Tor wet) In short, I
found had no capacity in that direction. Your
| correspondent picked out lady whose dress he