The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-21
The State Capital.
The Seventh Week-Important Measures
The Investigation, etc., etc.

AUGUSTA, Feb. 10, 1876.
The week has been a very busy one and
many important measures have been acted on.
The passage of the bill abolshing capital pun
ishment is the most important measure of the
session, though the defeat of the Bass election
bill, rather that portion of it requiring alder.
men to hold sessions the day of election, caused
more feeling than any other measure that has
been acted on. The Maine General Hospital
appropriation has got safely through the criti-
cal periods of such measures by majorities
which cannot be overcome. Mr.. Davis and
others were equally anxious to secure an APP
preparation to assist in founding homeopathic
institution, but it is evident that the Legsla-
ture is clearly of the opinion that it is not a
good time to begin to establish another charity.
1t is evident to the most of us that it isn't a
good year to get fancy appropriations, although
Mr.. Talbot thinks it is, but Mr. Tall bot, al
though an able man, is something of political
Rip Van Wrinkle and it is feared that he will
never outlive that political cynicism and Bit
terness which he and many of his party fell
into during the wal, and which manifested itself
in what was known as apprehension. Mr.. Tai
bot is general opposition man. He opposes
everything calling calling for money but the
bill repeating the bounty ON bears and tine ap-
preparation to pay Mr.. Changers judgment on
an Indirect suit against the state to recover
rents for certain islands in the st. Croix river.
1t is said that the court fixes the rental, but
even the best of judges may possibly set sum
too high on property they have never seen.
For one don't believe Mr.. Changers st. Croix
islands would sell to-day for the rental obtain
ed for the years they were claimed and oecu
pied by the Passamaquoddy Indian agent.
The bill authorizing the government to ap'
point land agent for the purpose of closing up
the affairs of that office as soon as possible, is
measure which the Democratic lead.
ers expect to make capital out of. They
can hardly do it. They proposed to in
definitely postpone the bill, leaving the office
and its records under the direction of no par
ticular officer. They did not propose substi-
tute for the bill of the committee whicha fair
minority is bound to do in all fairness when
they oppose a measure so important as that re-
lating to the disposition of the records and I'M
finished business of an Office which has been
one of the most important in the state govern
ment.
AS stated in our dispatches the College Scrip
Investigating Committee have finished taking
testimony and the stenographer, Mr.. Small is
hard at work putting the testimony in form to
be printed if the House so ORDER Democrats
who have listened to the testimony express
themselves in no very complimentary terms of
the gentleman who started out on the raid. AS
for the Republicans, they have good cause to
be glad that eampaign SANDER has been sent
to its grave. The wounded are Mr.. Bass, DR..
Jordan and Mr.. Brown of Bangor The former
gentleman isn't happy and now that the whole
thing is proving so wretched failure, the De-
mocracy will most likely be tardy in accepting
the leadership of men who have deserted from
the enemy because disgruntled. Mr.. Browns
trouble appeared to have been that of defec-
tive memory. He testified positively in the
first instance that he purchased few pieces OF
college scrip of Mr.. Kimball of Hermon fer 90
cents an acre. A gentleman familiar with the
matter went to Mr.. Browns partner and told
him that Mr.. b. had never purchased any of
Kimball's scrip. tbs said that Mr.. B. was in.
formed by telegram of the error he had made,
and that gentleman made haste to correct it
before the committee. Two gentlemen,
Messrs. Kimball and Ruggles, testified that
Brown never had any of the scrip but on the
other hand declined to take an acre of it. He
was entirely in error as to the price of land;
and inasmuch as he took no interest in secur-
ing the whole scrip at price which would
enable him to make nearly $250OO, isn't it fair
to presume that Mr.. Browns memory played
false with him respecting that interview with
Coy. Cony in November, 1866, and that he
never made the offer? Against the doubtful
testimony of Mr.. Brown is the positive testi-
mony of ex-Gov. Coburn and Messrs. Ruggles
Harmon and Kimball, both as to the action of
the Governor and Council of 1866 aud the prices
OF land scrip at the time Of the sale, making on
the whole most overwhelming case. Now
that DR.. Jordan has sworn that he practically
knew nothing about the matter several Demo.
Gratis are telling what contemplate and alto
gether bad lot he is-that they never believed
him and are not responsible for his reckless
blunders. Still Democratic papers have con-
tinued to print his ISLANDERS, and Democratic
orators have proclaimed them from the stump
SO that it isn't just fair now to m AXE him par
ty scape goat. This DR.. Jordan is the same man
who slandered snd poured out his filth upon
every prominent Republican during the war,
and the the old spirit of apprehension is still
SO strong in him that he now hates and TIA
duces the dead who were true to the country
when he was cowardly traitor skulking in the
rear. The people of Maine who so nobly sus-
tanned the patriot Cony as their war executive,
will not now believe the malignant slonders of
this demorazed and debauehed wretch, DR..
Jordan. S.