The Portland daily press., 1876-02-24
FIFTY.EIFTH LEGISLATURE.
Especial Despatch to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, Feb. %.

ceded and concurred with the Senate.
Final reports of Committees on Counties,
Finance and Interior Waters were received.
The committee of conference on act regulat-
ing dividends Of savings banks reported that
the Senate recede and concur with the House
In in definitely postp0ning the bill.
The bill relating TO close time for land-locked
salmon and trout was recalled from the Cover
nor and indefinitely postponed.
The committee of conference on road in
Kingsbury reported a resolve for $780, and the
resolve was passed.
Senator Swasey's bill to regulate the rate OF
interest was then taken from the table, being
assigned for the morning. Mr.. Swasey ad.
dressed the Senate at length in support of the
bill and did not conclude before the Senate ad.
journed at 12 o'clock
AFTERNOON SESSION.
AT the afternoon session Senator Swasey re-
sumed his discussion upon the interest bill,
which he continued till o'clock. He canvass
ed the subject pretty thoroughly and held the
undivided attention of the Senate. The yeas
and nays were called on the passage of the bill
to be engrossed, and the vote was as follows:
Yeas-Donworth, Jordan, Keyes, Lord. Prescott,
Stevens, StuTgis, Swasey, Thompson, Thurlough,
Tolman, Wadswerth, Wentworth, White-14.
Nags-Brackett, Brown !. S., Brown s. O.. Car
Watts, Webb, Woodbury-13.
The resolve regarding bribery at elections
was then taken from the table. Mr.. Peaks
said that he hoped every Senator would read
the resolve carefully The matter was discuss
ed at length and the question was called upon
motion to indefinitely postpone. The ques-
ton to indefinitely postpone was carried on a
strict party vote, except that Mr.. Estes voted
with the Republicans.
The bill relating to salaries of officers of the
state prison was taken from the table, pending
a motion to indefinitely postpone. Senator
Tolman offered an amendment striking out all
the provisions over til at fixing the Warden's
salary. The amendment was adopted and the
resolve as amended passed to be engrossed.
The resolution fixing the salaries of other
state officers was taken from the table Sena.
tor Peaks moved to amend the report by fixing
the salary of the Adjutant General at $15OO-
now $1,000. Senator Haskell advocated the re-
port of the committee. The yeas and nays
were ordered and resulted in a vote of 16 in fa-
vor to IA against the amendment and the
amendment was adopted.
The resolve as amended passed to bs en-
crossed.
The bill relating to the fish commission
was taken from the table. Senator Haskell
moved to indefinitely postpone the bill. sena-
tor Swasey advocated the claims of the COM
mission and thought it good thing. The bill
was indefinitely postponed, 1S yeas to IL nays.
The bills passed to be enacted and resolves
finally passed in the House were similarly act
ed upon by the Senate.
The bill relating to the throwing of gas
water and residuum into the Saco River was
taken from the table. A motion was made to
refer the bill to the next legislature The yeas
and nays were ordered and resulted, yeas II,
nays 8, and the matter was referred to the next
legislature
The act relating to insurance companies was
taken up, the vote whereby it was passed to be
engrossed reconsdered, and carried. An
amendment was then proposed, verbal in its
nature, and the bill as amended was passed to
be engrossed.
The bill relating to uniforming the militia
The bill relating to tramps introduced in
the House) was read twice and passed to be en-.
crossed.
The committee of conference on bill to incor
porate the Franklin Central Agricultural Soci-
ETY. reported bill in draft and that it ought to
pass. The bill was passed to bs engrossed.
Adjourned
The resolve to appropriate $1,000 to pay ex-
penses of Governor aud Staff to the Centennial
was advocated by Mr.. Rowe (dem. of Frank
and Mr.. Pike (dem.) of Calais, and refused a
passage.
Bill repeating chap. A laws 1872 and chap
244 laws 1874, was indefinitely postponed.
The bill relating to security of life on steam
vessels on interior waters was indefinitely post
poned in concurrence.
The report Of the Judiciary Committee re.
porting legislation inexpedient on bill abolish.
ing Imprisonment for debt, was accepted.
Mr.. Talbot from the Constitutional Commit
tee, reported approving the draft and arrange.
ment of the Constitution as made by the Chiel
Justice, and offered a resolve appropriatine
$4,000, or as much thereof as is necessary, tc
pay for engrossing the same under the direction
of the Secretary of State.
The institutional amendment relating t(
bribery reported by the Judiciary Committee
was taken up al d advocated by Mr.. Pike at
length. 1t is declared by him to be measure
to prevent rich men from purchasing the vote!
of poor men. Mr.. Powers said that he favored
the amendment of last year, but thought this
proposed amendment would retard the progress
of elections He favored any measure which
would prevent bribery at elections Mr.. Kee
gan favored the amendment. Mr.. Lynch OF
Machias, said we had come to that position
when talent Was ignored and the money of rict
men bought voters like sheep in the shamble
Mr.. Powers said in reply that even if there was
need of any such provisions as this proposed
amendment contained, the assertion that Maine
men were bought like sheep in the shambles
was an insult to the people of this state. Mr.
Talbot favored the amendment. Mr. Pike said
that he had lingering affection for the grand
old Republican party, and looked to its repre-
sentatives in this Legislature not to follow the
gentleman from Houlton, who was SAID to be
the House leader of that party. Mr.. Hobson
moved to amend so as to make the giving Of
liquors or the accepting of them in purchase Of
votes. Lost. The following amendment was
then adopted, yeas SO, nays 36, which reads as
follows:
Resolved. That the following amendment to the
constitution of this state be proposed tor the action
of the legal voters of this state in the manner
quired by the constitution, to wit:
Bribery at EJections-No person who shall receive
expect or offer to receive pay, offer or promise to
another, to be paid used, any money or otbeI
valuable thing compensation or reward for the
giving or withholding vote, at an election. who
shall make any promise to influence the giving OF
Withholding any such vote, or who shall make or
become directly indirectly interested in any bet
or wager depending upon the result of any election,
shall vote at such election; and upon challenge OF
such cause, the person challenged before the Off
GERS authorized for that purpose, shall receive his
has not received offered does expect to receive,
has not paid, offered or promised to pay, and does
not intend to pay contributed, offered promie ed
to contribute, and does uot intend to contribute to
another to be paid used, any money other valu-
able thing. as compensation or reward for the
make or become directly indirectly interested in
any bet or wager depending upon the result of such
election.
The yeas and nays are as follows:
Yeas-AIlen of Waldoboro, Alexander, Anderson
Bass, Bean, Blaisdell, Blanchard of Falmouth
Blanchard of Yarmouth, Burnbam, Burpee, Chase
son, Davis of Portland, Dearborn. Dennison Drisko
Eaqtman Farrar of Ruckfpd Farrar n