Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-18
The ThumastOn Bridge Question.

der notes.
The Th"maston Bridge Question.
lHr. Editor Perhaps too great seu,itvencs-
Oh INV part leads me to ask the use Of your col
umus. but OF that | ask your readers TO judge
In the discussion Of public bill, whereby the leg
stature is asked TO remove its tsrctIon from tue
right to construct a highway across the Georges
river, in the town of Thomsston, the Represents
tive from that town saw fit TO draw my name into
the de bate in an of, nsive manner. | have no
voice on the floor and have no Representative to
speak for me personslly,-it is purely a public
question.
The charges made were lst, That had Sian.
dered him To Representatives and others, Dunn
the past week 2ud, That had Threatened to run
nm ioi his stand taken On this bill; 81, That
mad been lobbying" 10 the interest VI the BIN;
4th, That | was rich man.
10 the first two, 1 have to say that SANDER never
naturally was suy part Of my instinct, and TO th'
ruth of that can appeal 10 those throughout thu
state who have known me iron boyhuod, aside
from the fact that, a. weapon OF CIVILIZED wal
fare il has been long discarded, As beng more de
.tructve to those employing it thar TO their enc
mes. | deny then that charge; as for running
him | guess he or his ibfJrnaut must bav,
come to the belief that the Georges riYel
would not continue to dow, the town OF Tnomas-
ton to exit, take care OF It's poor and pay II,
debts. and to trust, be and | and our lamie'
would many years enjoy the beauties and con-
forts of butn town anu river, even If this bill wa,
defeated and free bridge Hot constructed
As TO "luboying," il by that he means to imply
an, thing degIa lIn1 and which would not publ.
V admit. | deny that charge also. If, on lht
other hand, he meant that | nave couyersed freely
with members upon this subject, / certainly have
add only wish could nave done so with moie
| The committee who reported this bill had the ben
BIT of open lobbying" on both sides, tor | sup
pose any information impaired on subject oetot
he leg stature would be constr ued as Lobby Ing
That however, is legalzed, and by eXpereuc,
found useful legislation. Alter each Lobby
ing" or bearing, | suppose he would dePrecat,
the upaItlug OF any Information to those outside
the colL mittee who dld not hear II.
Perhaps here he and differ, aud yet 'whose OK
as goTed'' mig affect his mind, even on tha
point do not hesitate 10 say that every legisla
tor should desire and every CT izen interested VI
having knowledge OF matter before the Leglsa
ture, should give all Information thro@lng light
upon it, at hand. seriously, and 30 far rs acts
have gone 10 this case, do not believe my offenc,
can be very grleyous IN his ewes As 4 personal
favor, certainly have not called upon any legisa
tor to shut his eyes to his public duty.
Well, | am charged with being a rich man
rrulv that is an of nee. He may know; | wisl
did. some lawyers, however, know more about
YOU than on yourself. They furnish reports 10
mercantile sgeuCies in New York and Boston,
shich are secret. Sometimes very poor mai
may in them appear rich, and vice versa.
10 these times OF uncertainty, some attorney
nave received exceptional tees Tor favorable re
port supporting failing credit. Perhaps, on to-
sh le / ought not TO take TO heart the gentle
ii ,n's Ief,c ions. For here, on the floor Of III,
douse, before the people Of the State and for rel
ereuce abroad, he, as = memDtr of the iesdin.
As firm 10 the County OF Lincoln, has puohciy
unsolicited and unpaid, endorsed my ciedlt-a-
NOS, sde NE sJoues, Mackey, VANDERBILT
u Aston, 90 .msli scale,
81. I. pa, thi. If he u~n Of Thomsston's inter
SIS are be af-cttd 10 the House, because one .
= citizen, said to ne rich here Interests himself u
u, sfait., let me remind the gentleman that The
burden Of his frie nds talk before tne CO Bmittct
~ss tast the petitioners were all poor, with 4 lev
exceptions, aud that that petition snd that remou-
STRANGE, were openly and boldly placed Ia the bal
,uct and weighed i dollars ssd cents, sad tn,
cpmui tee expected to be thereby influenced.
| WISH TO add only word IS 10 the oIli, which
mas been the occasion Of 80 much str and feeilIs
| IN the part Of the gentleman from Thomas o..
| From time immo mortal States nave reserved L,
themselves the rights Of sovereignty over nsvIga-
ME waters, This has been for tue prOteCii N Oi
| navigator solely. Mht thus was not liable 10 bt
INSTRUCTED or It's interest, aft cted, absolutely or
under proper restrictions, they have rs matter Of
general pub ic policy, always yielded 10 any asked
ior destable improvement. And | am Informed
hat DO precedent for such a refusal be called
mind 10 tue history Of the legislation of IN IL
state.
! Under that principle, we come here TO ask for
/ he passage Of the bill, and expected more d f.
/ hculty 10 the House, thRo in The committee. But
/ We we're met 10 the House al the outset, with the
Try Of "aut OF legal notice, as required by statute
| tie committee had had that question before them.
aud decided It sufficient. The Senate, also, aud
~, L.. Il