Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-01-29
ceror.l K;no nrs.sm,nsnt,v a inst man. and the

General King, pre-eminently Just man, anu the
| bitter enemy of wrong at once commenced Wig
orous contest IN the Legislature for remedy:
The fact that the fight must be made in the citadel
| OF the enemy-that wealth, aristocracy, law, ana
generally the federalists were his opponents-Only
| made him the more persistent, increased his
strength and courage, and added uster to NE bril-
liant victory he Won Success was MS naoit' 30
in lsOc Governor Sullivan signed 1.-The DetterInent
aot," humanely providing that in all actions In.
| stituted to recover lands, holden six years or
more by possession, on Improvement whenever
the jury found for the demandant they should,
| ut the tenants request, also ascertain tue IN
| creased value OF the premises at the time OF the
| trial. in virtue OF his buildings and improve
ments; and likewise, a, The demsndan n RE- e.
| nature. Then the proprietor could take II, pay
| ing the tenant the value Of the improvements, or
abandon il to the tenant, he paying its value In
| the state OF nature. The news OF peace after
| protracted never was hailed with greater JOY
| by any suffering people than was the promulga-
| ton OF this act by the citizens of Maine.
| But perhaps the legislation In which ne had tue
| greatest pride was that known as "the religious
| freedom act.n Under tho existing law, every cor
/ porate town, parish, &C., must be constantly
provided with public, protestant teacher OF
| piety, religion and morality and every such
| town, parish &c, for the support Of the teacher
and for the repairing and building of the church
es, was authorized To raise the money by taxa
tisn, 10 be assessed the ratabe polls and prop
erty. This was In entire conflict with the toler-
| ant spiri. of Maine and General King AT once
| commenced a crusade against IT, II was battle
| against walled city, but he prevailed and in
| 1911 obtained the enactment OF 1.-The religious
| freedom act,r providing that all moneys paid By
| any citizen to the support OF public worship
should, IL such citizen required it, be uniformly
applied 10 the support OF the public teacher OF his
/ OWE ligious sect or denomination, also removing
the distinction between corporate and unncOrpor-
ale societies. and relieving tho citizen from taxes
for the support Of any other society than that to
which he belonged. This was the first great step
| toward religious enfranchsement, finally COnsum
mated in Massachusetts by the ac' OF 1884, winch
| provides that "h0 person shall hereafter become
| or be made member OF any parish or religious
society so as 10 be liable 10 be taxed therein for
the support OF public worship without his express
! consent"
Maine, in 1872, Mr.. King was careful 20 have an
| article declaring that ''all men have natural
and inalienable right 20 worship Almighty God
according 70 the dictates OF their own conscien'
| ces - also that mo subordination nor prefer
| cnco OF any one sect or denomination TO another
shall ever be established by law" also, mo re-
| liqous test shall ever be required as qualihoa-
ton for any ofice Of trust under the state, also
a declaration against all distinction between cor
porate and unineorporAte religious societies.
General Kings selfsacridcng patriotism was
| CONSPICUOUS In the war OF 1870. While 10 wEs
threatening when twas declared, and all through
| 10. prosecution his voice, his services, ana his
| Influence were in favor Of IL and Tor susta nlns
| the Government, notwithstanding he knew that
! Maine must inevitably be a terrible sufferer, with
her extensive sea coast open aud undefended in
| hundreds OF places. with her northern and east
| ern borders embraced in the arms of province
OF the enemy that he, having great wealth In
vested In commerce, many ships engaged IN for
| eign trade must see that wealth disappear Ike
| the dew and his ships rotting al the wharyes.-
| The federAlist. opposed the war with great bit.
terness, but General King, then mhJor-generAl OF
the militia OF Maine by his ardsr, determination
| and unbOunded influence with his party, held
them drmly and constantly on the side OF the Gov
ernment though the terrible spccter of starvation
and death everywhere confronted their patriotism.
| soon after the close OF the war an earnest dis
| cussion was commenced as to the propriety OF
separation from Massachusetts, Mr.. King taxing
strong ground In favor Of the proposition, and IN
1916 the people OF the district were authorized by
law 10 vote on this question "Is IL eNpcdient that
the district OF Maine be separated from hassa:
chusetts and become an independent State - And
| a convention was authorized 70 meet nj brunswick,
count the votes, aud form constitution, proyi-
ded the vote in favor Of the proposition was as :
! to4 General King was made president OF thi
convention took the ground that the votes neces'
sary for separation had been cast, carried the
convention with him, and the declaration was
made; but the Legislature OF MAssachnsetts de
termined that the convention had msconstrued
the law. and the court sustaining their decision
dissolved il.
In 1919 the discussion was renewed with great
| animation. Politics entered largely into IT, The
federalists while the district was part Of Mas
sachusetts, held the power, and received the pat
| ronage. The proposed state would DC strongly
democratic, and the minority werc satisfied ma,
in the bitter spirit of political strife, they would
| receive no consideration whatever nom the ma
jority. The Portland Gazette, dalowell Gazette
and kcnncbunk Visitor represented the views OF
the opposition, while me fortianu Argus Amer
lean Advocate, aud Bangor Register zealous!J
favored.
General King. FESTIVE under defeat, gave his
whole strength 10 the contest, personally labored
with the leading federalists both OF Name ant
Massachusetts,, and finally promised them tha
in event OF separation their party should receiy,
their fair share OF power and patronage, snd
such was their confidence in MS integrity thAt the
| Legislature again authorized the steps necessary
20 separation and the proposition was carried by
an Overwhelming majority. The convention mel
40 Portland october II, 1873, again elected zen
| eral King presl cni reported constitution whlcf
was ratified by the people, and in 1920 Maine wa'
| admitted one OF the United states OF America
In September, lSlO, the hrst state election wa.
held and Mr.. King was elected governor receV'
ing n OS3 votes 10 about l,uOJ scattering. Did he
regard his promse2 Yes, both IN letter and sprli
though organized and persistent effort was made
to prevent II. lie gave the offices one-third e
the federalists, two-thirls 20 the democrats, the
most important however 10 the former, appoint
ing Prentss ellen federAlist, chiefjustice Of tbs
supreme court. Ezekiel Metruan. tederalist, chief
justice OF the court OF common pleas He did
more. Largely through his influence his party
for years in making nominations through th'
state FOR the elective officers yielded the SAINT
proportion 10 their opponents rare example
OF political integrity Mr. King administered IN,
ofice OF governor with great wisdom and conspi
cuous fairness, and Is now universally spoken D
in Maine as "our arst and our best goveraor.n
lie died NJ Bath June Il 1852, at the age o
eighty four, having lived long enough TO see th'
state he so devotedly loved, for whose interests
he 80 earnestly and uAselhshly lsbored, prosper
Gus, strong, aud happy.
life of General King fully justify my declaration
that he was the representative man Of Maine, III,
legitimate child OF her history and OF her civil
Zation and may she not now proudly present 4
you his statute as thai OF "onc most worthy o
such a National commsmorsuon 2