The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-02
The Legislature Making Good
Progress.
SOME OF THE MORE IMPOR-
TANT MATTERS TO BE
ACTED UPON.
Mr.. Sawyer Surrenders the Seal
and the Election Returns.


AUGUSTA, Jan. 81.
Both branches of the Legislature adjourned
today after short session, until Monday af-
ternoon at 4 o'clock.
The Weeks Work in the Legislature.
The week ends with the most important
committees having plenty of work on their
hands, notably the Judiciary Committee,
which will probably be the hardest worked
committee of the session. The labor Of maxi
ing the laws conform to the biennial election
amendment to the Constitution is an enormous
task and will Of itself consume considerable
time before they will be ready to report The
Committee on Legal Affairs will relieve the
Judiciary Committee somewhat Of their labors
There will he little or no tinkering OF the
statutes this winter, and the principal legisla-
ton will be that relating to the state valua-
ton; also that which is demanded on account
of the conspiracy. The special investigating
committees will be hard worked. In educa-
tional matters it is thought there will be little
change made in the present laws. 1t is the
opinion of some that the proposition to provide
uniformity of text books in our common
schools and prevent too frequent changes, is a
measure that will be favorably considered
I find there are quite number who do not
believe in abolishing the Executive Council
and substituting an auditor instead, and there
are others who take the ground that the Coun-
Gil is a useless, expensive appendage, nothing
but graveyard for retiring men from office,
and that it ought to be done away with. On
certain other matters of legislation there is
difference Of opinion, but nothing likely to
provoke a sharp debate unless it hits the tu-
sionists So far as the Republicans are con-
cerned there is not likely to be much talking
on their side, it being their intention to contine
themselves strictly to such legislation as is
needed and SO dispatch business that final ad-
iournment can be reached in five weeks hence,
or about the first week of March With the
incoming week it is expected that nearly all
of the empty seats OF the fusionists will be
filled; that State Treasurer Holbrook will be
peaceably installed in office; that the missing
state seal and election returns will be return
cd that GOV. Davis will deliver his message,
and that several other important things will
transpire in the march Of events which Will
show that lawlessness must be made odious.
The Portland Turnverein Bill.
The object of the Portland Turnverein in
having their charter amended by the Legisla-
ture is to enable them to hold personal and
real estate to the value of $4,000.
Major Folsoms Position.
The status of Major Folsom, the late fusion
Adiutant General, is that he is under arrest
and in the custody Of 1t. Col. Daniel White,
and is liable to be court martialed. Folsom
claims that he resigned before he was arrested,
and cannot be held amenable to the laws.
1t is reported that Pillsbury & Co., state
printers, have received their pay in full for
printing the unauthorized agricultural report
1879, amounting to several thousand dollars
Sawyer Surrenders the
Records.
ITO the Associated Press.
AUGUSTA, Jan. SIP. a. Sawyer who has
alleged that he is still Secretary OF State, and
has established an office and retained valuable
state papers in his possession, has at last yield
ed and under a protest given up all the proper
ty in his possession AT O'Clock this after
noon Mr.. Sawyer had brought to the office of
Secretary of State and delivered up the state
SEAL returns of votes for Governor, county Off
GERS, Senators and Representatives, Council
records and all reports of the Executive Coun-
Gil for 1879 relating to election returns. The
key of the safe Mr.. Sawyer is unable to find
Mr.. Sawyer holds himself entirely responsible
for his acts in the premises and says he took
legal advice yesterday, and the advice was to
hold out; but he was satisfied that Sheriff Lib
by had warrant in his pocket for his arrest,
and he didn't choose to make a martyr of him
self. There was too much at stake for him to
hold out longer He has, therefore, under
protest, given up his claims to the office, and
will not attempt to exercise its functions fur
Their.
The credit of working up this case to its
satisfactory Termination belongs to j. W.
Wakefield of Bath, who has devoted some two
weeks in bringing about this result. The duty
was performed with great sagacity and iudg-
ment on the part of Mr.. Wakefield.