The Portland daily press., 1880-02-04
THE LEGISLATURE.
aanate.

Mr.. Flint of Piscataquis presented an order
to reduce the salary of the Judge of Probate
for Cumberland county
The acceptance of the report of the commit
tee on state printing which awards the con-
tract to Sprague & Son, was taken up. Messrs.
Strickland, Patten, Barrett and Ellis (Fusion
Senators) and Dearborn (Rep. )opposed. Messrs.
HAYES, Harris, Dingley and Bradford favored.
The yeas and nays being taken resulted by a
vote of 10 to IA to table the report.
House.
Mr.. Perry (Fusion) of Camden offered the
following:
Ordered, That whereas there seems to be
hitch i'm the investigation of the so-caled
Swan and Hartman bribery cases, that the
committee having the matter in charge be re-
aueSted to investigate the said matter inn
mediately and report the same Immediately to
this House, and
Whereas it it currently reported that Wal
lace r. White, the party charged with payn 6
over the $1,000 and 81 005, in the respective
cases. is at home sick with the measles, that
the said committee also be requested to ascer-
tain Immediately and report Immediately to
this House whether or not the said Wallace II.
White is suffering from an attack OF measles,
either, black, white or square toed, or fro m
any other distemper or disease, more or less
u
Mr. Jewett of Richmond moved that the
order be indefinitely postponed, saying that
he objected to its uncourteous wording. 1t re-
Elected severely not only upon Mr.: White, but
upon the committee and the House.
Mr.. Hale of Ellsworth supposed the order
submitted had been drawn by the gentleman
who presented it, but he could not conceive
how one who represented great and intelli-
gent constituency and who had such experience
in legislative bodies could have deliberately
written it. The gentleman from Camden
would get enough of investigation before they
got through. There was no need of opening
old Sores The members of the opposition who
had come in and taken their seats had not said
one word to bring up party matters and he adj
mired them for it. On the other hand the
Republicans had been equally magnanim Gus.
There would be no delay Of investigations, but
orders couched as the above should be indefn-
ately postponed.
Mr. Plaisted (Fusion) of Lewiston hoped the
order would be indefinitely postponed with all
due regard for Mr.. Perry.
Mr. Perry remarked that if the orders was
wrongly worded it was not the fault of the
Orucr, IL was thO iauib VI viz oio .'oiSo IL
there were any If there was anything that
was playful and that was all that was intended
in the order it is nothing that the majority of
this House should consider Of any more i'm
portance than the investigation of the bribery
charges which they seem at the present time
to hesitate about.
The order was indefinitely postponed by a
unanimous vote.
A petition was DIT esented and referred to the
banking committee from the president and
trustees of the Peoples Twenty Cent Savings
Bank of Bath, for reduction of interest on
deposits.
A petition was presented and referred to the
judiciary committee from parties in Rockland
for authority to supply the citizens of that city
with water from artesian wells and natural
springs.
On motion of Hunnewell of Searsport it was
Ordered, That the committee on the judi
ciary be directed to inquire into the expediency
of so amending the constitution of the State
that the right of suffrage should be Ii nited to
those who are able to read and write the Eng
lish language.
On motion of Mr.. Strout of. Portland it was
Ordered That the committee on the judi
ciary inquire as to the expediency OF amending
chap. 113 of the laws of 1879 by striking out
the word "six' in the second line from the
bottom of said act and insert instead the word
'ten," and by striking out the words upon
presentation of an invoice or inventory of the
property to be sold'' and inserting instead
thereof the words upon application in
writing"
On motion of Mr.. Plaisted (Fusion) of Lin
coin it was
Ordered, That the committee appointed for
the purpose of iuves tigatlng the charges OF at
tempting bribery of members of this House,
and which now consists of five, be increased by
the addition of two members; but that said
committee be instructed to proceed at once
with said investigation and report to this
House as soon as possible.
In introducing his order Mr.. Plaisted said
that he had no doubt of the honest and sincere
motives of the members OF the House for
thorough and complete investigation of this
matter 1t is demanded by the people of this
State, and [ believe it will be SO regarded by
this House and so acted upon. We must in
vestigate this matter to the very bottom and
the guilty must not escape. whoever and
wherever they may be. hope you will per-
init the enlargement of this committee and
join with me in urging this investigation
promptly and thoroughly.
Mr. Stront of Portland favored the order and
concurred in the views of Mr. Paisted. Under
the circumstances the request was proper. L
believe there is no member of the House that
has any desire that there shall be any other
than full, complete aud thorough investiga-
tion If the charges are well founded, the
guilty party should be punished. If they are
Ill founded the party who is guilty of attempt
ing so disgraceful plot and conspiracy ought
to be punished likewise, and no Republican
member has any other feeling.
The Spea ker added Messrs. Pasted of Lin
coin and Perkins of Madison, both Fusionists,
to the committee.