Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-07
THE MESSENGERS oUEsr1ox


N N"uhch. mat the facts in the
case may be known we print the repor, of tho
Council committee which had the matter in
charge. 1t is as follows:
we move that all further cons;s.,,
atioh OF the nomination of Harold NJ
~ riaistea as Messenger to the Governor and
Oouhei De Unfortunately postponed. because
Isl Inc nomination is without authori,v
VI ., law. nominations of officers for con.
Hrmation by the Council are made nv tho
governor by virtue of Art. V. Section viii
OF the Constitution of Maine.
Inc civil Office contemplated in that sec-
.ioh IS one existing at the time Of the nomina-
'. 9 ny the same provision OF law No such
once as Messenger to the Governor and
Co ounci Is enacted by any provision of the
Oo4S,t"tioh, or by any Statute of the State.
ina. Inc employment of some suitable
person to act as Messenger has been a long
established custom, growing out of nacessity
for such public servant to take charp Of
the rooms, introduce visitors and other lao
accommodate the Executive and TN. ,,,hlic
having business at this Department. The
person so employed has never taken or sub
scfiDeu 10 me oath or oaths required of all
CIVIL officers IN section So, chapter ., of the
revised statutes; has never given a bond
nor has he ever received a commission or
certificate of election or of employment.
lie Is responsible only to the department
that employs him.
NO one would think of his being removed
ny impeachment or by address of the Legis-
iature, as provided in art. 8, sec. ) of the
Constitution IN relation to all civil officers in
case OF misteasance in office. He is merely
d publIc servant, or employe like night
watchmen and other subordinates in the State
House, whose pay may be regulated bv law
as IN chaps. l25, IA and 80 of the public
laws OF 1879, or fixed by those who employ
him If not SO regulated.
sd. The manner of selecting a Messenger
1or the first twenty -tive years, or more, in
TINS State, was through committee of the
council who were instructed BY vote of the
Council ITO empioy MESSENGER to the Coua-
cif' as he was then called, at a price agreed
upon, to perform the duties of that place and
make report to the Council of what they had
done, and II their report was accepted BY the
Council the man employed entered upon his
duties, and that ended tue matter About
thirty years ago a different mode was adopted
and that has been uniform up to the present
year. That mode was for some member of
the Council, as part OF their organization
at the first meeting, to offer an order. precise
ly as was done at this board on the 18th inst,
for the appointment Of some person, named
IN the order, to act as Messenger, and if
passed by the Council that concluded the
matter, as the acceptance of the committees
report did under the former method
1t was so done By this Council, with no
intentional discourtesy to the Governor, and,
the motion being put by the Governor in the
the chair, it was passed by the unanimous
vote Of the Council. There is no record in
this Department showing the nomination,
appointment or suggestion of the present to
be employed as having originated with the
Governor, but, on the contrary. invariably
initiated by the Council, and in one of the
two modes stated. This nomination, there
fore, is a new method inaugurated by the
present Governor, without authority of the
Constitution or any Statute of the State, and
in contraventIon OF a usage Of more than half
a century. Its recognition by the Council
would be the creation OF a civil office" not
now known to the law, and lead t. al extern
sion of TIE power of appointment by the EX-
ecutive of a class of State employees in the
public departments who have thus far been
employed by, and only held amendable to,
those who needed their service.
The Council think it safer to adhere to the
customs which have so long been observed,
than to adopt this new departure as pre-
cedent for the future action OF this depart
ment.
Valentines this year range in price from
three cents 10 so, and may be had to order
at much higher prices. The demand for
valentines ranging from five to fifty cents
each. is amazing. Dealers are selling hun
dreds where they sold dozens year ago.
Great improvements have been made in the
artistic qualities of the valentines. Some
are really magnificent, and the most beautI-
full are by no means always the most expen-
siye. Frnged valentines are among the lat
est novelties. They are bright and pretty
chromos or Autographs, crowded with cupids,
hearts. flowers and other symbolic lmprInts.
They are bortered with gaylv colored silk
and satin fringcs, which add richness to the
picture. and make them well-worth OF use IN
parlor ornamentation. One OF the prettiest
is in the form of tiny fan. fringed with SILK
and bearing upon it picture of summer
sunrise on beautiful lake. Mechanical val
en,ines are numerous, and many of them
are very ingenious contrivances. An ehtireiy
little token, which might De
nassed over at first glance, upon being opened
discloses the figure of lovely young girl
standing erect before golden spinning
wbce, amid surroundings that remind one OF
tales Of farmland. The demand for so-caiied
..coni. valentines is on the wane. oc-
casionallv really funny one is to be tound'
but for the most part, they are unhappy IN
design, inar,istic in execution and coarse and
insulting in sentiment.
Something over $500 is estimated to have
been taken during both nights of the onVer-
salist Fair. Hallnwell. The Drama was rem
,arcd with effect both evenings. and during
tho ;ntermissions the refreshments were DIS
posed of in rapid manner. On the last e'e"-
oc of the Fair large number went uo""
from this city to participate in the enJoymen's
# the evening. good deal of interest was
manifested in voting for the oil painting anu
Afghan. The popular vote OF the later oe-
,o in favor of Or. Nutting of 1lalloweil-iis
,,,,ostant Mr.. Ware of the Maine Legisla-
lure At few minutes past eleven, the polis
FIR the Afghan were declared ciosed'