Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-01-25
4aiIp &rnrrebef JOnrnal.
Augusta, Wednesday Morning, Jan. IS
Messenger to Governor and Coun-
Gil.

C1Ds
The Bangor Wing has been examining
the records in relation to the election OF
Messenger to the Governor and Council.
and finds that "from the earliest employ
ment of Messenger that employee has
been invariably chosen by the Council, and
that such choice has always been recog-
nized and approved BY the Governor"
The Wing copies from the record, begin
ming with 1927, to substantiate its position.
The method of selecting Messenger was
substantially the same from 1927 to 1860
In the latter year. as appears by the
Council records, "On motion Of Mr.. Hor-
ton It was ordered that Phineas Foster be
the Messenger of the Governor and Coun-
Gil for the year 1860"
From that time says the Wing. ito
the accession Of Governor Piaisted,
period of more than twenty years, the
selection of the Messenger to the Gov
ernor and Council has without solitary
exception followed the method Of 1860, by
the adoption of an Order introduced by a
member of the Council. The Order in
troduced by Councillor Bowers was iden-
teal In form and effect with those by
which the successive Councils chose the
Messengers who served dnring the terms
Of Governors Morrill,. Washburn. Coburn,
Cony, Chamberlain, Perham. Dingley,
Conner, Garcelon and Davis. There never
was pretension Of these, or of the twen-
ty.one preceding Governors Of Maine. that
they had any right or authority to dictate
the selection Of the Messenger, and in all
the long line of thirty-two occupants Of
the Chief Magistracv there is none to dis
pute with Governor Plaisted the monopoly
of al. the honor to be attained by rushing
into quarrel with his Council by insist
ing that they should displace a worthy,
disabled soldier in order to make the Gov
ernor's own son their Messenger against
their own will"
The Wing then shows the absurdity of
the claim that the Governor has right to
control the choice of Messenger on the
ground that that employee is the Gov
ernor's Private Secretary" The
Messenger" says the Wing. has no
more charge of the Governors private
room than he has of the Council Chamber,
and that he has no official business what
ever with the private papers Of the Gov
ernor or Of anybody else. The duty of
the Messenger is to take charge of such
papers and things connected with the
public business of the State as may be
confided to him by the Governor, any
member of the Council or the Secretary
of State and to be the messenger through
whom all persons having business with
either or all of these officers shall make
their wishes known As matter of usage
and routine the Messenger receives the
mail for the Executive Department from
the postman and delivers the letters and
other matter to the Governor and to the
Councillors addressed. That is all he has
TO do with anybody's private papers,
and It was nothing less than impertinence
for Governor Plaisted to declare he would
not trust his private mail to pass through
the hands of the Messenger chosen bv the
Council, while insisting at the same time
that the private mail of the seven Coun-
cillors should be entrusted to the hand. of
his own son. selected by himself"
One main cause of last weeks disturb
ances on the Paris Bourse is not far to
seek. The Paris Union Generate and 9TH
er banking-houses tempted by large ac-
cumulations of deposits. ventured outside
the lines of legitimate banking In a
word. the banks. either directly or indi-
rectly, have been conducting joint stock
enterprises of all sorts. and thus the Wild
est speculative ventures have been FOSTER
ed. This view is confirmed by the Lon
don Economist of January Z. whose Paris
correspondent writes: 1.-The origin of
this fever of speculation may be traced in
the first instance to the abundance of UNI
employed capital lying idle with the great
joint stock banks. and the scarcity of sound
investments in which the public could
place money with confidence after the de-
fa lit and embarrassments of the many
foreign states" The Union Generate
Bank was the leader in this movement
One of the speculative influences was the
rapid formation of steamship companies
to gain the profits. or rather subsidies,
promised under the Governments Ship
ping Bounties bill But one outcome was
possible-reaction. 1t does not appear
that the evil consequences extend serious
" beyond the breakdown of a horde of
stock gamblers. As in the United States
30 in France, thousands OF fortunes are
lost and won on the stock exchanges.
while the movement of legitimate trade
and industry continues.
The last saloon keeper in Oberliu, Ohio.
was seen, on Saturday evening. making
for swamp, while his wife was packing
up their effects preparatory to leaving the
place. The temperance men have been