Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-21
RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD
STAGER.

olAdEns
MAINE LEGIsLATuRE OF l646-GovERNoR
ANDERSON = SENATOR'S = HKMBERs OF
THE HoUsE-STEPHKN H. CHAsK-EBEN-
EzER observation-disclosures B00N-TKLOs
SLUIcEwAY-DAvID PINoREE AND Pr
NoBscor LUMBERNEN-THE SENATORIAL
FIGHT-HAyIIN's FRIENDS AND FoEs-
MISTAKE OLA PoIITicIAN-BRADBU
Observation-Disclosures By HIS FRIENDS
AT End OF TERM AND Mr.. PIT FEssEN-
DEN HIS SUCCESSOR.
Over the signature OF 81. ]. p" which
can mean no other than Hon. John j.
Perry, so many years prominent In the
politics of Oxford county, writes the fol-
lowing interesting letter to the Lewiston
Journal:
The Legislature OF ls46 held Its sessions
In the summer season. Much OF the time
the heat was extreme and no man who suf-
fered through that session OF three months
could 70 away with any good "impres-
sions" or I" hot weather" legislation.
Hugh j. Anderson was Governor, Ezra b.
French was Secretary OF State, and Alfred
AuJutAut uthCieis
The Senate, In point OF ability, was
above the average. In 1t were William c.
Allen, or York; David Bronson and Isaac
Redington, Of Kenuebec; John Hodgdon,
of Aroostook; Elisha NJ. Thnrston, OF Pc
nobscot; Stephen II. Chase, OF oxford;
David Dunn, OF Cumberland. Chase was
elected President OF the Senate. One
week before adjournment OF the Legisla.
ture, he very Unexpectedly to portion OF
the Senate resigned the Presidency, and
David Dunn was elected.
The true inwardwardness" of this piece
Of political strategy on the part OF Chase
has never been given TO the public, and Is,
to this day, only understood by few who
were conversant with the exciting scenes
connected with that session.
The House, in some respects, was q
strange competition OF members. The
Democratic party was in the ascendancy
In this body by decided majority OF men,
bers; but In the ability OF its members as
compared with the Wings, was a great
way behind. Ii was curious fact that
among the Democrats composing that
House, there was not,-accordiug TO my
recollection,-a single lawyer, and but
few men on that side OF the House who
had legislative experience. Rev. Ebene-
ger Knowlton o. Montville, had been
member q single year previous to this.
Atwood Levensaler Of Thomaston, had
been q member some three years before,
aud these two men only were talked OF for
the Speskership among the Democrats.
The latter declined aud Mr.. Kuowlton was
nominated and elected.
On the other hand, the Wings were
largely represented by men OF decided
ability. Gideon Tucker represented Saco;
William Pitt Fessenden and Phineas Barnes
represented Portland; David c. Magoun,
Bath; Isaac Reed, Waldoboro; Aaron Hay
den. Passport; John Otis, Hallowell; Geo.
c. Getchell, Arson; Elisha ii. Allen and
William Paine, Bangor, and Noah Woods,
Gardiner. In constituting his committees
Speaker Knowlton departed from the US
aul course, and placed Wing members nj
the head OF majority OF the more import
ant committees. This seemed "politica!
necessity" and was cheerfully acquiesced
In by the political friends OF the Speaker.
There were two very exciting questions
before the Legislature OF that year; one
was war between the landholders and
lumbermen on the Penobscot River and
its tributary waters; and the other the
election OF United States Senator. Gen.
Veazie was then the owner or the Penob-
scot Boom, and by the act creating the
corporation, the rates OF toll had TO be re-
visei and fixed At that session. This boom
was necessity, to prevent logs coming
down tho river from going out TO sea
Gen. Veazie was the only man up TO that
time who had the pluck and ability to
manage 1t successfully. The lumbermen
brought q tremendous force against the
General, but they found In him Zoe wor-
thy OF their Steel" and came out second
best In the fight. David Pingree, late OF
Salem, in the commonwealth or Massa-
chusetts, then owned some twenty-five
townships OF timber land, located on the
head waters of the Penobscot and ST. John
Rivers. BY erecting dams 10 now back
the head waters OF the latter stream, and
connecting s sluice-wsy therefrom TO the
Penobscot, much timber on these town
ships, could be foated into that stream
and driven TO the Bangor market, where
IL was worth some two dollars per thou
sand more than at st Johns. Upon this
sluice.wsy was established toll OF some
ten cents rer thousand, which was resist,
by Pingree The fight on this was pro-
Committee on Interior Waters, OF which
the writer Was member, had over forty
meetings upon this one question. The
best legal talent In Bangor and Augusta
was engaged upon the one side or the 9th
er OF these two water" questions, backed
by lobby, stronger and more influential
than ever at any other time assembled at
the State Capitol, upon any question OF To- |
cal interest.
The fight over the Senator question last |
ed all summer. The two Houses then |
had negative upon each other, and the
Democrats had a majority In each branch. |
In the House, Hannibal Hamlin was by |
his party (the Democrats) nominated by
aadsome majority. The Senate caucus,
By majority OF one or two, nominated the
G. vernon, Hugh J. Anderson. Hamlin was
subsequently elected by the House, and
Anderson by the Senate. Then began the |
Hamlin, and his friends in tina. branch |
never wavered or lowered their colors
from the beginning TO the end OF the fight.
The opponents OF Hamlin in the Senate
tried several flank movements by electing
in that body several gentlemen other than
the regular nominee. In caucusing, the
Senate Democrats on several occasions
lacked but q single vote OF nominating
Hamln. BY what influence that single
vote was steadily held throughout the en-
tire contest in opposition TO Hamlin VS.
not known until the fight was ended.
Oxford was Hsmlin's native county, aud
large majority OF its Democracy were In
favor OF his election. Two OF its Senators
voted against him to the end. This action
on their part operated to retire one OF