Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-05
would otherwise have come at the expiration

would otherwise have come at the expiration
of the old bank charters.
MANY public acts will be found relating to
the Indian and land policies of this country,
which will prove TO be wise. The postofhce
laws have been SO changed as to reduce letter
postage from three to two cents. the lowest
rate ever known in the United States. No
legislation of this Congress will be found
upon the statute books revolutionary In
character. or which will cypress any section
or indiv iiua in the land. All legislation has
been in the direction of relief. Pension laws
have been enacted which are deemed wise,
and liberal appropriations have been made,
| to pay the deserving and unfortunate pen
sioners. Internal revenue taxes have been
taken off and tariff laws revised; sectional
| ism has been unknown in the enactment of
| laws.
In the main a fraternal spirit has existed
among members from all portions of the
Union What has been said in the heat of
debate, under excitement and sometimes
with provocation. is not to be regarded in de-
termining the genuine feeling of concord ex-
listing between members. The high office
that have filled through the sessions of this
| Congress has enabled me to Ju ise better OF
| the true spirit of the members that compose
it than | should otherwise have been.
Its common to say that the House of
| Representatives is a very turbulent and disor-
DERBY body of men; this is true, more in APP
pearcnce. than in reality. Those who look
| on and do not participate, see more apparent
confusion than exists in reality. The disor-
der that appears on the hoor of the House
grows out of the earnest active spirit pos
sessed by the members coming from all sec
tons of the Union, and indicate in high de-
gree their strong individuality and their
| great zeal in trying to secure recognition in
the prompt discharge of their duty. No
more conscientious body of men than com
pose this House of Representatives, in my
opinion, ever met Partisan zeal has. in
some in. tances, lead to fierce word contests
or the floor, but when an occasion gave rise
to it and passed by the party spirit went with
it. | am very thankful for the cOnsiderate
manner in which l have been treated by the
House in its collective capacity. | am also
very thankful to each individual member Of
this body for his personal treatment of me.
shall lay down the gavel and the high Of
flee you clothed me with filled with good
feeling towards each member of this House
Have been at times impelled to be severe
with the members, but l have never pur-
posely har,hly treated any member. | have
become warmly attached to and possessed of
a high admiration, not only of the high
character of this House as a parliamentary
heartily thank the House for its vote of
thanks.
The duties of speaker are of the most
delicate and critical kind; his decisions are
in the main made without time for delibera-
tons; are often very far reaching and con-
trolling in the legislation of our country on
important matters, and they call out the
verest criticism The rules of the House,
which leave to the speaker the onercus duty
| L l. 4. -. II
to present their matter for legislation, render
the office in that respect an exceedingly I'M
pleasant one No member should have the
legislation he deserves depend upon an indi-
vidual recognition of a speaker. and no
speaker should be compelled to decide be-
tween members having matters of possibly
equal importance or of equal right to his rec
ogniton
| suggest here that the time will soon
come when another mode will have to be
adopted which will relieve both speaker and
individual members from this exceedingly
embarrassing if not dangerous power. Dur
ing my administration in the Chair very
many important questions have been decided
by me. and do not flatter myself that have
in the hurry of decisions made no mistakes,
but do take great pride in being able to say
that no parliamentary decision of mine has
been overruled by the judgment of this al
most evenly politically balanced House, al
/ though many Appeals have been taken. |
congratulate each member of this House
upon what has been accomplished by him
in the discharge of the important duties of
Representative, and with the sincerest hope
that all may return safely to their homes, and
wishing each successful and happy fu ture
during life. now exercise my last official
duty as the presiding officer of this House
| by dt clarlng the term of this House
under the consultation of the United States
at an end, and that it shall stand adjourned
| sine die.
When the speaker closed his remarks
there was very general manifestation of ap-
plause on both sides of the House. For
long time after the words. the members were
engaged in taking leave of each other, and
the utmost cordiality and good feeling were
manifested in these farewell greetings.