Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-04
In Convention OF Members.elect of the
House OF Representatives.
AUGrsTA WEpSrsp.Y Ian /:

L MS being the day designated bv the Con
stitution of the State for the meeting of the
Sixty-frst Legislature. the members. elect of
the House of Representatives assembled in
their hall at 10 o'clock. A. NJ. and were
called TO order By the clerk of the last House.
Oramandel Smith. Esq
Prayer BY Rev. Mr.. Allen of Pennington,
Chaplain of ths last House.
communication was received from the
Secretary of State transmitting a certified
roll of the representatives elect of the Sixty
first Legislature. A call of the roll by the
clerk revealed the presence of a quorum, one
hundred and forty-seven responding to their
names.
On motion of Mr.. Powers, Messrs. Powers
OF Houlton, Rogers of Bath, Spotford of
Bucksport, White of Lewiston, Hale of Port
land, Chase of Litchfield. Talbot of East
Machias. Donovan of Biddeford. and Free
man of Cherryfeld, were appointed a
committee to wait upon the Governor and
inform him of the presence of quorum
of the members-elect of the House of Repre-
sentatives in Representative Hall, and that
they requested his attendance to administer
to them the oath required by the constitution
to enable themSo enter upon the discharge
of their official duties.
Subsequently Mr.. Powers reported that the
committee had discharged the duty assigned
it, and his Excellency the Governor was
pleased to say that with his Council he would
forthwith attend upon the convention for the
purpose indicated in the message.
Thereupon the Governor, accompanied by
his Council, came in and administered, and
the members-ele subscribed the oaths neces-
sary to qualify them to enter upon the dis
charge of their official duties.
The Governor and his Council then with
drew.
In HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
On motion of Mr.. Thacher, Me.srs.
Thacher of Bangor, Thomas of Portland.
Latham of Auburn, Heath of Augusta, Shap-
leigh of Kittery, Moore of Thomaston, and
Linscott OF Pennington, were appointed
committee to receive, sort and count votes
for Speaker.
Mr.. Spoflord of Deer Isle rise to very
important question of privilege. The Journal
of this morning, in a report headed ''Demo-
cratic and Greenback caucus" has printed
the name of the opposition candidate for the
Speakership, "a. C. Spofford." Now l am
authorized to say to you that that name
should be G. A. Spofford and as We never
know how close an election will be, in order
to avoid any disagreeable questions Of count
ing in" OF counting OUT l make this
announcement. Laughter
Having attended to the duty assigned it the
committee to receive, sort and count votes
for Speaker, reported as follows
Whole number of votes, l42
Necessary for choice, y
j. Manchester Haynes, has los
c. A. Spoffprd "a
And Hon. j. Manchester HAYNES was
declared duly elected Speaker of the House.
Mr.. Haynes was conducted to the Chair by
NJ nd oJIrossal tba
follows;
For this honor gentlemen of the House,
accept my most grateful acknowledgment.
A glance at this assembly, even if did not
have in mind the character and reputation of
individuals, would indicate that l stand be-
fore House of exceptional character and
ability. From the factory, the bench, the
Office. and the farm; from the mountains,
the plains, and the shores by the sea,you have
assembled to take counsel for the welfare of
the State. and by mutual exchange of views
and experiences to acquire the information
that shall promote the welfare of the common
wealth.
If | understand correctly the duties of this
office, they are that shall discover vour will
and express it to you, and not my own that /
shall determine the results and conclusions
YOU arrive at and announce them and shall
be able to do it correctly in proportion as
your deliberations are conducted with precis-
ion and under those forms of the common
parliamentary law of the land and such special
regulations as you shall adopt for your gov
ernment; not expecting or desiring to avoid
those controversies through which alone the
soundest truths and the ripest wisdom are OBJ
tanned, but seeking to pass not beyond those
limits where reason is lost.
The discoveries in science, the material
progress of the world in recent years have 40
altered the condition of human affairs that
the questions presented to YOU to-day are as
serious and grave As those that taxed the
wisdom Of the fathers when in their wisdom
and reverence they laid the foundations Of the
State. With YOU rests the responsibility of
revising the whole body of those laws under
which we live, by which our lives and liber-
ties preserved and the pursuit of happi-
ness goes on unrestrained. You have in
charge especially the apportionment of the
State. upon which the character of future
legislatures snail depend and on which the
character of your Representatives in Congress
shall depend, and by which it shall be in
some degree decided If we conduct our
selves here with full sense of these grave
responsibilities, inspired by patriotic desire
to DO what is best for our State. we shall
reach right conclusions. and our deliberations
will he successful. | shall cordially
act with you and shall expect
YOUR cordial assistance in enabling me
TO perform the part which l shall have in
this session.
Thanking YOU again. gentlemen, for this
distinguished mark of your confidence, the
Chair is ready to proceed with the business
Of the session.
The Speaker appointed as Pages. Masters
Herbert Locke of Augusta ard Llewellyn
Cooper Of hallowell.
On motion of Mr.. Rogers, Messrs. Rogers
of Bath. Heath of Augusta, Case of Rock
land, Wilson of Paris and Fogg of Bangor
were appointed a committee to receive. sort
and count votes for Clerk Of the House.
Having attended to the duty assigned it,
the committee reported as follows:
Whole number of votes, l36
Necessary for choice, GO
Oramandel Smith has l02
Otis S. Rhodes 81
And Oramandel Smith, Esq, Vas declared
duly elected Clerk of the House.
On motion of Mr.. Stone of Jay, Messrs.
Stone. Gerrish of Portland, Newell of Lewis
ton, Hill of Auburn and Pierce of Frankfort
were appointed committee to receive, sort
and count votes for Assistant Clerk.
Having attended to the duty assigned it,
the committee reported as follows;
Whole number of votes, l3l
Nacas.arv a cho;no &c