Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-07
The Legislature.

The Sixty second Legislature will or
ganize to-day and commence the work of
the session. One of the most noticeable
facts at the present meeting is the large
number of members of the House new to
the business of legislation Old members
in that body are very few. and the most
that are found come with rare exceptions
from the cities and larger towns. The
cause of this is undoubtedly found in the
change to biennial sessions. The country
towns generally will not return a member
for a second consecutive term because if
they did the rotation tf the office would
be too slow for aspiring candidates.
Hence come more new men in the legisla-
ture. also more strength to the cities and
larger towns which are able to re-elect
and return at every session men of expe-
rience in matters OF legislation. 1t was
predicted when the change from annual
sessions to biennial sessions was under
discussion that this result would follow
the adoption of biennial sessions; if it
had been seen as clearly then as it now
appears. the new order of things would
have met more opposition than it encoun-
tered in the House.
The organization of the legislature will
be completed to-day. Tomorrow Gov
ernor Robbie will read his Address to the
assembled body after which nothing Of
interest in the way of Legislation will
be done until the announcement of the
committees next week.
The amount of business to come before
the legislature promises to be large and
some of it very important. The predic-
tons of short session are not likely to
prove true. unless the work before the
legislature is sighted. which we think
will not be the case this winter.
Politically. the Legislature is more
strongly republican than tor many years.
In the Senate there is not democrat. and
in the House there are 1l5 republicans to
36 opposition. While the republicans are
cheerful under the defeat in November,
and confident that their exclusion from
national power is but temporary and will
continue only through the coming presi-
dental term, the democrats wear more
smiling countenances than for the last
twenty-four years. and in view of the fat
things coming to them after the 4th of
March next, don't care continental"
what the republicans do with the poorly
paid State offices which they have to dis
pose OF in the next two years, and over
which the democrats have grumbled
ut each successive session that the
republicans have controlled the State gov
eminent.
Mr.. Pennell. who has been nomina ted
fer President of the Senate, and will be
elected to that position to-day, is men,
toned as follows in Owens Biographical
Sketches:
PENNELI. WILLIAM d., Lewiston, (Androscog-
gin county, Republican, Congregationalisti in re-
lgious preferences, manufacturer, married; age
81. Born in Portland May q, lSi7, and educat-
ed at the common schools in that city. At
the age of Is moved to Lewiston. Agent of
bobbin-boy in the Porter NOV Continental Mills.
After leaving the Porter Mill he served three
years at mill draughting IN the office of the Frank
lin Company, with Hon. A. ID. Lockwood, and in
1869, was appointed Paymaster of the Lincoln
Mills. In November 1872, was appointed SUI
perintendent, and in October, 1879, promoted
TO the agency. Was City Auditor in 1901, and in
1874 was member of the Common Council In
lS75-76-T was President of the Board of Alder
men. In 1881, was elected member of the Board
of Water Commissioners for the term of six years,
aud is now President of the Board. In Scptem-
Der, 1851 he elected to the House of Rep
resentstves to fill the vacancy occasioned by the
death of Hon. Isaac n. Parker. Was member
of the Senate in 1883 and 81. ALWAYS repub-
Gcan
Mr.. Hamlin, who was nominated last
night for Speaker of the House, and will
be elected to-day, has an excellent record
as shown in the following from the Bio
graphical Sketches.
HAMLrN, CHARLES, Bangor: Republican, Uni
tartan, lawyer, married; age a.. Born in Hamp-
den and educated at Bowdoin College. Has held
the offices of City Solicitor of Bangor and Regis
ter in Bankruptcy. He first entered the service
in the war of the rebellion, as Major of LIST Maine
Heavy Artillery, resgnng from that regiment
April, 1862, then in the defcnces of Washington to
join Gen. Berry in the field. Served in the army as
Asst Adit. Genl ID Div, Sd Corps; appointed on
the STAT of Maj, General Berry, who WAS killed at
Charlottesville, and unter Maj. General Hum
ph,eys at Gettysburg, when the division lost 2200
men, killed and wounded, out of5090 July ID, 1865;
Afterwards with Gen. Henry Prince who took
command OF the division after the battle of Get
tysberg until the winter of 1864, when the Sd
Corps was consolidated with the "a Corps. From
February, 1864, until Sept. 1861 he served with
Gen. A. Z. Howe of this State as Inspector of
Artillery, Y. S. A, and was on Gen. Hewe's staff
IN the field, at Harper's Ferry, in charge of an
ohio DIVISION during Early's raid on Washington.
lie hrst entered the service as Major of LIST Maine