Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-03-09

the House, numbering some one hundred ana
twenty-five or thirty, are new members, and
thew, with myself, coming here for the first
time, came ignorant of the rules of the
House. and we have been obliged to depend
upon the Speaker and upon the officers of
this body and upon the experience OF the old.
| er members, to guide Us in the duties devolv-
| ing upon us here, and desire, on behalf of
the new members of this House, to thank
most cordially the Speaker for his invariab!e
kindness to us, and also to thank the Clerks
for their promptness, and for the troubl- they
have taken for US in ans wering our questions
concerning the duties devolying upon us. aad
| also thank in behalf of our new members,
the old members who have with invariable
kindness, afforded Us information whenever
we have called npon them for it Applause
| The resolutions were then unanimously
adopted by rising vote.
| Speaker Hamlin then arose and said
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.:
1t would be an affectatiOn, unworthy Of the
occasion and the generous sentiments inspir-
ing your hearts. were to profess myself not
touched by these expressions of appreciati IN
and approval frankly confess that the res
olutions you have passed, possess and ex-
press, in the light of deeper and broader
acquaintance than was possible at the begin
which, higher than all merely perfunctory
forms, move noble and kind-hearted men
Whatever measure of success may have been
| accomplished in the discharge of the Speak
er's duties, is in large degree due to your
selves. Only twenty -seven of this body have,
! if am correctly informed, had previous leg
islative experience; but this seeming disa-
bility found you apt at the outset to xrapple
quickly and successfully with the forms of
procedure. and SO became a spur to the mas
terry of legislative science without hesitation
or delay. Besides, it gave an added zest to
your desire to do your committee service with
nnequaed promptness, efficiency and faith
fulness.
Your courtesy and patience, which early
bespoke, have been unfailing; and for them
| beg to return my most cordial thanks
What of good we may have accomplished re-
mains for our constituents to judge. | am
free to say that you have honestly and ably
| devoted the session to the best welfare of the
! State. Your public appropriations have been
sensible and judicious. You have duly CON-
sidered and provided for the wants of agricul-
ture, temperance and education, the militia
and the G.. A. r. You have called the
attention of Congress, by appropriate resolu-
tions, to the necessity of international ar
bitration, and the restoration to the retired
list of the army of our great General, to
whom, now resting it may be, under the
shadow of the angels wing whom we call
death, the loyal nation would gladly give
new lease of life.
| You have also considered the resources of
the State in its vast water powers. and by
two measures, which in their importance, in
my judgment outrun all others in their far
| reaching results, have taken the initial step
towards carrying out the policy of legislation
| urged by the chief executives of the State for
nearly twenty years. The public charities
with their increasing burdens and cor
| responding duties, have received at your
hands the fullest consideration If any have
failed to meet your appreciation, it Is because
of their doubtful utility. rather than
| from want of Willingness to
impose new burdens upon the treasury
In all these subjects you have brought dis
position to act OILY for the public good
Whatever may have been your individual
views, I am more than convinced, that each
one has sought to discharge his duty honest
ly. You have followed the wisdom of one
who says:
"Love thou thy land, with love far brought
| From out the storied Past, but used
Within the Present, and transfused
| Through future time by power of thought"
At the opening of the session, had the
/
sion would meet the wishes and expectations
of your constituents. You have fully met
this expectation If you have been
delayed in this respect, you will, in
the light of YOUR experience. attribute
it, in some degree, at least, to the want of
proper committee room accommodations.
The superior advantages enjoyed by other
States, which have provided for the growing
wants of its law makers, will doubtless react
upon us, and predict that our comfort and
convenience in the future, when the times
shall seem more prOpitious than the present,
will devise some suitable method of enlarg-
ing this hall and its adjacent rooms, as we'll
as give increased facilities for the preserva-
ton of the public archives l feel should
fail to do justice 10 the high order of ability
and talent of this body, if l neglected to saw
in this connection, that possessing more than
an average Of power of debate it has
not yielded to the temptation, in
cident to all deliberative bodies, to con-
sumo time in discussing the varied topics SUBJ
mitted for your consideration The highest
enconium, which can be passed to your cred
it, will be found IN the fact, that you have
confined yourselves to an intelligent under
standing of the business requiring your de-
tision, and that the debates which you have
conducted have been marked with terseness
and brevitv, ability and eloquence
The time fixed for our final adjournment
has arrived. Before making the final an
nouncement, permit me- to saw, that in accept
ing this gavel, which you have so kindly pre-
sented to me as souvenir, it shall always
be in my sight, while anv remains to me-
not to remind me of you, for | can never
| forget you-but to convince others, that there
| are some people in the world whose friend
ship is not to be affected by time or place;
and perpetual reminder of the grateful
duties of the office and the considerable assist
ance which you have invariably extended me
in their discharge.
| In this final parting, gentlemen, extend
you my sincere and earnest wishes for your
welfare and prosperity.
l now pronounce the House adjourned
| without dav
The adjournment was declared at at II 80
A. M.