Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-07

Maine will not suffer in comparison Wnn any
BODY of men that have met or seen. IL j.
a deliberative body. We are proud OF II ano
have a right to be. We are proud OF oui
executives as whole, and We have
right to be. The laws which nave
governed our State have been wise ana CIT,
culated to promote education, morAiify ana
Christianity. and they have done mucn
to give us that position when We ".
occupy in the sisterhood Of states. Inc" ie'
rs ali hereafter stimulate each other 70 keet
the standard where it now is, or 70 ADVANCE "
still on and make Maine truly what ner "o"o'
n;,;oo an her coat of arms, indicates. lAp-
plause.
Mr. DrummOnd.
No truer sentiment was ever Expressed %
far as nv observation, which mas e.'enueu
for some years, than that suggested .. M
Hamlin, that the legislature espee
the House of Representatives, Is the training
schooI for statesmen, and if l were lncllneo
N 90 into politicaI life, my first object wouio
ba 70 90 into the House of Representatives,
e., believe if a man can succeed there. ne
can succeed beyond. If he fails there ne nao
inst as well turn his attention to some otnef
matter. We have with US tonight one though
NOT a native of our State, nor belonging 10 II
in one sense, who had his training IN the
House of Representatives of Maine, who has
been called to many stations of high RESPONSE
bilIty in the nation, and who has adorned
every one of them l am proud to present
To Won the Hon. James G. Blaine. Long
continued applause.
Hon. James &. Blaine.
| congratulate all those who are present
upon the first reunion of the alumni of our
legislative university. l am sure that it has
been brilliantly successful, and trust
it may be repeated at stated periods in the
future. Ny personal connection with the
legislature of Maine was for eight years,
1854 to 1852 -Four years was reporter and
four years | was a member. l have never
been able to tell in which capacity l learned
the most. You will remember that when
Col Benton wrote his Thirty Years View
of the Senate, Jack Downing proposed TO
follow it with Thirty Years View out
side of the Senate" much more extended
field of observation.
The four years was in the legislature
recall with as great pleasure as any other
period OF nv public life. l received at that
time impressions of the character of Maine
men which made me proud that | was citi-
zen of the State. | recall with especial
pleasure the legislature of 1862. | see gen
tlemen present who will remember the con-
stitution Of that body After the war broke
out, in 1861, there was union of republicans
and war democrats in electng the legislature
of 1862. In cities where two members were
to be elected one was given to each party, and
thus many prominent men of both were
chosen-making legislature perhaps never
equalled, surely never surpassed, in the his
tory of Maine. l recall prominent men OF
Iat,N
Peters, now Chief Justice Of the Supreme
Court; Bion Bradbury, who has grown old in
the service of the party which l am glad to see
has honorably recognized his fidelity; VIM.
p. FRYE and Nelson Dingley, both young men
at that time; A. P. Gould, then az now
eminent in his profession; George
P. Sewall and Shepard Cary,
of long service in the democratic ranks; Ma.
than Farwell, an old whig and later Jealous
republican. | might give large list of men
who took new political departure from that
legislature. Seven of them were elected t.
Congress within a few years thereafter.
cannot bring to mind those DAYS without re-
GREETING that our good constitution, which his
eYcellency the governor has so fittingly eu
logized, has been changed in one important
respect-that of substituting bi nnial tol
annual sessions of the legislature. | believe
that the moderate expense of $50, 900 to $50,
900 which session of the legislature costs
cannot be more wisely incurred than ir
bringing together and educating
annually class of young men for the public
service. | believe it is a mistake in repub
lican government to get rid of frequent cleo.
tons. Perhaps we need not yet fear the
beginning of tyranny as Samuel Adams warned
US we should if we dropped annual elections
but am persuaded that we would find great
advantage in retaining the old system. Peo
pie must govern themselves or somebody will
soon govern them, and there is no way t.
keep popular government fresh, strong ant
effective like frequent and well contested
elections. | venture the prediction that the
State of Maine, not perhaps IN my time. but
before a great many years, will re
turn to the old system. There are few
men among the most cultivated ma
t!ons of Europe who know anything
of popular government. Educated in al
things else they know nothing of that orderly
system of self government in which Ameri-
cans are so well instructed Let us see thai
instruction of that character shall not be
diminished in force or frequency. But an
transcending the fair limits which the Presi
| dent presented. If | had the time and you
the patience could recall some of the anus
| ing features of legislation, one OF
which is fresh in my mind al
this moment In seeking for revenue in
all directions at that pressing period, prop
osition was made to tax all dogs dollar 8
head. The bill had gone through several
stages and was about to pass finally when 8
quaint old member from Acton, Luther
Cooling, asked to offer an amendment pro
vidng that in lieu of the tax the owner NIGH
| in all cases surrender the dog. Mr.. Presi
dent you taxed me for a speech this evening
| prav you wont think have merely surrel-
dered the dog.
Mr., Drummond then said Some of the
graduates of our institution have got into wha
seems to be generally understood as baC
company. but | never found man vet who
in bis own individual case, supposed that i
was a misfortune, and in order TO test tina
question so far as we may tonight will
call upon Ex-Governor Dingley to respond.
Ex-Gov. Dingley.
| suppose your reference was whether w
consider 1t a misfortune to be promoted from
legislative body of this State to Congress
| If were to answer that question | shoulC
want to consider it IN two or three points OF
view. If were consulted merely personally
| | should say it misfortune, fol
it has already been stated by
/ nv friend Mr. Blaine, that no ex
member of our House of Representatives who
has been transferred to Congress, has haC
any other view of the promotion than that
he has been deprived of the greatest pleasure
I /. e l..