Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-20

The fact that the state of Rhode Island
still holds to the ancient method OF en-
crossing by hand all the legislative docu-
ments led the other day to a request 10
see the first bill passed by the Legislature
OF Maine, it being on file in the office of
the secretary Of State. No sooner men,
toned. than the bill appeared. for a most
admirable hling system Ii used In that
office. and not oily the bill but the origi-
nal documents, as introduced.
Both the documents are in splendid
condition, except that the paper of the
original bill shows the wear and tear Of
time more than the parchment on which
the signed law is written. The ink is Of
that beautiful real ink of many years
ago and promises to remain legible for
longer than its present life in years. The
handwriting is bold and clear, every word
being decipherable. The size Of the parch-
ment sheet is % by IS inches and It makes
a bulky document. The text of the bill
follows:
STATE CT MAINE
In the Year of Our Lord One Thousand
Eight Hundred and Twenty
AN G
To Incorporate the Augusta Union Society
Section 4 Be 1t enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives in Legisla-
ture assembled that
Amos Nichols, James Loring Child.
Elias Cobb. Samuel r. Mason. William A.
Brooks, Albert A. Dillingham;. Benjamin
Davis. Mark Mason, Edmund T. Bridge.
Daniel Williams. ARENAS Kimball, Hen
ry Gage. George w. Morton William X.
Dillingham;. Rufus c. vose, Joseph P.
Dillingham;. Allen Lambard. Eben Fuller,
Elias Craig. Junior. Hannibal. Dilling-
ham, Luke y. Barton, Moses F. Davis.
William Dewey, Lewis B. Hamlin
Abishai Soule. E. I. vajsal Davis, James
Bridge. Junior. Richard H. Nose. George
H. Vose. Henry Williams, William Pills
bury, Asaph Nichols, John Cony Brooks.
Charles Keen. together with such other
persons as may hereafter associate with
them, be and they hereby are created a
body corporate. by the name of the Au-
gusta Union Society; and by that name
may sue. prosecute and defend in any
Court whatever; and may take, hold and
possess an estate. real and personal. the
yearly income whereof shall not exceed
One Thousand Dollars. and may sell, con-
vey or lease the same.
Section 2. Be It further enacted, that
all the estate of said corporation shall be
held ard used exclusively for the i'm
provement Of morals ana the diffusion OF
useful knowledge.
Section 3. Be It further enacted, that
said corporation may have a common
seal and may change the same at pleas
ure and may make any bylaws for its
government not ~repugnant to the Consti-
tuition and laws Of the State.
Section 4. Be It further enacted, that
the Legislature may. from time to time.
xamine the affairs Of said Corporation.
and may at any time, after, amend or re-
peal the charter Of the same; and upon
the dissolution Of said Corporation. all the
estate appertaining thereto shall vest in
the town Of Augusta. to be applied to sole
purpose OF establishing and maintaining
a town library therein.
Section 5.-Be It further enacted, That
OJamAs Lorine Child. ESQ. and he hereby
is authorized to AK the time and place Of
holding the first meeting Of said Cor
ooration by publishing a notification
thereof in any newspaper published IN