The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-02-19
aeassatbusetts Legislature.
IN SEMaTE.

MONDAY, FEB. 10. finished Business--
Bills in addition to the several Acts now in
force regulating the limits Of Prison Yards, and
the discharge of Poor Debtors from prison;
and in addition to the Act regulating the
drawing and management of Lotteries within
this Commonwealth, severally passed both
Houses to be enacted.
Massachusetts Militia Claims.
Mr. BRADFORD, Secretary Of State, came
IN, and delivered the following Message -
Gentlemen Of the Senate, and
Gentlemen Of the House Of Representatives.
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Ex-
ecutive, by resolution of the l4th Of. Februa-
ry,l82l, such measures have from time to time
been pursued as seemed best calculated to eff
feet the contemplated object.
And it is with much satisfaction that have
II in my power to lay before you a communi-
cation from the Hon. James Lloyd and the
Hon. Elijah H. Mills, Senators of the Com
monwealth in Congress, from which you will
perceive that a reference has been made by
the President Of the United States of a claim
Of this State against the United States for dis
hursements for the services of the Militia dur
ing the late war to the department of the
Treasury. The Act ofsthe President will at
the same time be laid before you by the Sec
letary, together with the memorial of the
Members of Congress from Massachusetts and
Maine therein referred to, dated the Goth of
March, 1922.
would further observe, that the vouchers
and documents to support that part of the
claim for which eleven thousand dollars were
advanced by the Executive of the United
States in the year 1917, is now under exam
Ination at the Treasury Department, and
that hitherto no expense has been incurred in
conducting the business under the said resolu-
tion. But an opportunity being now offered
for presenting the whole claim to the consid-
GRAFTON of the national Executive, whatever
course may be adopted by the Legislature for
the future persecution of that important con-
Germ, some pecuniary provision FOR that purpose
will be required.
In addition to the documents already refer
red to, have just received note addressed
by the Senators OF Massachusetts and Maine
70 the Members of the House of Representa-
IiFes OF the same States in Congress, and the
answer of the latter to the same, relating to
the course to be pursued in prosecuting the
claim, which will be likewise laid before YOU
by the Secretary. JOHN BROOKS.
Council Chamber, Feb. 10, 1923.
Which, with the Documents accompanying
the same, were referred to Messrs. Perkins
and Shaw, Messrs. Seaver, of Roxbury, Ly-
man,.of B. and Marston, OF N. to report there
on.
State Prison.
A bill to transfer the duties of the Board of
Directors of the State Prison to the Governour
and Council, was reported, read twice, and
passed to be engrossed. In the House of
Representatives., this btH has been indefinitely
postponed
.annua! State Tar.
Messrs. Wade, Silsbee, and Washburn, of
the Committee of Finance Of the House.
brought up the bill to apporticn and assess
Tax of 5 70 900, and to provide for reimburs-
ing monies paid from the Treasury to the
Members of the House; and requested the
concurrence of the Senate therein.
The bill was read first time; and, on the
question to give It a second reading, MIR.
King moved that the sum of $4,000 be
stricken out of the bill, and S 10000 insert
ed. In support of his motion, the Hon. Cen
tIeman remarked, that the sum proposed by
the House had been proved by the expert
ence of the last year to be too small to meet
the current and incidental expenses of the
year; that although new Tax had been
laid upon Auction Sales, yet those who were
best informed upon the subject had strong
doubts of its being found sufficiently produc-
tive to meet the deficiency which had been
so often stated to exist in the Treasury that
It was highly imprudent to trust to new ex-
pertinent, which might not succeed, as the
fund out of which the ordinary revenue of
the State was to be drawn. He further stat
ed, that it had been proved at the Board, that
with the present Bank Tax, and State Tax
of S 100000, the expenses of government
cnuld ha oasilv and carfain1v M M 1r;tl,
this regular income, and the new supply. be
it more or less, from the auction tax, any de-
fciency in the Treasury which might now
exist would be removed, and its recurrence
IN future efectually prevented. He there
fore considered it to be the duty of the mem
bers Of the Board and for the credit of the
government, to propose to the House who had
sent up the bill, to raise the supply therein
provided, to S 100000.
This motion prevailed, and the bill was re-
ferred to Messrs. King, Otis, and Strong, to
make il conform to the vote.
TUESDAY, FEB. 1.-THE Committee on
the Tax Bill, reported an additional section,
to provide for the apportionment and assess
ment of $4,000, in addition to the sum of
SIS, 200, as provided for in the bill from the
House. After some debate, the question, on
passing the bill to be engrossed, as amended,
was decided as follows -
YEAS-Messrs. Perkins, Hooper, Hunewell,
Rantoul, Clark, Shaw, Tilden, King, Otis,
Rand, Rotch, Daggett, Strong, Fowler, Rus
sell, Walker, and DaVis.-17.
NAYS-Messrs. Folger, Adams, Gardner,
Tufts, Longley, Reynolds, Ruggles, Jones,
Austin, Starkweatl1er, Towne, Osgood, Thar
ter, Cranston, Fisher, and Strong, jun.-l6.
So the bill passed to be engrossed, and was