Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-06-17

debate would have taken place, but from the
: circumstance that an errour had been dis
covered in the bill establishing the Revere
Copper Company. The words "and by the
authority of the same," in the enacting
clause, were accidentally omitted. The bill
had passed through all its stages in the two
Houses, and was before the Governour. A
message was sent requesting that the bill
might be returned, if it had not been signed
and become law. The bill was accord
ingly returned, and debate of some length
ensued as to the course proper to be pur-
sued. By some it was thought bad prece-
dent to establish, to alter or amend bills after
both Houses had passed upon them. To
this it was answered that although the bill
i had been out of their hands, yet now being
returned, they had right to reconsider the
vote b. which it was passed to be engrossed,
and to correct the erroar which. had crept
in. Finally, after. much discussion, the
vote to reconsider prevailed, and the bill
was amended by inserting the words omit
ted. 1t was then ordered to be re-engross-
ed, was resigned, and passed to be enacted.
In the House, on Monday, Mr.. Shaw, who
is ever hunting after objects of specifck
taxation, introduced an order to inquire into
the expediency of taxing the capital stock
of the Massachusetts Hos. Life Insurance
Company, and other life Insurance compa-
MES. The resolve appropriating 5000 for
celebrating independence was repealed.
The whole subject of the Militia was refer
red to the next session. A resolve passed,
appropriating $4,000 to complete the new
State Prison. bill was introduced by Mr..
( Lewis, of Boston, to regulate the pilotage
in Boston harbour. 1t proposes to give to
the Marine Society of that place, the same
powers that are now vested in the Cover
nour and Council. The bill was finally COM
mitted, in both Houses, to the Committee on
Mercantile Affairs, and was referred to the
next session.
i On Tuesday Deacon Kendall introduced
an order requiring the Judiciary Committee
to inquire into the expediency of abolishing
the punishment of death in this Common
wealth. He thinks that at no distant time
the present generation will be looked upon
with unqualified horrour for the cruelty it
evinces in furnishing any crime by death.
The subject of suppressing or else regulat-
ing the sale of Lottery Tickets was refer
red to a special committee. A committee
was also appointed to make different ar
rangement of seats in the House during the
recess. The Speakers chair is to be placed
on the north side, the seats are to slope
down to that quarter from the south, and
the thoroughfare is to be on the south, back
of the seats. This will be great improve
ment, in Kidding the hall of the current of
air between the Speaker and the members,
which is great inconvenience and inter-
ruption to business. Mr.. Willard introduced
! an order directing an inquiry by the Com
mittee on Education as to the expediency of
giving to School Districts power to raise
money for the support of schools, in addition
! to the amount granted by the respective
} towns. This was, on his motion, referred
to the next session.
On Wednesday, Mr.. Lowell's order to
obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court,
whether written votes which the constitution
requires, include those prepared by print
ing, or photographic presses, or by other ar
! tifcial methods" was referred to the next
session; as also Mr.. Cushing's order requi-
ring surveys to be made in the counties of
Essex and Middlesex, from place to place,
for the purpose of examining routes for rail-
ways. The State-prison resolve of $4,000
passed, together with the resolve before
mentioned to appropriate $4,000 to complete
the railway surveys. On this last "a very
animated debate, which lasted number of
hours, took place. The general ground as
: sumed by the opponents was, that all projects
to establish railroads in this State were
idle and visionary, and that any further
: grant of money would be waste. All OBJ
jections were promptly met and answered.
An attempt was made to reduce the amount :
this failed. Mr.. Shaw moved reference to
the next session. This was decided by yeas
and nays, VIZ: yeas II, nays 141. The re-
solve then passed without division. The
votes on the reference show very clearly the
opinion Of the House on the great subject of
railroads: say great subject, because |
believe that an era is about to be established
in this Commonwealth in relation to internal