Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-03-18

w nlLe, Ddlllel [. dIheI, AAoildS W. V"iu,
Royal Makepeace, George Bond, David
Henshaw.
The Legislature at the last session passed
one hundred and fourteen acts, most of them
of private nature. Several subjects that
have been under discussion for number of
years are finally disposed Of / allude to
the petitions for the extension of Hampshire
and Hampton Cana, for the Improvement
of the navigation of Connecticut river, and
for the incorporation Of the petitioners for q
new bridge, near and parallel to the present
Charles River bridge. 1t was thought by
many, and hoped by more, that the Cover
nor would refuse his signature to the last
bill. 1t was presented to him on Saturday
the 9Th inst. and was signed last Wednes-
day morning. AT one o'clock the cannons
were hear&in Gharlestown-civium ardor
prava iubentisms---as if proclaiming, from
earth to sky the celebration of some noble
victory, OF deliverance from some impend-
ing calamity; instead of success in more
| than questionable cause. Before conclude,
would observe that the minority in each
branch offered protestagainst the passage
of the bill to establish the Warren bridge.
The one presented in the Senate last Sa-
turday took rather singular course: and,
if you will allow me little more room in
your valuable paper, / will give you sue
cinct account of it. The reasons offered by
the minority for presenting it were, first,
that the reduction of tolls now paid for pass
ing Charles River bridge was alleged be-
fore the committee, who reported the bill,
and by the chairman of the committee be-
fore the Senate, to be necessary, and to be
one of the grounds taken by the committee
in making up their report of the necessity of
another bridge; and that it did not appear
that there was any sufficient necessity for
the bridge authorized by the act independ-
ent of such reduction. Second, That the
act would directly inj,re the property of the
proprietors of Charles River bridge, and did
not provide for them any certain remedy, or
reasonable compensation.
A desultory debate took place on this
protest, and it was alleged by the committee
that, independent of the reduction of tolls,
another avenue to the city from Charles
town was necessary. To do away all diff
Guilty, the minority altered the first sentence
in the first reason so as to read thus, viz.
6 that the raAuetion Of the tolls now paid for
passing Charles River bridge was aneged
before the committee, who reported the bill
before the Senate to be necessary, and this
alleged necessity was declared at this board
to be one ground for passing the act" The
question was not taken on Saturday, butwas
deferred to Monday, and then, after some
discussion, in which the majority seemed ex-
ceedingly sensitive, the subject was assign
ed for Tuesday morning, with the general
expectation that the question would then be
taken without throwing any new obstacle in
the way. But when the motion to enter the
protest in the journal was taken up on Tues
day, Mr.. Merrill, of Essex county, moved to
amend the motion by adding to it the fol-
lowing words, viz. Gas expressing merely
the opinions Of those gentlemen who have
signed the same" This amendment was
opposed by the signers of the protest they
urged in argument that the protest was I'M
exceptionable, and was such an one as they
wished, and all that they wished, to offer
that they offered it as their protest, and it
would not be theirs if the other party inter-
fered and qualified the motion in any re-
spect; that they have a right to have the
protest entered on the journal in the form
in which they introduced it and that the
other party have no right to take any other
course than either to admit the protest as it
stood, or reject it; that otherwise protest
might be admitted upon the journal by the
majority, as expressing the wishes and views
OF the minority-diferent from the views of
the minority, and against their consent, &c.
And so it happened here; the amendment
prevailed, and the original motion, as amend
ed, prevailed, the signers of the protest vot-
ing in opposition. And thus the protest Of The
minority, modified By the majority, acas enter
ed upon the journal ofthe Senate by that self
same meority-against the consent of that
se!fsome minority. ! was in the Senate
chamber when the debate was going on last
Tuesday; the course of the majority was
contrary to the dignity of that body, and
probably by this time they are ashamed of
their own bubbles and cavils.
The protest in the House was more full
than that of the Senate; objections were
made to Thy the majority, similar in sub