Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-01-27

resolve proposes to abolish the Council,
and to transfer their powers TO the Senate,
or to some other officers Of the govern
meflt.
The subject of the salaries Of the Pro-
bate officers, and an order to inquire into
the expediency of regulating mortgages of
personal property, were committed. An
order was adopted, requesting the mem
bers to hand to the Committee on finance
a schedule of property in their respective
towns exempt from taxation, that they
may be able to apportion tax that shall
be Just and equal. The Committee on fl
nance were required to examine the re-
cords Of Mass. Hospital Life Insurance
Company, and to report to the House.
The Company has property under their
management to the amount. l believe, OF
about five millions Of dollars. II probably
may be made question whether tax in
some shape should not be imposed. You
will see, by the Treasurer's report that was
submitted on Monday, that there is large
balance due from the Commonwealth.
The receipts, exclusive of money borrow
ed, amount to S24O,026 80, and the ex-
penditures to 1907, 749 %. which leaves
quite balance against the State. Various
projects have been started, the object of
all which is to find subjects Of taxation
without resorting to direct tax.
In the Senate, on Tuesday, bill to
regulate banks and banking was reported
and assigned for Thursday. Nothing of
interest or importance was acted upon.
In the House sundry petitions were in
troduced and several orders were referred
to Committees. A bill relating to lotte-
ries, authorizing them under certain re-
strictions, was read once and placed
among the orders Of the day.
On Wednesday, in the Senate, propo-
sitions relating to the purchase Of the re-
ports of the prison discipline society, also
in relation to revision of the fee bill, we're
introduced. A bill was reported to re-
strain banks from taking excessive inter-
est.
In the House, after disposing of sundry
petitions and orders, the report of the
Committee on the Judiciary on the sub
ject of abolishing capital punishments, and
declaring it inexpedient to take any far
Their order thereupon, was taken up and
produced an animated discussion, in which
Messrs. Battles, chairman of the Commit
tee) Kendall, Sedgwick, and Gushing
took part. Mr.. B. defended the report,
urged the importance Of capital punish
ments, and was disposed to class the
friends of change of the law in this par
ticular, as somewhat visionary. The other
gentlemen replied at some length, and
finally the report of the Commute on the
Judiciary was committed to Committee
previously appointed on the subject Of in
curing into the expediency of appointing
commissioners to revise the criminal CODE
The subject ofthe State tax was postponed
to next Tuesday. The report of the Com
lhittee proposing sundry alterations in the
constitution was taken up. and became
the order of the day for Thursday by the
House voting to adjourn.
In the Senate, on Thursday, Gen. Rut-
ter was chosen Major General, unanimous
ly, in the place of Gen. Austin, resigned.
The question Of purchasing 500 copies of
the three reports of the Prison Discipline
Society was taken up, and the report of the
Committee was amended by providing
that the whole cost should not exceed
1912 so. A petition was presented for
the incorporation of Salem theatre. 1t
will be recollected that this subject was
discussed last year in the House, where
he petition was then presented, and the
project was finally lost by considerable
majority. A bill was reported in addition
o the several acts relating to publick wor-
hip and religious freedom, and was then
assigned for Friday.
In the House, after some other business
vas disposed Of, the subject of amending
he constitution was taken up. The
Hartman of the Committee, Mr.. Phillips,
explained at some length the views of the
touching the evils of the pre-
ent constitutional provisions, and the inn
'ortance of making the proposed altera-
ions. Mr.. Lowell made some remarks in