Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-02-17

ceeding 4 ~ per cent, on condition thai
funds be raised for the construction q
the other two third parts, By individuals 0,
By corporations, or otherwise (the word
corporations was afterwards striker out,
and giying the State the right of pre-emp
ton Of such ta0o thirds, by paying the en-
penses, and giuing bonus Of eight pc,
cent. interest, SC. &c. Before the ques-
ton was taken, motion was made on the
{ part Of those unffiendly to the project, to
postpone the subject to the last day of the
present political year. This was decided
to be tantamount to motion to postpone
indefinitely, which was declared by the
speaker to be out of order.
On Friday another motion was made
from the same quarter to postpone to the
first Monday in March. This was decid-
ed to be in order; although it in reality
amounts to a, motion for an indefinite
poslponement /; as the Legislature will
not be in session on the first Monday in
March. The opponents of the railroad
measures have changed ground At for
mer sessions it was said "the whole scheme
is fanciful it is all but impracticabIe to
make railroad from Boston to the West.
the countryis so mountainous. But show
US that it is feasible and we will be among
the first to press on the measure" Now
mark the difference. True" say they,
'the report of the Directors is fulI-we
can get to the Hudson without a greater
elevation than eighty feet to the mile
and we have the estimates of practical
men as to the expense, and various statis-
teal tables-showing the amount of trans
portation-but we want time to study our
reports-we want to know what our con-
sttuents think-we have done enough
let our successors go on-we will not"
Various difficulties were started of one
kind and another, but the House determin-
ed, yeas l34, nays l56, not to postpone.
The debate on the amendment was con-
tlnued through Friday and Saturday. The
last speech was made by Mr.. Fiske, of
Wrentham. He went over the whole
ground, spoke with much perspicuity, and
took wide and liberal view of the mea-
sure that did him great honour. | have
not room, nor will | weary you by giving
an abstract of the arguments.
On Saturday the question was taken,
on the last amendment that | mentioned.
which was thrown out by small majority,
VIZ for the amendment 1I9, against
the amendment 1876. Just before the
another amendment was Of
fered, which comes up for consideration
this morning. 1t provides that
the State ~iH pay one third Of the expense
Of constructing arailroad from Boston to
Worcester, provided the other tUo thirds
shall be scared. Should this amendment
fail, there will be an end of the discussion
tor the present SESSION /; and members may
go home, with such feelings as they may
possess, and explain as they can the course
they have seen fit to adopt. AS locker
on an Venice, however, | should say, that
IN reality it is not a matter of first con-
sequence that the project should be enter
ed upon Immediately, though think there
Is light enough to act promptly and deci-
dedly on the subject. There will be no
more information the next year for men,
bers to act upon trdu .o
sess, but there will be decided express
ion in the community favourable to inter-
nal Improvements, that will secure re-
sponse of the publick sentiment in the
Legislature. 1t has seemed to me that
members of the Legislature are sometimes
singularly swayed by absurd arguments in
that body, and frequently adopt strange
views; such as they regret having adopt
ed, when they have returned home, and
deliberate and reflect calmly upon what
they have heard, away from the excite.
ment under which they heard 1t. This
remark applies with equal force to the
State tax question. Fortunately all the
hasty schemes devised for indirect taxa
alton have been put down, and the vote o
the House rejecting State tax appears ir
its naked deformity. By the report of the
Treasurer made to the Senate after the
question was decided in the House, it ap
pears "that in the two past years, com
menCinp Januarv LET 1907 and ocd;,,