The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-06-08
GOV. LlNCOLN's SPEECH.
Gentlemen of the Senate,

Gentlemen of The Senate,
and Gentlemen Of the House of Representatives.
IL is hardly more than the brief space of two
months, since your Predecessors, on retiring from
the seats which you occupy in these Halls, an
nounced, that they had passed upon all the public
business, which the situation and interests of the
! Commonwealth required. The intervening period,
! between that and the present moment fruitful as
1t has been in surprizing and momentous events of
| general political concernment, has yet produced
! few new subjects for local legislation. might
therefore, seem we'll excused from a formal address
to you, on this occasion, but for venerable Gus
tom, hallowed by feeling, and hitherto honored in
the observance, which, on the annual organization
of the Government, calls upon the Individual de-
signated by the sufrages Of his Fellow Citizens to
the first Executive Office in the State TO offer to
his Constituents an expression of respectful and
grateful acknowledgment and in This presence per
sonaly to pledge himself, in faithfulness and dill
gence with integrity of heart and the best po,yers
of his understanding, to the assigned duties of his
station This renewed acknowledgment, dccnIv
felt and more than douby due, for repeated proofs
of unmerited favor manifested towards me- and This
pledge of fidelity again humby rendered in tho
sngleness and sincerity of devoted purpose. now
pray you, the Representatives of those Constitu-
| ents, to accept
But notwithstanding the attention given bv the
last Legislature to matters of former discussion
there are some and those not the least interesting
which, tor want of 4 definite and ultimate disno-
siton of Them remain for your consideration. The
great measure of State Amendment and reform.
demanded by the universal expression of public SEN
tlment, is in reduction of the House of Represen-
tatives The experience of every year. and ofnone
more authorltatVely than the past shows the prac-
ucal inconvenience of the existing apportionment
of representation. A deliberative body. greater
than can be accommodated within the Hall of ;ts
sttings, fuctuating and changing both in the num-
bers and character OF its members irresponsible in
their individual relation to measures liable tn ba
tod hI lOna al md
excitement, slow in the progress of debate, uncer-
tam and dilatory IN decision is evil of such per-
ncious tendency, that the intelligence of the Com
munlty will not long endure It's continuance The
expense too, when the cost of Legislation becomes
to the full one third of the whole support of tho
Government. is well grounded cause Of ohiertion
which spirit of republican economy should not |
be slow toremove Through all the debates which
have SO frequently and earnestly been had on this
subject there has scarce been diversity of opin
ION expressed, in respect to the expediency OF re-
ducing, by an Amendment of the Constitution this
unwieldy and cumbrous Delegation. The manner
in which it is to be effected, has been the only
point of difficulty. And will discerning and wise
politicians permit themselves perpetually to differ
IN this particular! Being agreed in the principal
matter, shall the incident, the mere mode of pro-
yiding the remedy, be the nsuperable occasion for
for ever submitting to an acknowledged public de
feet? For myself, early and strong as have been
my predictions for particular form of relief /
would yield whatever is short of surrender of the
principle of equal representation and a security to
every Citizen of the personal right of being renre
sented, to the object of the Amendment The |
measure seems to me, more than any other to con-
Germ the future tranquility and welfare of the Com
monwealth 1t cannot cease to be a topic of ex- |
citement until it shall be accomplished The in |
evltable consequences OF continuance of the pres
ent system must be constantly increasing House
of Representatives, protracted Sessions, augment
ed and grievous expense, and from these if no 9TH
er causes, unsatisfactory administration of the
Government. The preventive will be found in the
adoption of just and equal appertionment of Rep
resenatives upon such ratio of population as shall
limit the House to q reasonable and convenient
number of members. But to effect this there must
be mutual concession and compromise of opinions.
disnterested and patriotic surrender of personal
preferences aud interests, and generous and ele-
waited sentiment of regard for the public good. It
was, indeed, in this manner and by such spirit |
that the frame OF our Government was originally |
constructed, and the same pure and noble principles
of patriotism and of duty, which distinguished its
Authors, and the period of its adoption, may now
secure its modification, and better conformity to |
tn state of population and the condition and occa
sions Of society, which the changes of time have |
produced. respectfully submit to YOU therefore |
that the Importance of the subject, in connection
with the consideration, that attention to it, by
the present Legislature, may result in greatly has
tening the reliefso earnestly desired should be an
inducement, even at this unusual season, for en-
gagng in matters productive of elaborate and pro-
tracted debate, to attempt the first step in this pro-
cess of amendment.
In compliance with Resolve of the last Legis-
lature, Commissioners were appointed by the Ex-
ecutve, ito consider the expediency of providing
by law for the more equal and equitable distribu-
ton OF the Estates of Insolvent Debtors for the
! abolishng Imprisonment for Debt in all proper
cases, and for making such further revision in the
existing laws touching Debtor and Creditor as the
COmn1iS deem RYnadapf nd
| The broad scope of this authority, and the great
interest and Importance of the subjects it embrace
ed required that it should be committed, with more
than common caution to discreet and able hands.
The learning, professional skill liberal, yet Just
opinions and practical observation, which will be
found united in the character of the constituted
Board of Commissioners bespeak for their Report
your most favorable conside ration. 1t is promised
Immediately, and will be transmitted to you with
out delay, and cannot but urgently recommend
that it should receive that attention which is alike
the dictate of sympathy for the unfortunate, and of
sound policy in reference to the business and re-
quirementS Of the community. Both Creditor and
Debtor are concerned in a revision and modifca
ton of the existing laws, and in the enactment, on
the one hand of new securities against fraud, and
the interposition on the other of more efectual
shield from oppression. 1t has long been felt and
amened, that, by process OF familiar resort, in
deed OF assignment, property may now be secured
to the dishonest, beyond the reach Of Justice, and
prsonmcnt of person, misery may be inflicted upon
the destitute, TO the qualification of avarce or mai
ice. Far removed from such ends are the Just pur-
poses Of wise Government and it is no less due
to the character Of Jurisprudence, than to the
true interests of the people, that neither tempta-
ton nor opportunity should be allowed to eude or
pervert those purposes. The subject is indeed one
of much delicacy and difficulty for legislation, but
the public mind will, at least, be instructed, and
the moral sentiment aroused by its discussion and
even should no determinate measure of remedy foI
present evils be- at once, adopted the existence Of
them being made better understood, their removal
| will the sooner be effected.
The change which will be occasioned in the
commencement of the political year, by the amend
ment Of the Constitution, now unquestionably dc
clded by the votes of the People, may appear, al
first view, to create some embarrassment in the
way of "a convenient and seasonabe execution Of
the prescribed duty of making valuation Of tn,
property of the Commonwealth, 1t is true, the
business cannot be completed by the present Leg
islature, without the unexpected and Objectionable
measure of special session of this numerous body