The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-11-02
1900
6i,000
1000
Added for fifth quarters salaries included
in general amount

'uueu ior NTH quarters salaries included
IN general amount: 1000
1000
The forty one thousand dollars for the Judicial
used to a great extent to be paid by
ees, and can be again and by again SO doing, we
hould reduce our salaries Sal eco annually. But
he people would be much more severely taxed
Let those, who have in former years settled estates
N the Probate Office, answer, if they are willing
10 so back to the fee system.
The Governor has nothing to do with S5,0o0p paid
for Legislative Clerks; with $4,000 paid for l.e-
gislature attendance, &c.-thesc expenses exclu-
Eively belong to the Legislature.
The whole amount of salaries, about which there
is an attempt to produce excitement against the
Government, is seuenteen thousand dollars. More
than half of this is paid by the County Of Suffolk
But if it were all paid by direct tar, it would
amount to less than ten cents year. to a man pos
sessed of property worth thousand dollars.
In connection with this subject, it may be well to
look at the actual amount of DIRECT TAXATION in
this State, as compared with that of the nsighbor
ing States
In 1898 the following named States raised by
taxes the following sums: Y
States. Pop. in 1885, Receipt from s. 7ar.
Maine, 399 $3.50 S48 ,943 AZ
n. Hampshire, 26g ,553 SO. g97 90
Vermont 9806?9 399t2 IS
Connecticut, 297 1926 36,94S 40
Massachusetts, 6l00l4 1880 25
The actual tax in this year exceeded the amount
received. In Massachusetts it was $4,000; in
Maine probably $4,000, &c. From the above ia
BILE it will be seen that citizen Of either Maine,
New Hampshire Vermont or Connecticut, pays a
heavier tax TO support his government than the cit
izen of Massachusetts, and yet told that the
burthens of Massachusetts, greater, than those
of all the other New England States put together
Those States have their sources of indirect income
as Massachusetts has-they pay heavier expenses in
towns and counties, and pay more direct State tax
than the ciizens of this State. To state the case
plainly and conclusvely, THE FARMER OF MAssA-
CHUsETTs PAYS LESS AMOUNT OF TAX ON HIS
PROPERTY TO SUPPORT HIS GOVERNMENT, THAN
THE FARMER OF ANY OTHER STATE ABOVE MEN
TONED.
The Resources of this State in its revenue from
Bank Charters, income of monies invested, sales
of public lands and other sources of revenue are
great and increasing. The Bank tax the current
year may be estimated at S220000. Other sources
of indirect revenue at $4,000 all of which is
spent for the benefit of the people but its collec-
tion is not felt nor known by the people as bur-
de2.
Much has been said against the amount of salary
given 10 the Chief Magistrate, with view to exct-
ing prejudice against the incumbent We doubt,
however, 1t the subject be properly viewed whether
you would have that salary reduced; and we are
confirmed in this opinion by the fact, that success
siSe Legislatures, coming fresh from the people,
have refused to reduce it, after full and taking
examination OF the propriety of such reduction.
At the very last session oil the Legislature an intel
ligent committee, composed tchOUy of gentlemen
from The country-one from Berkshire-one from
i Brlsto-two from Hampden-and one from Wor-
cester County-used the following language in a
report on this subject. With respect TO the sala-
| ries of the Governor and the Justices of the Su-
prene Judicial Court, your committee of opin-
ion, that were they to be fixed, they would be
put lower than they now are but it is obvious
| TO your Committee, that the Chief Magistrate of
the Commonwealth, the officer first in rank and
first IN responsibility, should not have salary fixed
6eloo that Of any other officer of the government
ana as there is IN the minds OF some Consti utiOn-
al difficulty in the way of reduction of the sala-
ries OF the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court,
and as the organization OF the Court conte mpated
FIVE Judges, and the united Salaries of the four
no1c upon the Bench do not erceed an amount
trich all perhaps icod consider reasonable to pau
the tchole Court, if composed of five Judges and
as the salaryofthe Governors considerably BELOW
THE AVERAGE OF THE SALARIES PAID TO THE
GoyERNoRs OF THE SEVERAL STATES IN THE
UNION, if we take into consideration Jointly the
wealth and population of the several States,-your
Con,aaittee WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANY REDuc.
TIoN IN THESE SALARIES"
This Report, containing these opinions was
unanimously adopted, though there we're several
leading Jackson men in the House; why did they
not lift up their voices and record their votes
! against it II is fact which the proceedings of
ares Of Retrenchment for the last three years haze
been carried through the Legislature bu Coz. lin
coins friends and against thu leading Jaeks0nianS
IN that body. Bat should any still be of opinion
that this salary should be reduced they must be
apprised that such reduction is to be ACCOMPLISHED
by the Legislature it being like all other salaries
under their control The Legislature however
have decided moi to reduce it because from their
own observation, they are convinced that the ne
cessary expenses OF Governor, residing in large
city tor a considerable part of the year cannot be
supported less salary and the effect of redpc
ing the salary would lie TO confne the competition
! for the othce to the ranks of the rich-1rhich is
| ANTi-kEPUBLIcAN and ARlsTOCRATIC. It'll be-
comes the jackson party especially, whose leaders
are now tattenlng on the public bounty-to COM
PLAIN Of high salaries Let them first recommend
the reduction Of their own The Collector of Bos
ton receives nearly one Thousand dollars annually
more than the Governor. Assuredly the Governor
| OF the State is cheapiy paid at $1,000 per anuum
when the Collector of Boston can earn g45OO-|
! And besides, have the Jacksonians reflected that
by reducing the Governors salary, they may lose
| their Standing candidate for the office How
could Judge Morton afo I'd to leave the comfortable
emoluments of his judi cial station to assume the
vexa;lous honors Of the Chief Magstracy, at a re-
duced salary? In a word Fellow Citizens, can
you have any confidence in the recipients of larger
salaries, clamoring against those, who discharge
4 lar more Important duties for less salares7 Let
! them " first pluck the beam from their own ewes u
Can you put trust in the sincerity of the Jackson
| party, which claims to be anxious TO reduce
State Expenditures, when it is a notorious fact
that that partys administration ofthe National Gov
eminent for two years ending March last, had in
creased the expenditures Of the National Govern
ment Two MILLIONS NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS We cheerfuy leave your answers to
these questions, and the whole subject of our State
Expenditures to your good sense and unprecedented
judgment.
H. THIRD ARTICLE OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS
AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
heterogeneous attempt has been made to direct
against the State Executive that very proper sensi-
tlveness, you all feel on the subject of Religious
Freedom. You need only understand the present
state of this question. to decide upon it Justly and
rghteousiy, and at the time in favor of your
present Chief Magistrate. He has ever been the
friend of Religion and Religious Freedom He has
uniformly. IN all his public acts shown himself
above any sinister influence on this subject The |
course taken by the last Legislature, in reference
to the proposed alterations Of the Third Article of
the Bill of Rights was this
The Legislature assembled on he 9th of May |
On the 3lst May, on motion of Mr. Hudson Of
cia committee. On the third day of June, a report
was presented declaring that it was expedient TO
erpunge the article in full which report was COM
mitted on motion Of Mr.. Holden of Charlestown
Ia friend to the principle of exemption from COM
puisory support Of region.) On the sixteenth day
Of June the committee again reported and the re-
port was amended, by its friends. and recommitted
10 be taken into a new draft. Three days previous
10 this, the House had chosen a committee on the
'utjed Of recess, which committee was Joined BIS
The Senate on the 18th. In the afternoon of the