The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-11
CHE Alassaehusetts Gpp.
W0R9DS DJ1Ra
WEDNESDAY. JAN. II, 1882.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.

| With this | intend sending you a copy Of the
Governors Message, read this forenoon in both
Houses, having been sent by the hands of the Sec
Rotary of State. You will find it an interesting and
able document. and. considering the variety and
importance Of the topics discussed in it, as concise
as the case would admit. The reproach of long
messages is as often bestowed on the Governors of
the States, as that of long speeches on the Repre-
sentatves of the people in the legislative branches
OF government. In both cases the evil is often n
necessary one. 1t is otherwise in monarchical
countries, where the sovereign deems it of no i'm
portance to spread before his subjects the situation
OF public affairs, it being their duty to obey, not to
question the propriety of acts of government The
speech Of the British King, addressed to Parlia-
ment. is mere complimentary flourish, and means
nothing. The messages of our Presidents and Gov
errors, on the other hand, are intended to convey
information on subjects of National and State con-
Germs, not only 70 the Representatives of the peo-
pie, but to the People themselves Ten ,rords will
answer in the one case; while as many columns of
newspaper are often required in the other.
Having nothing else in particular on my hands
last Saturday, stepped into the Legislative Hall,
where found both branches OF the Great and Gen.
eral Court assembled for the purpose of making
choice of State Treasurer and of Counsellors Cor
the year ensuing. Mr.. Thorndike of Beverly, the
President Of the Senate, had the chair and al.
though quite Unexpectedly raised to the dignfed
Office which he holds, and having hardly had time
to become familiar with the situation he notwith-
standing presided ip a very easy and intelligent
manner. Not even Mr.. Speaker Calhoun himself,
the very quntessence of parliamentary tact las he
Is caed,) could have behaved with greater propri-
ETY. than the new-Aedged chairman of the Senate.
MIR. Thorndike has a youthful appearance | un-
defstand he practised law several years in the
State OF Maine-before he removed to Beverly.
where his business is Of mercantile character
He is probably forty years of age. Another gen.
tleman of the same County, who has just taken his
seat IN the Senate, would undoubtedly have occu-
pied the post of honor, had not an unlucky step
deprived him of majority of the votes of his dis
trict, and rendered his election by convention
necessary But Sparta has other worthy sons, and
1t is not probable the public interests will suffer
from this cause
-AASS hAPiOSsiOu IeC6ltcQ on taxing nv
station in the spectators gallery and looking do,un
upon the House, was that the members were as
plenty as blackberries and most numerically lam
med They seemed to be packed together like the
tenants of slave ship of which late number of
the LIBERAroR gave so striking representation.
Not only the seats were all closely occupied, but
tile asles and other chairess (cheerless) parts of
the hall contained their solid columns. 1t was
with greatest difficulty that the spare form of the
member from Taunton, 1.-THE new Charge d'Affaires
to B. A. could be discovered amid so dense mass
of living legislation.
Beside the floor of the hall, two side galleries
were also stuck full of members, 1t was evident
that some etfectual expedient must be resorted to
for the purpose Of thinning the House, as the peo-
pie could have no confidence in the wisdom of leg
islation under such circumstances of multitude
nous oppression. One would suppose thee most
harmless and natural process svould have been to
give lsaps Of absence to some fifty or a hundred
of the surplus, by defamation or otherwise. This
would have had the effect to lessen in some
degree the enormous expenditure required to sup
port such army, in the enjoyment of city luxu-
ries during the present winter. But nos no such
plan seems to have been thought of, for the re-
dress of the evil. On the contrary. a palpable in
7asion of the peoples rights resolved upon and
of the few seats reserved for their use in the upper
gallery, the greater part were determined to be
seized for the accommodation Of the standing
members. Thus has another item been added to
the long account of grievances which the good
people OF this Commonwealth are forced to endure.
Were General Shays living, would these things be
suffered? There is no hope for US, unless the
mantle OF that great reformer has descended upon
your friend =, the soi-disant champion of popu-
lar rights But enough. The next time visit
the hall of Legislation, will inform you.
rs. Not being able to procure copy of the
Message in season for the mail stage, am unable
to send it.
0F The mail of yesterday morning did
not bring single Boston paper to this town,
in consequence IF which ma ara n.o.,z-.. 4