Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-02-21
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE.


Agricultural Society; referred to the Committee on
CLAIMS.
Reports of Committees. Ry Mr. CIafn of Hop
kinon, Committee on Mercantile Affairs and lusur-
ance, that 1t is nexpedent TO leglsate ON an order
concerning the assimilation OF the rate OF interest IN
Massachusetts to that OF New York, or an altera-
ton in the usury laws.
By Mr. Davis Of Worcester, Committee the Jul
dietary, bill in addition, &C., TO an act establishing
the birmingham academy. Seyera'ly placed in the
orders OF the day
Mr. Liich Of Ashburnham, offered an order in
structigg the Judiciary Committee to consider the
expediency of aboshing all credits IN this Common.
wealth for a less dian $20, except for labor per
tol med and services rendered. This was land the
Ia lie, on motion OF Mr. Wiggin of Boston.
The bl 10 prohibit the manufacture and sale Of
spirituoas liquors, was now taken up
Mr. huowlton Withdrew his amendment offered
yesterday, and again proposed II, altered as ioows
Sec. 81 This Act shall take effect on the first
day OF May next, and all acts parts OF acts ncon-
sstent with The provisions Of this act hereby
peae such repeal, however, not TO affect any ac-
ton or process that may have been commenced
der any existing law before this act shall take effect,
and tins act may he suspended in It's operation by
the people, as hereafter provided.
Sec. p. The people shall be assembled III their
respective cities and towns, in meetings lie legal
" warned, and held the first Monday of MAY next,
at which meetings, all the inhabitants qualified 10
vote for Senators and Representatives may give in
their balo S, enclosed in sealed envelopes, as in the
OF votes for Governor, which ballots, shall
be written printed the question, "Shall the act
entitled San Act concerning the manufacture and
sale Of sprtuous or Intoxicating liquors be suspend.
ed in its operation Tor one yrar!' ething
equivalent; and the answer thereto, eyes ''no;'
and the same officers shall preside in said meetings
in the meetings for the choice OF Senators and
representatives, and shall IN open meeting receive,
surl cOrnt. declare the yntea Of he inhabitants
for and against the same; and the said votes shall
be recorded by the clerks of said cities and towns
and returns thereof shall be made out, under the
hands oil the Mayors and Aldermen of the several
cities, and of the Seleclmen oil the several towns, or
majority of them, ard OF the clerks Of the said
cities and towns respectively and sealed up and
transmitted to the office Of the Secretary Of the Com.
monweath within seven days alter The meeting;
aud the Governor and Council sh~ll open and count
the said ballots, and il the major part Of them shall
be in the affirmative then this act shall be suspend
ed in its operation for year from the said first
Monday in May; and the Governor shall imne-
dlatey Issue his proclamation, declaring the whole
number OF ballots, the number in the affirmative,
and the number in the negative.
Sec. %. The Secretary of the Commonwealth
shall, soon may be after the passage Of this
act, transmit to The clerks of the several towns and
cities, copies OF the same, together it'll sufficient
blank forms OF returns to show the number Of votes
cast in such cities and towns.
| The amendment gave rise to a heightened debate.
MIR Sewal OF Mddlesex in favor of the amend
ment, and of the whole bill, and should vote for
them
Mr., Weeks of Barnstabe hoped the amendment
would not prevail The people had asked for the
/ law, and should have it. He did not shrink from
! passing the bill
MIR. Lawrence OF Hampshire was against any ref
erence Of the question TO the people, aud moved that
the amendments be laid upon he table. Mr. KLowl-
ton quoted authorities justiiyng the introduction Of
the amendments. Mr.. Briney of Suffolk then took
! the Chair, and
Mr.. Wilson, Of Mddlesex spoke at some length
in favor both of the amendment and the whole
bill. lie would stand by the bill, and fall with
! tiff fall it must. Would the Senators liom Sui
| folk or Hampshire dare say as much. They dare
not show their hands Their policy is this--lhey
expect this amendment to pass, and under that,
they will go against the bill.
lie, and the party with which he acts, are for
the law almost to a unit. He had no fear of the
loss of political heads. He would tell the Sena-
tor from Hampshire that we do not know how the
lines will be drawn before another fall One
thing was sure, they should be in the field, and
where they marched there would be a funeral the
next day. He h d no fear bat what the work of
reform would go on.
lie was IN favor of the amendment because he
wanted to take this question out of the range of
! partnership. 1t must 90 10 the bGot box of the
people, and the simple question is whether it is to
! 60 alone on its own merits or 90 connected with
Others which will give the enemies decided add
| vantage. Submitted to them alone and it will be
sus aimed by $4,000 majority hese petitions
show The interest the people take in it. Let US
have legal decision of the whole people upon 1t
He wished it to 90 TO The people, because he be-
| heved that the people ready for It, and will
/ their
Boston, he believed the popular majority would
| be Tor II. Tins expression would take the whole
matter from party. A verdict thus obtained
would do more TO execute il than anyt ing else.
He was aware that some of the warmest friends
OF the cause were opposed TO this reference. H.
! th0nght they erred in opinion. Pass the amend
nent and the next forty ffiv days in this State
! would witness temperance revival The pu pit
would speak out--men, women and children
would all labor for it. He denied all political as
piration in advocating the bill. He was to stand
with the bill or fall for it. When the Senators
from Suffolk or Hampshire are ready to stand up
and say they go for or against the bill, it is time
Tor them to read lecture to others upon skulk-
ing.
; He contracted the idea that this bill introduces no
new feature in system of restraining the liquor
traffic Heretofore we have tried to regulate it,
tins bill proposes to sop it. lie quoted the national
law in regard to the traffic among the Indians 10 an
swer the charge of unconstitutionalily brought
against the bill.
There was ore portion of the bill, he was opposed
to, vlz:-to anything that shall interfere between a
man charged with crime in Massachusetts, and
! jury oftwelve men. This right he wished to have
| preserved unimpaired The ninth section Of the bill
takes away this right. With this exception he was
| in favor of the bt If the other sections were
found TO be arbitrary or UNJUST he was in favor of
their modification, but against any modification
which would impair its force.
| Mr.. Warren said that a great deal which had