Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-06-24
Town REPREsENrATIoN.
REMARKS OF
Hon. GEORGE $. BOUTWELL,,


ten, that il would be economical than the pres.
| ent system, or than that which is proposed by the
| majority Of the committee. OF that can not speak
absolutely; but f the proposition to limit the session
a hundred days shall prevail, think the average
expense for the Legislature for the next ten or TWEEN.
| " years, will not exceed the sum which il has av-
eraged for the last ten years. And although there
may have been some complaint in Varons parts of
the Commonwealth, that the cost OF the Legislature
has been too great, it is not difficulty which the
people have much considered. They would rather
pay the which large House OF Representatives
would cost than be deprived OF their rg hl-of repre-
senIaon in that branch. Nor is the principle Of a
thing to be decided by the COST chiefly, because it
may happen that If you have small House of Rep
resenatives, the appropriations may be large, mas
much as the men who compose it, will entertain
different ideas Of economy, for the system YOU pro.
pose necessarily excludes the economical voice
OF Massachusetts from the administration Of its af
fairs.
have to say further, that it is The duty of gov
ernmen. so 10 determine the political power of
mtees, as to secure an equality of political, civil
relis ous, and business rights among men aud that
if by basng the government upon the sing lie idea Of
personal equality, you violate this doctrine then it
is wise to base the government some other princ.
pie. And stand here TO say that such is the civil
izaiion Of Massachusetts, at this moment, and the
tendency OF the age in which we live that the prop
osition TO base this branch OF the government upon
necPSSah
rIly works an inequality of the political, civil re-
gious and business rights among The people of the
Commonwealth. proceed to prove the statement
in this way: that the power which particular por-
ton Of this Commonwealth may have in the affairs
oil the government, not derived altogether nor
chiefly, may say, from the number Of votes it is
able to give al the polls or the Legislature.
What is the process which is going ON in Massa-
chusetts at this moment Is not one Of centrali-
cation? Is not the tendency TO an aggregation of
population and wealth in the great centres Of the
Statel Have not Boston, Lowell, and Worcester
rapidly increased in population, in the last twenty
years! And what Is to be the result Of this aggre-
cation Of men in few points2 1t is this: taking
the increase of The population in this Commonwealth
from 1910 to 1850 basis which we may pro-
coed, we shall find that in 1900 majority Of the
people will be concentrated in twelve Of the lai pc
cities. Boston, Lowell, Salem, Roxbury, Charles
town, Worcester, Fall River, New Bedford, Cam
bridge, Lynn, Springfield and Taunton, viii have in
1900 population Of 600; while all the rest
Of the State will have population Of 2,459, 630
making the majority in favor OF the twelve large
cities, ll5,05f.
Now, then, in less than City years, il the amend
ment proposed by the majority of the Committee, be
adopted by this Convention and by the people,
the political power Of this Commonwealth, in
in all It's departments, passes into the twelve cities
and towns. And if the majority in these twelve
towns had no other means OF influencing the public
sentiment than belonged to the rest of the country
il might not be Objectionable; YOU might say that
the other towns had no right TO complain if they
subjected to the authority Of these towns. But
there are other means of influencing public opinion
than by the votes given by men, either on the floor
OF the House OF Representatives at the pols.-
First, there is The aggregation OF wealth, which has
powerful influence.
Boston now has about one third of the property OF
the State, and most likely half; and in 1860 she
will undoubtedly have one half. is that fact OF no
value in the consideration Of a matter like thisa Is
it not of Influencing public sentiment
throughout the Commonwealth? And 10 addition
that, Boston has thirteen daily presses, through
which, and by which, she Influences the public SEN
liment OF the State.
Is il OF no Importance to her and to towns SO sit
ualed, that their interests be represented in all
these journalist Because whatever difference Of
opinion they may have with regard to politics or re
hgion, or social life, they will agree one, with
gard 10 the advancement Of their institutions, and
the right OF that society IN which he exists then,
| you put every department Of the. government upon
the doctrine ol the equality OF men, you necessarily,
through the operatonof these extraneous influences
work out result -1Assisa1 regards the <poical,
cvi,and socIalrghts Of the people OF this Common
wealth. And more than that, the operation of this
process Of Capitalization, TO bring into these cities
! the talent of the country
Is this fact Of no value in determining the power
Of the government Things have changed in this
respect within the last fifty years. liza young man
IN the country acquires position at the bar OF the
county where he lives, what does he do? Does he
remain Iherel Not al all. He comes to the me-
tropoIis How is it with the clergy2 Fifty years ago
II town was 80 fortunate possess the services Of
able clergyman he remained there for life and no
estimate the importance of the state of
things which then existed or the value OF the nfiu.
ences thus exerted. But how is it now! IL there
is eminent Clergyman in the country he has a call
is These e. m M m ha
overlooked Il Is the Capitalization of talent, Of
wealth. Of numbers, OF business, and social infuen-
ces al these points, by which and through which
the policy Of the state is TO be controlled more than
/ by the votes gwen at the bdot-box. And il is this
intellectual mpoverishment Of the country which
gives to this metropolis orators, whose words come
up to Shakspeaie's perfec, definition Of music the
sscUncord Of sweet sounds.' Orators who remind
US, whether we will no, Of the tabled Tyre of Or.
pheus which it is said,
-sswas strung with poets sinews
Whose golden torch could soften steel and stones
1t this intellectual impoyershmenl of the coun.
try OF which we complain; and shall there be no set
off for this! II this process OF Capitalization is to
! go on,and see not how to resist it. EappeaI
10 gentlemen from Boston, aud other large places to
say whether it for their interest TO put this govern
meni IN all its departments upon "A basis which nee
essary works out an inequality of civil, POLITICAL
|
this point stand, and say hat it matter Of jus-
tce that the country should be represented as re
CARDS men fully than the city.
Butthe power Of the cities and the large towns in
the Commonwealth is not confined to the men who
are elected by these places respectively to seats in
the legislature. Not by any means. This central
zation Of population is followed by reluence Of
men INTO contiguous towns And what are theyl
Not dlsrespectiully would speak olthem but their
| political interest in towns where they live, and III
the House Of Representatives to which they are often
sent, is precisely the same as if they Immediately
represented the City Of Boston Lowell. Aud this
process OF reiuence which il going about the city
Of bostonnpw is soon 70 take place around Worces.
ter, when she shall have 80 900 souls, and about
Lowell when she too shall have an equal number.
Therefore, say, when you propose to- put all the
departments OF The government upon the equality Of
men, sou set up doctrine which necessarily works
inequality as regards political rights. ask whether
there Is iorce IN this view with reference to men of
talenta UnqueSionaby there is Look over Mas.
sachuseits as she is today glorious in all her pro-
portions and IN all her institutions, YET who can fail
TO see mat tins mpoveriShmenl Of the country has
4 uQht great chanoa in har Oh