Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-11-29
abe Daily spp,
The New Legislature.

The election of Mr.. Huntington, of North
ampton, to the Legislature, viii afford solu-
ton to the query that so many have started =
Who have they got that will answer for
Speaker of the Houses !" Should the choice
fall upon him, we have no doubt he would
make one of the best presiding officers that
ever sat in the Speakers chair. Yet, had he
not been elected, there are other men, we be-
lieve, entirely competent to discharge the du-
ties of that office well and acceptably-
probably, than some who have held it within
the last ten years, not even excepting the two
last There is, PROFESSIONALLY, among the
members elect, taken as a whole, great want
of legislative experience; yet, in such body,
there must surely be more than one, or two,
possessing the talent which would readily
adapt itself to that position. We do not ap-
preheud so much trouble from this source,
as we do from the great want of experience
in so large portion of the members which will
constitute the leading committees, yet, even
there, if proper judgment is used in the selec-
ton, they will soon break into the harness,
and adapt themselves to their positions, so far
as the routine of business is concerned but
the want of knowledge, where it exists, of the
principles and details of our laws, of their
adaptation to our institutions and to the ex-
listing state of things, of the notifications
which they have undergone and still require,
of the general course of legislation in refer
ence thereto; in fine, the knowledge which
distinguishes the statesman from the preten-
der-this want is one which is not to be over
come by the experience of day or of a ses.
sion.
There are those who look for two things
from the new Legislature, accomplish
ment of good deal oflegislation, and a short
session. We look for neither one nor the
other of these, and we think it the most hope
full thing to be expected of them, SO far as the
public good is concerned, that they should
accomplish neither the one nor the other. Too
much legislation is always a nuisance, and
changes not absolutely required should be
made only on deliberate consideration, and
with settled conviction that they will be
wise and bene6cent. Therefore, we would
not desire to see a large amount of legislation
accomplished. Yet the growing business and
population in thu State, the changes which
science and art are making iu all the opera
tons of industry and In all the ramifcations
of trade, the effect produced upon the policy
Of our State by the changes of federal and
foreion relations and noliey all these mako
an amount OF legislation, absolutely required,
which the most experienced Legislators would
need considerable time, properly to perform
and which a legislature, constituted as this
will be, must, from the necessity of the case,
be more tardy in accomplishing. They may,
it is true, if they so decide, put the business
over, and adjourn without bringing it to a
decision, but we think we understand, too
well, the influences which operate on mem
bers, to expect any such course.
So large portion of the legislature is COM
posed CT new men, so many of them are I'M
acquainted with the details of legislation, OF
even with the persons of each other, that it
will take some little time for the elements so
to commingle and combine, as to take any
definite shape. When that shall have been
brought about, we can judge better than
now, what the character of the legislature is
to be. We do not know enough of the men,
now, to predict whether it will be radical or
conservative in its character. We should
judge the former. In this we may be mistak-
en-, but time will determine.