Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-05-23
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURES.

MONDAY, May 81.
AFTERNOON SEssIoN.-SENATE.-A order
for the pay of the Senate, during the session,
amounting in all to sly $50, was adopted
Mr.. Hawkes., of Hampshire, on leave, in
troduced bill, providing that from and after
April list, 1866, the salary of the first Clerk
in the Office of the Secretary of the Common
wealth. be $500, and of the second Clerk
$l400 per annum. The bill was amended and
passed to be engrossed As amended, the
bill establishes the annual salary OF the first
Clerks in the Secretarys and Treasurers Of
fees at $1,000, of the second Clerks $1400,
and of the land agent at $1,000.
Mr.. Hall offered an order, which was adopt
ed, that the thanks of the Senate be present.
ed to Hon. Henry w. Benchley, fsr,he dig
nified, impartial, and courteous manner in
which he mas presided over the proceedings of
the Senate.
Mr.. Benchley, the President, then address,
ed the Senate in a speech of considerable
length, reviewing the proceedings of the ses-
sion, the position Of the American party, and
commenting with some severity on the course
of the opposition press
The bill concerning the purchase of spirit
uous and Intoxicating liquors came from the
House, and passed to be engrossed-yeas IS,
nays 9.
An order was adopted, directing the Ser.
geant- alarms to furnish to each of the mem
bers of the Senate, and to each Of the reporters,
a COPY of the Revised Statutes, aobeaeUer then
may be ready for delivery, probably some two
or three years hence.
AT precisely SIX o'clock, "a message from the
Governor was announced, and the Secretary
Of the Commonwealth informed the Senate
that during the session of the Legislature the
Governor had approved AS bills, and SO re-
solves, being the whole number passed by
both branches, with the exception OF four bills
two of which he had returned to the House
and one to the Senate, with his objections
thereto, and one of which he still retains. At
the request of both branches, and by the ad-
vice of Council, His Excellency the Governor
is pleased to prorogue the Legislature until
the Tuesday preceding the first Wednesday in
January next.
House. -AtterROoa SeSSi0n.-A bill concern
ing the purchase OF spirituous and intoxicat-
ing liquors for town agents, under suspen-
sion Of the rules, was passed to be engrossed.
Mr.. Brown offered the usual vote of thanks
to the Speaker, which was adopted.
Mr.. Eddy replied, and pad handsome
compliment to the officers of the House. md
also the Reporters.
Ordered, on motion of Mr.. Wilder, of Brook
line, that the Committee on the pay roll be in
sructed to make up the pay OF Z. L. Hun
tington, Esq, of Northampton, for the whole
session, Notwithstanding the deduction made By
him, as per his certificate. Also, that the pay
of the Speaker be made up for the whole SEES
sion, notwithstanding his absence.
Mr. Prince Of Essex, from the Committee
on the Pay roll, reported the final pay roll,
containing an account of the travel and at,
tendance of Members Of the House, amount
ing to the sum of $l6l SOB, of which $3,SI8
was for mileage, and $l57, 1856 for attendance
Mr.. Wilder, of Brookline, in connection
with the above, stated the remarkable fact,
that the whole number of days of attendance
OF Members as certified to, was 52,454 Aver
age attendance, 376, out of House of 37S
members, as originally organized.
This would give an absence of about one
member day through the whole session, al
though fire Of the members are dead!t
The amendment OF the Constitution relative
to the right Of suffrage and eligibility to Of
fee, was agreed to--yeas 227, nays 80.
The Senate bill, relative to salaries of
Clerks, was debated snd rejected.
The Secretary of the State soon came in,
and at 5 minutes past six clock the Gener-
al Court was prorogued.