Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-01-25
MASSACHUSETTS LEGIsLATURE.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. "a.
SHAREHOLDERS were adopted for inquiring
relative to repeating the lnsolvent laws, or
providing that the assent of all the creditors
shall be necessary for the discharge Of the
debtor; relative to indemnifying magistrates
and others who have destroyed liquors under
the liquor law of 1852; and relative to plac
ing the common schools entirely under the SUI
pervision of the School Committees of towns,
and abolishing the district system.
On motion of Mr.. Cook, of Worcester-Or-
dered that the Committee on the Judiciary
inquire and report on the expediency of re-
porting additional sections of the act referred
to said committee, entitled can act further 10
Prevent and Punish Fraudulent Arrests.
The resolves for amendment of the Consti-
tuition, and the bill in addition, &C., concern
ing County Commissioners, were passed to
third reading without debate
The bill to incorporate the Lawrence lnsur-
ance Company coming up, the question of
general law for the Incorporation of insurance
companies was discussed at considerable
length.
The resolve in favor OF the Inspectors Of the
Bridgewater State Almshouse and Levi l..
Goodspeed were passed to be engrossed. Ad.
journed.
House. The principal petitions were those
of N. H. Whiting, and 100 others, of Marsh
field, for the removal Of Edward ]. Lorng.
Of Chas. II. Halves and others, that part of
the city of Cambridge be set off, and formed
into a new town by the name of Cambridge
of r. E. Apthorp and 1910 others, for the pas
sage OF certain laws concerning the rendition
of fugitive slaves.
Several reports were presented, and among
them quite large number from the Judiciary
Committee. The principal gave leave to with
draw to the petitioner for an act authorng
women to exercise the elective franchise; that
the Judiciary Committee, and the State, had
no power to interfere with the mode of nat
urazalng aliens pursued within the Com
monwealth; that the State had no jurisdiction
in providing that Roman Catholics should re-
nounce allegiance to the Pope of Rome as a
preliminary to naturalization.
Orders were adopted, that in all cases where
amendments or alterations were made in laws,
such clauses as were to be amended would be
reported to the House by Committees; that
the Committee ON Militia report on the expe-
diency Of indemnifying the dlsbanded military
companies for expense i'll clothing and equip.
ping themselves according to law.
good deal of discussion arose concerning
the Usury laws, on the. question of referring
an order on that subject. The order was
amended so as to authorize the Committee on
Banks and Banking to report on the expedi-
ency of making per cent. the legal rate of
interest, unless when otherwise specified in
contracts.
The amendment to the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights, concerning the right of iuries
to judge of the law, as well as of the facts,
was debated in brief, and referred to the Judi
ciary Committee, with instruction to report on
the expediency of its passage.
The orders of the day were taken up and
several matters advanced a stage. The House
passed to be engrossed the bill to amend the
sod Chapter of the Statutes of 1854, and the
resolve providing for the payment of the Leg
islature and its officers, Adjourned.