Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-04-23

The downward tendency of political affairs in
this State for the past two three years. must
have been obvious to the most superficial OBJ
server Il has to that, at last, that it seems
as if there were enough in the Legislature to al
most control its action, whose prominent object,
constantly in view and persistentiy pursued is to
use their political position for the promotion of
personal and sinister purposes. 'tPickings and
stealings" from the public treasury, ranging all
the way from Boston Almanac, apenknife, or
box of waters, up to anything which can be
brought within the range of Legislative action,
are sought with greed that knows no bounds.
Books are ordered to be published and distribu-
ted among members commissions are instituted
for various purposes, for the benefit of members
and their friends new Offices are instituted and
other modes OF making drafts upon the treasury
are devised; appropriations to a limited extent
are made for alterations and repairs upon public
buildings, and, under cover thereof, contracts are
given to favorites, and expenditures are made to
the extent of thousands upon thousands of dol
larsbeyond the amount authorized, and then the
Legislature is called upon to pay the bills And
at the very time when these things are going on,
the State Treasury is VIGOROUSLY bankrupt, and
anecessity exists for the assessment of State
Tax, larger in amount than was ever before levied
on the State.
One Of the many schemes for depicting the
treasury, has recently led to something of fare.
up in the House of Representatives, in conse-
quence of an apparent attempt to evade limta-
ton Of the amount to be expended, which was
moved by Mr.. Brooks of our delegation A
sketch of the debate thereon has been given in
legislative report In preference to the clerks
completely in the matter, the Boston Courier has
the following article;
The Clerk of the House of Representatives
of the Massachusetts Legislature, MI William
i. P. Haskell is neither shrewd nor a wise
man, nor very efficient Clerk He seems
never to have read the law defining the du-
ties of the Office which he succeeded in oh
tanning after much craving; for if he has, he
has done so to very little purpose. In defiance
of the Governors philippe against log-rollers
and lobby members, the clerk is frequently
out of his seat, doing something in the third
house for some poor partizan, whose cause is
bad, or else he is contriving job for the sum
mer months. 1t was through his instrument
atty that the famous fremont gas light bill
dead and buried long ago-was resuseitated
and commended to gentlemen as a "harmless
thing 1t was through his perseverance,
more than that OF any man in the capitol,
that the bill to annex Chelsea to Boston. was
ordered to third reading in the House. He
went frem member to member, and appealed.
on personal grounds" in its behalf Per.
haps, as "free agent" or as the "organ of
the House, he has right to be deeply in
terested in pushing these measures forward.
There are those who are ready to defend any
81 l. Hare
defended Hiss, apologized for his sins, and af
forwards voted to expel himl We caution
Mr.. Haskell against similar fate. We ad-
wise him to mind his own business TO aban-
don log rolling, and keep a true record of the
House doihgs. The debate OH Saturday has
damaged him somewhat. He denied, through
his friends,-the chairman Of the Judiciary
Committee, and the "genteman from Fox
boro' that there was anything ambiguous
or Of purpose dishonest in his mode of in
cooperating the amendment to the resolve rela-
tive TO copying the indexes, which limited the
sum of money TO be expended TO $4,000. lie
persisted in this course in the face Of the fact
that he had been obliged to write a letter of
explanation to the Governor, before that func-
tlonary would consent TO put his signature to
the measure. Nevertheless, the House refused
To accept the explanations OF his friends but
pursued course which, in the general iudg.
Inent implied severe censure on the clerk.
II was bound to do this. Its own dignity dc.
manded that it should rebuke any attemnt on
the part Of It's officers to misdirect its nur-
poses. Wehaye neither the taste nor he az.
position to review Mr.. Haskelrs oaieiel "a.
reer thus far, but we cannot help SAVING
that, through his advice TO the score Of gen'
tlemen who heve acted as Speakers from limo
20 time during the winter, the House has had
some Of the "crookedest' decisions that over
emanated from chair. However, as There 4
prospect that the session viii last for two
months 70 come, the Clerk may retrieve him.
felf and got back into the old dignity which
attended Story and the past clerks.