Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-03-11
Tne Lexi.Ia.Are.

All appearances indicate that the present ses-
son of the Legislature will be the longest on
record, Notwithstanding the fact, that there but
yerg little business Of any consequence to trans
act There are several causes which combine TO
produce this effect. First. There are only about
thirty members, out OF between three and four
hundred, that ever sat in legislative body be.
fore, and Of those who have been members, few
ouiy are men Of mark, capable Of doing much TO
forward the business This, Of itself, would be a
sufficient cause for prolonging the session. as new
members, unused to the details OF legislation,
and the modes Of doing business, generally retard
more than they help forward, during the first
session Ifthe people want their business done
up quickly, and in good shape, they must uot fill
the hnuse With greenhorns..
Secondly. The increase Of the pay Of members
from two to three dollars day. tends to prolong
the sessions. Since the prevalence of Know
Nathiagism large portion of the members are
Of a class that haze not wit or knowledge enough
to get three dollars. or even two. day, by any
other process than that Of being Legislators. Of
course it is an object with them TO prolong the
session,
Thirdly The perversion of sentiment, by
which, during the past four or five years, meme
beers have come to look upon the perjury as ven
ial, BY which those who are absent considerable
portion Of the time, come in at the close of the
session. ana draw full pay for the whole time.
We say perjury, because we consider the certi6-
cate Of attendance, which every member is re-
quired to give, one Of q the duties incumbent on
him as Representative. and which he is sioorn
s'laithfully and impartialIy to discharge and per
FORM according to the best of his ability and nm
Outstanding =, and, If man, under that solemn
obligation, certiHes that he haa attended one hun
dred days, when, in fact, he has attended but
fifty, or eyenif he has attended ninety Ssie days,
he does commit perjury. The permitting Of this
outrageous fraud upon the Commonwealth makes
the attendance comparatively small and irregu-
lar the committees are unable to hold their
regular sessions on account Of absences, and the
legislation Of one day. by one set of members, is
overturned the next day by new set Of men,
whpihappen then to be present. Formerly, a mo-
tion for reconsideration was thing Of exceed
inglyFare occurrence. Now, that motion is made
in reference to almost every measure before the
hose, and, in some cases, it is made and carried
two or three times upon single bill, in its diff
ferent stages
Il Fourthly. But a greater cause, still, for the
delay in business, is the decentralization Of the
parties in the House. by the attempts to bring
men 10 act together who have no common bond
OF union. and no sympathy of feeling, in relation
t5most Of the subjects II legislation. The con-
sequence Of this is, that no party feels ponsi-
bic fsy the business. and there is no efficient or
ganization to put it forward If the Republicans,
al the opening Of the session, had avaied them
selves, as they should have done, nl their un-
questionable majority in both branches, to or
ganize them with reliable off ers and then had
put forward suitable and efficient leaders, in the
two houses, with party organization to back
them up, and sustain them, they might have put
matters through, in from ninety TO hundred
days, Just as we'll as not, without exhibiting the
pitiable spectacle Of ineiiciency and imbecility,
which they poS present, We trust, for the cred
itofOld Massachusetts, that the days Of shutting
compromise Of principle, in our public affairs, are
drawing 70 close. Little did we once think we
shahid ever live to see such government in our
State as the last three years have exhibited We
hope, IN future, that Republicans will stand by
them elves, or their own principles, ana relying
on the strength and potency Of those principles,
ana on the moral rectitude Of their own position
and action, even il they cannot rally more than
a baker's dozen to their standard to commence
with. In such position, and with such a course,
thsy cannot tn, ere long TO prevail, and, in any
other course, they are never certain Of anything,
exeeb. lhot they will be placed in scme perplex-
ing and mortiFing predicameni, such as they
now find themselves in.
10 the meantime. the session Of the Legisla-
turs must be brought 70 close. as best II may.
hitesn spare portion ofiis time from plans fpr
pesw p'siings and stralings in The form Of books,
ssasonsry, &c on which il seems so insanely
vent We would advise the members, once more,
tsfens'0s' he object for which they were sent,
y fesa'd tAs wishes and expectations Of their
eonshspspss' and 70 make Que eIor. 70 accom-.
yl'.A ne Business y che session. % ost tbsir pnv
ana . retpFn home 70 their families ,nd f,,snds
" $3.50
The annual report Of the Trustee, =, 49,. ~.
pnchusesss General Hospital state. ~, Aas;,,.
The yeAf 1855 thsrs were admitted 70 ,Ns Ie
1870 patients. OF ,hs... 47s wer. S,.. .aOspl,
weil asO were relieved. II not relie,sa !, IN,
saisaad. and III died To the MAJ - s''