Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-02-14


jor General The vote was as follows -
whole number Of te,........................33
Nee ssary TO a che &c. .-..--..-.....-.--...-..H
Msjor Wright had ....................l
Col X l Burbank. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
d ig Gen h W Pierce. ...,.........-.......
Brig Gen Samuel Andrews. .................
and Sa nuel Andrews was declared elected in
non. concurrence.
Petition Presented and Referred By Mr..
Esty Of Middlesex, of Agricultural Branch
Railroad, for extension of lime of construe-
ton.
Passed to be Expressed. bill concern.
ing Probate Courts in the county of Berkshire
the resolve authorizing J. Ingersoll Bowditch,
executor of the last will and testament CT the
late Ephraim Peabody, to sell certain real es-
tate of the testator.
After considerable discussion the resolve
providing for an amendment to the Constitu-
ton relative to distrctiug the State for the
choice of senators TO the General Court, on
motion of Mr.. Messenger, was laid on the ia
Bile. Adjourned.
HOUSE, Petitions Presented and Referred,
OF the Oxford Bank, for increase of capitol
of William G. Brown, Register of Probate for
Suffolk County, tor increase of salary of
Aaron kimball and others, Of Brookield and
Worcester, for compensation to Dexter Hem
shaw for cost and damages in causing the or.
rest and conviction of Jacob Hyer and John
Tay lor for horse stealing Of George Pearson
and others, of Saugus, tor aid TO free Sc lers in
hanzas
Orders were adopted to inquire into the ex-
pediency Of regulating the sale of poultry by
law of authorizing the governments of in"
corporated cities in the Commonwealth tot pro-
vide by ordnance for the removal of snow and
ice from sidewalks by abuttng owners !; OF
prohibiting the catching or taking Of trout and
pickerel from any rivers, ponds, or streams,
from the first day Of December TO the first day
of May of establishing an additional crimi-
nal term of the Court of Common Pleas for
Middlesex, to be holden at Lowell.
Several reports of committees were read,
chiefly that it is inexpedient to legislate on
the subjects refers 10 them.
On motion of MIR. Spooner of Boston, the
report Of the Committee on the Judiciary, rel
alive to the competency of witnesses, was ia
ken from the table and considered, when Mr..
Spooner offered the following amendment,
and moved its reference to the Committee on
the Judiciary =
No person shall be deemed an incompe-
tent witness in consequence of his opinions
on the subject of religion, but evidence may
be given OF his opinions a test of credibilI
ty; and any person who shall be found not
to believe i'll the existence of Supreme
Being shall be permitted to testify on his SOL
emn affirmation, subject to the pains and PEN
alties of perjury"
Mr.. Spooner madea very able speech in ia :.
yor of his motion and of the enactment of a
law in accordance with his amendment. He
was followed by Mr. Dodge of Cambridge,
who made powerful speech in favC.~of the
justice which was involved in the proposal TO
remove the restriction now placed on parties
who were not Christian believers.
Mr.. Couch of North Bridgewater was OPP
posed to the change, which if made would
cause a radical revolution in the whole sys-
TEN of evidence in courts Mr.. Couch s
speech was truly eloquent one.
Mr.. Johnson of Abingdon made an able
speech in favor of the amendment.
Mr.. Wells OF Chicopee favored the amend
ment.
Mr.. J. A. NOVEL; of Boston, Mr.. Fitch Of
Sheffield, severally spoke, after which mo-
tlon to lay the amendment Gil the table was
lost, 81 to SO.
The House then adjourned.