Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-10-01
THE LEGIsLATURE.

The quarrel between the House and Senate
remains unsettled, although some effort has
been made within few days to "harmonize
the two branches" This attempt to secure a
revision of the statutes is likely TO be expens-
i've, if nothing more First, the Commission
ers must be paid: then the committee of forty
one and last, if not least this extra session
of the Legislature, which threatens to last I'M
til January. 1t would have saved time and
expense, if the Legislature had dispensed with
that committee of forty-one, and proceeded d.
rectly to consider and act on the Commission
ers' report, without such a preliminary ; and
by this method much better as well as speed
Ter result would have been secured than now
seems probable.
The questions in dispute are not of great
importance in themselves; and the quarrel is
so discreditabe to those who keep it alive,
that we do not see how they can afford to have
it last much longer. Certainly it does not
enable them to illustrate their fitness for public
trusts to much advantage, and therefore cannot
be very edifying to themselves. 1t is the opin-
ion of some who have watched the affair close
ly, that the trouble is very cunningly managed
and kept astir by few lawyers in and around
the Legislature, who aim to confuse this revts-
ion of the statutes or defeat it altogether. tits
their policy to have the statutes as chaotic as
possible, for such state of things is best adapt
ed to create lawsuits and make them long and
tedious This judgment of the matter may not
be wholly free from suspicion and prejudice;
but there is no explanation that one is very
well satisfied to adopt.
Until Wednesday of this week, neither house
had made so much progress as to be in con-
dition to know how nearly they could agree on
any part of the work they have in hand. On
that day, the first chapter of the revision,
which had been acted on in the House, was re-
turned to that body from the Senate. In the
House, the verbal amendments of the Com
mittee of forty-o were adopted The Senate
struck them all out and restored the phrase
ology of the Commissioners. The House has
conceded one or two particulars, but shows
purpose to adhere substantially to its first po-
sition. There have been long speeches, ex-
plantations, and excuses, but no promise of har-
mony The subject was debated on Thursday
and Friday, at great length. At the close of
this long and rather dreary debate, the vote
was taken on the motion to concur with the
Sc late, with the following result yeas "a,
nays 10. The House then, with all the dig
nifty and vigor of unrelenting backbone"
proceeded to annihilate the su6juncttres and Ie-
store its pet touches of grammar. "Great is
Diana Of the Ephesians I" When this matter
goes back to the Senate, the display of wrath
and valor will doubtless be very terrible.
It's very plain that this Legislature is not
in a mood to do the work properly. There
fore, it cannot do better than adjourn and refer
the whole matter to its successor. Atany rate,
it seems nowise likely to do better, and the
present useless proceedings are not precisely
tsuch as we expect from Legislature of Mas
saehusetts. They are also too expensive to be
tolerated with much patience. I