Worcester daily spy., 1861-01-25
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE.

JAN 24.-In the house the usual number of
petitions, pro and con, to personal liberty, were
presented.
Committees were set to considering whether
property held for religious and charitable pur-
poses, by parishes, &C., ought not to be ex
empted from taxation, to some extent at least I;
whether the state, rather than the town,
should not pay the expenses OF transporting
state paupers to state almshouses the expe-
diency of limiting the time for commencing
actions for the conversion Of personal property
and whether any legislation is necessary as to
books of reference for public schools.
Bills were reported to reduce the capital
stock of the National Insurance Company of
Boston to increase that of the Essex Bank
of Haverhill concerning Pawtucket bridge ;
and to confirm the organization, &C., of the
Agawam Bridge Company.
Messrs. DAVIS of Greenfield, BULLOCK of
Worcester, DREW of Dorchester, LITTLEFIELD
of Northampton, and Brown Of Dorchester,
were joined to the committee to consider the
expediency of enacting metropolitan police
bill.
Amendments were offered to the militia BILL
limiting the number of men to be substituted
to one thousand and two thousand, and after
debate between Messrs. Coffin of Newbury
port, Drew of Dorchester, Bullock ot Worces
ter, and Andrews of Ashburnham they were
rejected, and the bill was passed to third
reading. Mr.. Hills of Boston opposed the bill
to increase the capital of the Bristol county
bank on general principles, but without sue
cess The house saw no harm in it,
Mr.. Merriam of Greenfield made motion
to reconsider, which goes into the orders of the
day tomorrow.
On motion of Mr.. Quincy of Boston, the
committee on claims were instructed to in
hoe. hoar, do fn fla
legislature by John M. Earle, commissioner
appointed to inquire into the condition of the
Indians of this commonwealth.
Mr. TIRRELL of Burlington, offered an or
der directing that the hearing on the remon'
STRANGE of Estes Howe against a repeal OF the
personal liberty act, be given in the represen-
tative Hall. 1t was debated at some length
Mr.. Tirrell finally proposed to amerd the or
der by adding ''if the committee shall deem
expedient" On motion by Mr.. HALL OF Sau-
gus, the order was indefinitely postponed.
In the senate, the committee on federal re-
Iations reported the following resolve, which
was debated and made the first order for TO-
morrow -
Resolved, That it is the duty of the people
of each state 10 fulfil in good faith, all their
obligations under the constitution of the United
States, according to their spirit and intent
thereof; and that it is incumbent upon any
states having enactments on their statute books
conflicting with or rendering less efficient the
constitution or constitutional laws Of the United
States, to repeal them; and it is equally in
cumbent upon the general government and the
severa! states to secure to every citizen of the
Union his rights in every state, under that pro-
vision of the constitution which guarantees to
the citizens of each state all the privileges and
immunties of the citizens OF the several states,
and thus inspire confidence and spirit OF fra
ternal feeling between the different states of
the Union.