Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-22
LETTER FROM BOSTON.

DUSTIN, EeD. Il, 1907
The state legislature, to-day, at the close of
lis session, adjourned over till Monday-the
22l being a holiday by law The effort was
strenuously made TO extend the recess till
Tuesday afternoon, in order TO give members
residing at distance the opportunity of visit
ing their families, but it did not prevail. 1t
had also been proposed that Washington's
Farewell Address should be read before
the heads of the departments and the two
branches of the legislature, to-day, but the
senate did not respond to the high patriotism
of the popular branch"
The senate, to-day, with great unanimity,
passed TO its third reading the amendment to
the constitution providing for the repeal of the
1.-TWO years ame ndnent." 1t will be remem.
bered that, at the extra session of the last leg
islature, the preliminary steps were taken for
reducing the two years restriction TO one year.
but by some error or delay that measure was
not consummaed. This year the proposition
TO initiate a radical reiorm-that is, 10 remove
the amendment entirely-came up on the rec
mmendation of the governor, has received the
unanimous approval of large and intelligent
committee of the two houses, and will, l doubt
not, result in placing this fragment ofpotical
frenzy in the limbo of tradition to which so
much untimely and unwise legislation has
finally to be consigned.
The last stage of "the Bible question" was
reached to-day, the house adopting the bill
recommended by the committee of conference
which had already received the appreciation
OF the senate. 1t was the subject of two hours
discussion, in which considerable feeling was
manifested, but without elicting any new
| light upon its subject matter. Mr.. AxTELL
! of Grafton, stated some additional facts in
lation 10 the Grafton school case, and gave his
reasons in very fair and clear manner, for
Withholding his approval from the bill in its
| present form. Mr.. SoUTHER of Worcester,
while ne did not fully approve of the form of
the bill, yet felt bound to vote for it as great
and desirable advance upon the present law.
He did not regard it as at all involving the
| question Of preserving or rejecting the Bible
in the public schools The bill, while making
it mandatory that the Bible should still be
read, yet recognizes that liberty of conscience
which is the essence OF all liberty and is dearly
cherished in the heart OF the commonwealth.
The following are the yeas and nays from
Worcester county, On the final passage of the
bill TO be engrossed:
YEAs-Messrs Armsby of Millbury, Blood
of Charlton, Bullock of Worcester, Butler OF
Douglas. Claim of Milford, Daniels of Wor-
cesler, Gates of Rutland, Goddard of Worces.
tel, Halves OF Leominster, Heart OF Clinton,
Metcaf OF Mendon, Murphy of Worcester,
| Norcross of Fitchburg Shaw of Upton, South.
er of Worcester, and White of Winchendon.
NAYs-Messrs. Adams of North Brookfeld,
Axtell of Grafton Coggswell of Leicester,
Fay of Athol, Goddard OF Barre, Lothrop Of
Milford, Nelson of Shrewsbury, Northrop Of
! Blackstone, Putnam OF Lunenburg, Stone of
Harvard, Stone OF Oxford, and Toman Of Pc
tersham.
The senators and representatives from Wor-
cester held an informal meeting in the Green
Room after the adjournment, today. Col.
Lee Of Templeton ofiiciated as chairman, and
Mr.. Daniels of Worcester as clerk. The late
ness of the hour compelled an early adjourn.
which Col Croker of Fitchburg is chairman,
to call future meeting. The following reso
luton, however, upon the suggestion of Mr..
Goddard of Worcester, was adopted and the
clerk was requested to communicate copies to
the colonies commanding the several regiments
named therein:
Resolved, That the senator's and representa-
tives IRON Worcester county, in the legisla.
ture of Massachusetts, in their own behalf.
and III behalf of the constituents they repre-.
sent, desire 70 express the qualification and
pride with which they have learned of the
gallant bearing of the twenty.first and twenty
fifth Massachusetts regiments in the capture
of Roanoke Island, and they hereby extend to
the officers of those regiments, and 10 the sol
| ders under their command, their sincere con-
! CALCULATIONS on the heroism they manifested,
and the good name they have won in their
first field.
The resolution was amended, on the sugges.
ton of Mr.. Heard of Clinton, so as to embrace
also, the fifteenth Massachusetts regiment in
the commentator given to the Worcester
county boys