Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-21
From the State House,


Under the nth of the joint rules, according
to the construction put upon it by the president
of the senate and the speaker of the house, thu
limit for the reception of new business expired
on Saturday last; but, as was prophesied by
some, motions to suspend this rule were made
in both branches soon after they met. In the
senate, Mr.. Boardman, of Suffolk, asked leave
TO introduce Dill TO extend the time of organi
zation of the Union Exch ,nge company in the
city of Boston. The president stated that, under
the rules, the bill would be referred to the mex
general court. A motion was made to suspend
the rules, and carried, on a count, by vote OIL
Is to 6; but on the yeas and nays being ordered
it was lost by vote of 20 to I.
In the house, Mr.. Tarbox, of Lawrence, pre-
sented the petition of A. J. French and others
for an act of incorporation as a fire insurance
company, and moved that the rules be suspended
in order that it might be received. He stated
that the petition was given to him on Friday,
and that he intended to present it on Saturday,
but was unavoidably absent on that day. AS
the petitioners were not at fault, he asked
as a matter of justice that their petition might
x
of Braintree, Merrill of Boston, and McKim of
West Roxbuiy, advocated letting down the bars,
and this petition with a couple more were re-
ceiyed. TWAS in vain that Mr.. Train of Boston
protested against establishing such bad prece-
dent. The statutes expressly limited the time
for petitions of this sort to the first ten days of
the session, which the legislature had extended
n hrna Otyap 10 al al
made so soon after the limitation had expired,
made the rule farce and of no value whatever.
1t opens the door wide to any amount Of new
business. The rules were suspended by a vote
of 131 10 35. So easy was it for the advocates of
a short session to break their good resolution
made so bravely seven weeks ago. A motion to
extend the time for introducing new business
was lost by vote Of 100 yeas to 50 nays-it re-
curing three-quarter vote to be successful.
The lesson drawn from this debate and action of
the house was that there will be no trouble at
any time in getting new business before the
great and general court, and that the 18th rule
is humbug.
The house differed with the senate on the pro.
posed motto for the Andrew statue and refused
to concur, MIR. Ruffin of Boston alone adYocat-
ing the inscription. Rev. DR.. Putnam of RoX-
bury, who paid an eloquent tribute to the mem.
oIy VI 0Ohs AHuItW, Sdlu llc pTOpOStQ llSCflD-
ton was in bad taste, and he should feel mort-
lied to have it placed upon the statue. He did
not think it worthy or becoming sentiment
for everybody professed that that they did not
1espise their fellowmen. 1t represented but
small trait in Gov. Andrews character. The
only words which could bring up his history,
and present to the observer the eloquent orator.
the earnest, selt-forgetting philanthropist and
true statesman were 'John Albion Andrew"
But he doubted the proprety of having even
these inscribed upon his statue. So far as he
knew, the statues of great and noble men in the
past had borne no inscriptions, and he thought
the highest compliment which could be paid
was to place no inscription whatever upon the
marble. Rev. DR.. Hill of Waltham expressed
similar sentiments to those of Mr. Putnam, and
Mr.. Train having withdrew his motion 10 refer
to committee, the whole subject was indefinite
ly postponed.
The committee on the judiciary reported back
in the house Mr.. Etzgerald's bill with amend
ments for the better protection of witnesses be-
fore the joint committee on the state police. The
bill provides that witnesses shall not be excused
from answering questions or producing papers
on the ground that they will be dIsgraced or in
jured thereby, but such testimony or paper
shall not be used against them in any civil or
criminal proceeding in any court of justice; and
nothing in the act shall be construed to exempt
any witness from prosecution and punishment
for perjury committed by him in testifying. If
tnlo plll pdoseoS luc COulultl6e Oh sIdle ponce
will soon begin its investigations into the al
legged corruption of that body of officers.
Inc committee on Intoxicating liquors re-
ported that the bills introduced on leave by Mr..
IarboX, OF Lawrence, entitled San act to regu.
late the manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors, and the bill to regulate the sale of in
tpxicaLing liquors, ought not TO pass. The com.
mit:ee on the judiciary reported that the bill
providing that capital crimes may be tried by
the superior court, ought not to pass; and that
1t was nexpedient TO legislate on the petition of
Aurora ID. q. Phelps, for exemption of homes
from taxation.
An order was adopted in the senate-that the
committee on the judiciary inquire into the ex-
pediency of enlarging the jurisdiction of the
municipal court of Worcester in civil cases
The time fixed for the election of directors Of
the Boston and Albany railroad, on the part Of
the state, was reconsidered, and Thursday
March 2, was agreed upon as the time at which
said election will take place. A communities
ton was received 10 the senate from the treas
urer of the commonwealth, giving the expenses
of the valuation committees in 1890, 1860 and
1864, las follows: 1850 S14 1885, 1860, s24 15717
1864, S21 ,SS0.79.
Tomorrow the railroad bill will be debated in
the house, and its merits and dement's be plainly
set forth by able speakers. Wednesday being
holiday, there will be no session. For won.
der only three committees were in session this
forenoon, those on education, insurance and the
Judiciary. Tomorrow morning the industrious
and hard working railroad committee, in which
worcester is well represented by Mr.. Barnard,
viii give iiual hearing on the railroad eXten,
sion from Gardner to Winchendon, which is
urged by those interested in the Worcester and
Gardner road.