Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-29
From the State House.

BOSTON, Saturday, May q, ISL
Both branches Of the legislature met this morn
ing at nine o'clock, with the dead lock binding
them as fast as ever.
In the senate, Mr. Collins Of Suffolk offered the
customary resolution OF thanks TO the president,
Hon. II. H. Coolidge, for the impartial and courte-
GUS manner in which he had presided during the
session. Several senators spoke upon it, awarding
high praise to Mr.. Coolidge. The resolution was
adopted unanimously, and Mr. Coolidge responded
in an appropriate speech. resolution of thanks
to s. Clifford, clerk was also passed.
The appropriation bill was then taken up, and the
senate insisted Npon its amendment. Messrs. Mum
roe, Crosby and Rhodes were appointed a commit
tee of conference to confer with Messrs. Sanford
Adams and Baker on the part of the house. After
hours consultation the committee reported that
they had been unable to agree and were discharged.
Senator Howe moved the appointment of a new
committee, and Messrs. Howe, Elliot and Lang
were appointed, to join Messrs. Coggswel Beard
and McKim of the house, after which both bodies
adjourned until next Wednesday at two P. NJ.
The senate before adjourning, appointed COM
mittee to report resolutions expressive Of the views
of that body upon the questions at issue, as fol-
lows:
Whereas the senate of Massachusetts, has passed
a resolve providing for the payment of sum of
money to the contestant OF seat TOR the tlru SUI
folk senatorial district which was rejected by the
house of representatives the report of the COM
mittee of finance of that body, on the ground that
there no precedent in this commonwealth for
| an appropriation for such purpose;
| And whereas, the senate proposed the same meas
ure in the form OF an amendment to the appropria-
ton BILL and the house of representatives non-con-
| CURED therein;
And whereas the senate, with a view to relieving
the two branches of the legislature from the embar
rassment of a disagreement on this point, amended
second appropriation bill by the insertion Of the
| following words, to-wit-(here follows the amend
| ment)-in which amendment the house non-con-
| curred
| Aud whereas, the constitution declares that the
senate shall be the final judge of the elections re-
| turns and qualifications Of their own members and
the exercise of that right requires investigations
be made necessarily involving expenses it follows
| that the extent and the amount of the same can
only be decided by the body ordering such inyesti-
CATION for the reason that the investigation made
by the senate alone, and cannot be the subject Of
official knowledge on the part of the other branch,
| il is therefore,
Resolved that in refusing to concur with the sem
ate in making appropriation in the furtherance
| of the purpose above set FORTH the action of the
house of Representatives is invasion of the con-
stitutional rights and privileges of the senate, and
If persisted in will constitute practical denial by
the house of the right Of the senate to decide upon
the elections qualifications and returns of its own
Resolved, that the propositions already made to
the house have shown disposition on the part of
| the senate to make all honorable concession con-
slstent with its constitutional rights and It's earnest
desire TO relieve the house from all responsibility
for the specific appropriation Of money to objects,
in regard to the propriety of which there may be
| difference of opinion between the two houses.
Resolved, that in its action the senate has been
| guided solely by q desire TO preserve rights and
powers the exercise Of which is indispensable to
the proper performance of its duties coordinate
branch Of the government"
The vote on the question of passing the resolu-
\ tons was taken by yeas and nays, and they were
| unanimously adopted, twenty-nine senators
/ swerng to their names when called by the clerk.
| The vote in the house against the senate amend
| ment was one yea to one hundred and eighty-three
nay, showing that the house did not purpose to
WELD to the senate in favor of bad precedent. The
Legislature met this year the 4th Of January, and
has consequently been in session l43 days including
| Sundays for which each member receives S750
equivalent to S5.25 day The last session short
this that Of 1865, which lasted l37 days.
The five sessions since 1865 have been respectively
| 147, 150 1914 10 and 10 days.