Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-04
From the State House,
BosToN, Feb. ., 1871

From the State House,
BosTON, Feb. 3, 1871.
The interest in the legislature to-day centered
in the house, where the criminality of opening
public libraries on Sunday, and the merits or
otherwise Of the state constab!ery, furnished
fruitful topics for discussion. Rev. Mr.. Vibbert
of Rockport spoke earnestly in favor of open
ing libraries and reading rooms on Sunday, as
an auxiliary of the Sunday school and church
in large places, where the effect would he to ar
rest many young men whom the churches
do not and can not influence, and save
them from a tendency downward. Mr. Newell
of Boston made a speech against the bill,
reading from Exodus and occasionally
moving the house to laughter. The best and
most telling speech thus far made on either side
was a brief one by Mr.. Beard, of Brookline, in
favor of the bill. Messrs. Mulligan of Paxton,
Cogswell of Salem, and Sanford of Taunton, re-
monstrated against using all the day in discus
sion of this subject, and its further considera-
ton was postponed until Monday. Rev. Dr..
Putnam asked that the vote might be taken on
Tuesday, at halfpast three, and the house
agreed to it. He will probably make the closing
speech, and 1t is morally certain to be the best
one for he is one of the ablest men in the legis-
lature.
The debate on the state constablery was
brought on by the return of the appropriation
bill from the senate, with the item relating to
the state police, raised to the old appropriation
OF year ago. The question was one of concur
the senate MpaSra Of itpI
burg and Beard of Brookline, made effective
speeches in favor of concurrence. Others fol-
lowed in a similar spirit OF those who are
utterly hostile TO the state police, Messrs. John
Quincy Adams and j. K. Tarbox, made the
most notable speeches. Many senators were on
the floor, and the galleries were filled with spec
tators. Mr.. Beard moved to substitute the
original appropl iation of $3.50 900 reported by
the committee. On this the yeas and nays were
taken, and it was lost-73 to IS. The vote was
then taken on concurrence with the senate, and
the appropriation bill was passed as amended
there, by vote of 81 to Ga, as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Ii S Adams, S Allen, j Bald
win, l Baker, L Barnard, ID n Barrett j Bates
w Beard, 2 Brown, D Chamberlain, B D
Crane, Davis, W L Davis, G. Dueii, /. G
Eames, 5 Eastman, S P Everett, II Fearing, A r
Piske, J D Flagg 4 Flood, Floyd, R o Fuller,
Q Guild, B Hayward, P Hayward, Il B Hersey
$ bolt, I Holway, w Hopkinton, S Howe, E Hub
bard, Hutchinson, f james, n NJ Jernegan,
n Johnson, johnson, o Kend3ll, K Lewis, W
Lewis, G H Lincoln, G Lombard o Mason, a Nc
Kenzie, j w McKine, T H Meek, W Mulligan p NJ
Neal, c Nichols, q Newell. S Osgood, L Parsons,
Pearl, L Pratt. ii Prescott, c L Putnam N L
Richardson, S Root, b Sanders, H Severance,
] Shepard, G Smith, T Swasey, Jr., q R Taft,
tie, S W Twombly, & H vibbert, W II, Wales, j J
L A Wright.
NAYs.eMessrs j Q Adams, W Arnold, A ]
Bailey, P Q Baird j Barker, W E Blunt, 5 1
Bowman, P Bridgman, Brown, S A Brownell. ]
r Billiard, 81 o Burr 7 Burr, Galley, NJ Carney
W Cogswell, H Cornell, j II Cotton, A Cush-
man. R S Daniels, I Davis, j Dowse, Drynan, j
o Fallon, Fitzgerald, NJ Fl Fowler, B franklin,
l Gardner, 7 Gates, Il D Glover, L Granger, E W
Griggs, II Il Harris, I B Harris, Hayward o
Hewes, L Haywood, G II Hovey, j A Lamson, n
Lincoln, b A Madden, Magoun j Murphy,
Mcklnstry, A R Merrill, NJ Merrill, L Moore,
Pratt, Quingley, L Richards, NJ Russell
u Smith, j Tarbox, H Toand, K Train G
+ Walcott, D Walton, ii Webb, L Wood
bury, G Wyer.
There were nearly one hundred members
absent, the vicious habit of leaving before adj
journment having already begun
Bills were introduced on leave in the house
relating to the assessment of damages for taking
or flowing lands, or of betterments thereto, and
to regulate the sale Of Intoxicating liquors, pro-
viding for licensing commissioners in each city
and town in the commonwealth. In the senate,
concerning the Boston and Providence railroad
company, changing the time for holding the
annual meeting, and extending the time for
construction of an additional track; to incor-
porate the Blue Hill land company with capital
of 100000, to purchase, SELL and otherwise dis
pose of real estate in Milton, HYDE Park and
Dedham; TO incorporate the Duxbury wharf
company; relative TO the punishment for arson,
burglary and other offences.
The committee on railways in the senate re-
ported bill in a new draft to authorize the
ErnmIn vail Dad noVy, 60
mortgage its road under existing provisions of
law In the house Mr.. Adams reported a bill
authorizing the Old Colony and Newport rail,
road company TO increase its capital stock to
S6,500000.
Orders were passed: That the committee on
military affairs consider the expedency of so
amending chapter 90, resolves of 1863, ito give
diplomas TO soldiers not now provided for in
said resolve; that the committee on education
inquire into the eXpedieucy of exempting pli-
vate libraries from taxation; that the committee
on banks and banking inquire into the proprirty
of further legislation the better 10 secure and
equalize the earnings of deposits in savings
banks to and among all their depositors; that
the Joint special committee on constitutional
amendments consider the expediency of SO
amending the constitution as to provide for
longer tenure of office for the members of one or
both branches of the legislature.
Bills were passed to be engrossed in the SEN
ate TO incorporate the Somerville high school
associates, the Cary improvement company, and
to authorize the Worcester gas light company
to increase its capital stock.
The liquor question was discussed before the
Joint special committee on that subject by Rev.
Drs. Miner and Haven, and Wendell Phillips,
who gave their well known views on prohibit
| ton. The city marshal of New Bedford, and
Hon. Eliphalet Trask of Springfield, gave testi-
mony in regard to the execution of the liquor
law in their respective cities. Another
hearing will be given on the sub
| ject at some future time. Messrs. Phillips
and Miner were as impracticable and violent as
ever, the former denouncing the way matters
went in your city, saying that he wanted a
law that would put such men as Stephen Sails.
bury in the county house. AT the next hearing
IT Will be well If he is not ready to put all youI
clergymen in the lunatic hospital.