Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-19
From the State House.
BosroN, March IS, 1872


The prohibitory members of the house were
accommodated to-day relative to the report Of
the committee on the liquor law that it was in
eXpedient to amend the acts of 1869, concerning
the discharge Of liquor selling breakers of the
law on their own reeognizance The acceptance
of the report was reconsidered, and ii was sent
back to the committee on their assurance that
they simply desired to perfect the law by re-
quiring bondsmen.
The old and well contested question Of the
Lynn depot came up in the house this afternoon.
On Saturday when the bill to authorize the re-
location of stations under general conditions
was passed, Mr.. Breed, of Lynn, procured the
adoption of an amendment TO exempt from the
provisions of The bill, stations concerning which
litigation is at present going on, of course for
the purpose Of leaving untouched that local
question, which is now before the supreme court
of the United States. The other representative
from that district who is evidently on the other
side Of the question, attempted to have the mat
ter reconsidered, but the house said no, and also
TO a motion for bringing up again the matter OF
regulating the opening of freight depots
The bi relative to the mode of administering
oaths, designed to supersede section of chapter
181 of the general statutes, aud to provide that
whenever witness shall declare that any form
of taking the oath is in his opinion more bind
ing than the holding up of the hand, he may be
sworn according TO that method. At FIRST sight
this seems an innovation, but in fact it is MOTH
ing of the kind. The present law permits Judge
to oblige a witness to swear according to any
form which the legal luminary may think the
witness most given to. Therefore, if a Roman
Catholic comes into court and says that he is
willing to be sworn by the common form in
stead of by kissing the book, the Judge
may obige him to swear by the
latter method, and Judge Lord of Salem
has recently sent an obstinate witness to jail for
refusing to be sworn according to what is com
monty believed 10 be the Roman Catholic form
The proposed change would throw upon The Judge
the onus ofsuch a decision, instead of explicitly
sanctioning it as it now does, Upon this ques-
ton there were found gentlemen to talk all the
afternoon. Messrs. Cogswell aud his associates
of the judiciary committee put the matter very
clearly before the house, but nevertheless the
bill was voted down on yea and nay vote, 81
to 81. A reconsideration will by moved to NOR
row. The afternoon was mainly taken up by
speakers who would have done well 10 have kept
their seats, as they simply prolonged the discus
sion without helping the decision Of the ques.
ton. We shall have hard work to get through
on the first Of May if some of these yolube
members cannot be induced to save their breath
more constantly than they are now doing.
In behalf of your petitioners fora reduction of
coal freights, Messrs. 7. L Nelson, W. L. Rice
and j. II. Walker were again before the railway
committee this morning, endeayorng to perfect
the bill which they submit for the regulation of
the freight rates. They gave admirable reasons
why bill should receive the endorsement of
the committee
Chaplain Cudworth gave US one Of his uneX-
eeptonable prayers to-day, and it was so nicely
done that reproduce it for you
Creative cause Of every hopeful good, inhexi.
Die antagonist of every baneful evil, refreshed
by the rest of another holy Sabbath we gather
In TINS place for tie work Of the day o, nav
we do our work as though we spent the day of
rest with thee, and carry the aroma Of tbv pres
ence and the inspiration of thy spirit through
all the week, on whose threshold now we stand,
AnteR.
An order offered by some member whose
name forget, has drawn out from the STATE
board Of health an opinion as to the ventilation
of the state house. The first point Of the order,
which asked the learned gentlemen to say
whether ventilation was desirable, must have
sounded rather jocose 70 them, and they did not
take much notice of it, As to the facts of the
case the board say that the pres
ent system has never been fairly
tried. Even for the great halls the
fans are only partially kept in operation, while
the smaller rooms and offices are not ventilated
at all, although all the requisite machinery is
provided The aperiures where air should be
introduced arc used for stoke-ioes and closets
and the old fire places have been stopped up.
The board recommend that for once the air cur
rents be put in circulation and that the engi-
neers have an opportunity to see what they can
do about the matter during the present session
bill was reported in the senate to give the
city of Worcester authority to lay ont It's grand
boulevard Ivy the side Of Lake Quinslgamond
Mr. farbox, from the railway committee. re-.
ported au important bill concerning the lighting
OF passenger cars, providing that no passenger
cars shall be lighted by any oil made wholly or
in part Of naptha, or Of coal, or of petroleum
oil, or any other which win evolve combuslibIe
odor at temperature below 100 degrees Faren.
het, or ignite at less than 1870. Considerable
time was devoted TO the resolve relative TO
seamens' wages, which was passed by vote OF
% to 2. The bill in addition 10 an act to supply
the city Of Cambridge with water, was passed tc
be engrossed. The report Of the board Of health
was referred 10 the committee on education
Nlessrs. Wallace Of 1iiddlesex, aga Jacobs o.
Suffolk were appointed as The senate membe,!
Of the committee on a scientific survey Of tho
sources ofwater supply in the state.
The Putnam rnalaDA base decided 70 have
tuelr annual excursion next fall sHrpass auY Of
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