Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-04
RnsrnN Ian g 1875


Officers of the two Branches-The An
nual sermon by DIR. Peabody.
BosToN, Jan 8, 1872.
The members of the great and general court
assembled at the state house this forenoon and
organized the two branches after the time-hon-
ored fashion. Entire harmony and good feeling
prevailed, aud if there was much earneStness in
the canvass for the presiding officers did not ap-
pear upon the surface of affairs and the baloting
showed that the chances of Messrs. Coolidge,
Sanford and Robinson, for election, had not been
imperilled. The members of each house were
called together at eleven O'Clock. In the house,
this duty was performed 10y Mr.. Isaac D. Hall
OF New Bedford, the eldest member, his le2isa-
tive experience having begun in 1887. Prayer
was offered by the member from New Salem,
Rev. David Eastman. a committee was imme-
diately sent to the secretary of the common
wealth and returned with the credentials.
The committee reported that a quorum was
present, and that there were two members claim
ing one of the seats in the district embracing
Lawrence aud Methuen. 1t appeared that Mr..
Murphy, who was first declared elected received
u certificate. A recount of the votes in five Of
the Lawrence wards resulted in another certif-
cate being issued to Hon. George L. Davis,
whose name appeared upon the Secretary'S list
OF members elect. The house decided that Mr..
Murphy was prinld facie 4 member of the
house, after refusing to appoint committee to
investigate the case Major Morrissey soon an
nounced the governor and council, who had
been notified that the house was ready to be
qualified, by a committee, Of which Colonel
Taylor of Someryille was chairman. The mem
bcrs took the three Oaths which bind them TO
their constitutional duties in quite the usual
way. The election OF speaker followed. Col
Wright Of Boston, and Mr.. Towne OF
Fitchburg, Withdrew their names with slight
attempts at humor, and the latter loosely ask
Ing his friends to vote for the man whom they
regarded as next to him in fitness instead Of
Withdrawing in favor OF either Of the stronger
candidates. Mr.. Sanford Of Taunton had it all
his own way, receiving 1856 votes outof 236. Mr..
Cogswell of Yarmouth received 80 votes, and
Willard S. Phillips of Salem had one. The an
n0uncementofMr. Sanford selection was received
with hearty applause. Mr.. Sanford addressed
the house at considerable length. He spoke
as follows:-
REMARKS OF MR.. SANFORD.
Gentlemen Of the House Of Representatives:
tender you my rateful Acknowledgements Of the
kindness which has assigned me the position of
your presiding officer am deeply sensible of
the honor which you have conferred ON me; 10
deserve, as far as | may, the confidence so gener-
Ously bestowed will be alike my duty and my
pleasure. Coming for the first time to the official
4 . ..l,, q
az once the place of dis inguiShed gent emen who
have preceded me, and VINO, TO eminent ability
and fitness have added the parliamentary skill
and grace which are tue fruit OF experience alone.
While, therefore, | accept the trust which your
partiaIity has cOnfided to me, with the full pur-
pose to devote my best efforts to its right dis
charge, must bespeak on your part the indul-
-ence and cooperation whish the house has
always so freely accorded to the occupant of the
chair. The assembling of a new legislature, gem
tlemen, is an occasion of deep interest, not only
TO ourselves but to the people Of the common
wealth. No higher prer9 gatYe is ever conferred
upon the Individual citizen, no more responsible
duty is ever assumed than that of making the
laws in the name OF the people, which all the peO-
pie are bound 10 obey. II involves the power TO
change the privileges aud duties OF every person,
TO make his burdens lighter or heavier, to touch
all the interests of business and industry, and to
hinder or promote, 50 fan as depends on legisla-
ton, all progress in moral, social and political
reform The possibilities D. legislation, there
fore, excite the hopes or the fears of large
numbers of the people, and draw TO the action
of the legislature Il watchlu scrutiny. Vested
with this high position for the present year, we
may not regard ourselves as clothed with an IT,
responsible power. Chosen by the people and
OF the people, we are bound to legislate for the
people, and with proper Difference 10 the pnpu-
lar will, not only in what we do, but in our
manner OF doing il. Waving other TOPICS
,ybip | Il
not do justice to the thought which Is upper
most in the minds OF many Of you if did not
IT the outset OF our labOrs give an earnest re-
Spouse 10 the public sentiment which demands
thar while oar legislation is as perfect as our
wisdom can make it, we also egislate as little and
finish our work a soon as an imperative public
necessity will permit. This demand Is a reaOna.
bic one The people have Il right TO make it.
The injunction Of the bill OF rights, that tue
legislature ought frequently TO assemble, i'm
plies that its sessions are 10 be short. The peO-
pie do not relish Tor long periods the presence
vi power which unsettles their rights, and dis
turbs them with the apprehensionS of changing
or adverse legIsia ion. Their interests and hap
piness are best promoted by long intervals OF
repose, and under laws that are fixed and per-
manent Adding to this Il characteristic love
Of economy, and dispatch in the execution OF
all business and an instructive aversion to the
undue prOlongaion Of Office and emolument by
their puUlic servants, II is not strange il a legs
iaiure, which protracis It's sessions far into the
season when the farmer and the artisan are
sweating in their outdoor toll, incurs something
Of the Odum which attached TO the long or
Rump Parliament Of Charles the First and Oil
yer Cromwell.
But the sessions are not to be shortened by
the mere pressure of words, within or from
without these chambers; nor will the most ear
nest purpose and effort on our part avail, UNI
less directed to measures OF practical REFORM
l.st II hAlr
growing length is in fact due, and IN what direc-
ton the remedy lies. The cause, ! think YOU
Will be convinced, is to be found in the excessive
and increasing volume Of private and special
e-isldtOD. L.: us look at facts and figures.
Beginning with 1898, when the legislature was
reduced by amendment to the constitution TO its
present number Ul members, W ind a series OF
the shortest sessions within the last twenty-five
years. No one oil the five regular sessions from
1858 10 1862 exceeded 100 days. and the average
was DDeiY-seVen days. OF the 400 acts passed
during this PERIOD three out Of five were gen
tfa, and only two ont OF five special or prlYatc
Comparing the last five sessions from 1861 10
1871, the largest in the history of the common
wealth, we find their average length over 100
| days VI 1000 acts passed tue special outnum-
! Der the general by about 100. The sessions are
| stXty-hve per cent, the general laws lOrty-twO
pei cent, and tue special 1873 per cent in excess,
| respectively OF those in the former period, In
| other words, the bulk OF special legislation has
| grown relatively more than twice Us fast as the
/ length OF the sessions, and more than three
| times as fast as the bulk Of general legislation
| IL is also curious aud instructive TO find that
| the productive capacity Of the legislature since
| 1858 has been an average Of these euactmcnts,
IN 'udiug acts aud resolves for each day OF le..
islatlve session, and that TINS average varies by
| hardly shade OF difference from year TO wear
| An average 50 long and evenly maln-
| tanned must be taken as fair meas.
ure Of the legs alive industry and product. Ii
IS also safe to assume that the proportion of re.
J cited matters to those that reach the statute
book, is equally uniform. | dIaw the inference
which believe The experience Of many of you
will confirm, that the length of a session de
ponds upon the amount OF legislation actually
done; that the long legislatures have been a,
dihgent as the short ones; and that the growing
length OF the sessions is mainly due to the in
crease oil legislation by special aud private acts
Am ! not also justified in saying that til,
amount VI time devoted to such acts is dispro
pOrtionate. not only TO their importance but e
their NUMBER While laws Of general impor
too often pass their stages unchallengcd, thei
reasons and effects known only TO the committc
reporting then, the attention Of the house, tn
time Of its committees, It's talent in debate, it
longest discussions aud warDest divisions ar
largely given to questions Of local interest an,
private or corporate controversy. You ar
doubtless aware that the applications Of thi
kind to the present legislature are considerable
I a. mn Haf.ata W.