Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-10
From the State House.
Interesting 10 PhaFnacists-The Divorce
RiIl-Taxat.cn Of Bank shares-A Pro-
posed Mortgage COmpany-EiecfiOD OF a
Preacher by the Senate.
Bosroy. April 9, 1872.

The house glanced over the orders this nom.
ing and concluded to let about dozen of the
four-score matters go through without debate |
The piece dc resistance proved to be the bill 10 |
regulate the practice Of pharmacy, providing |
that any person who shall herea ftcr engage IN |
the business of retailing drugs and chemicals, |
dispensing medicines and compounding phySi- |
clans prescriptions, Excepting persons now en-
gagged must be examined aud receive certii- |
cate of competency from a commission consist |
ing of three skilled pharmacists to be appointed
by the governor and council The commits
sioners are to be paid by the persons examined,
each of whom is to. shell out five dollars. The
debate was started by motion by Mr. Ely, of
Newton, to insert a section providing that every
druggist, apothecary, or pharmacist, or persons
claiming to be such, selling spjrtuous liquors,
shall be or become city or town agent, under
the provisions Of the iiqnor law. In supporting
his motion Mr.. Ely represented that many
places of business, ostensibly apothecary stores,
were nothing bat dram shops. Mr.. Trrell, of
Weymouth, moved an amendment that the bill
should be construed to include vendors of
patent medicines properly labelled The
debate occupied nearly the entire morn
ing session, and a few ridiculous
speeches were made, as usual. Mr.. Newell, of
Boston, talked against both of the amendments,
and denounced the state agents liquor and the
"patent medicines properly labelled" He said
you can't get any good liquor unless you 90 TO
a ''rum-seller," (which believe all good Judges
ADMIT and that these patent medicines consist
of New England rum favored with onion, iuni-
per, or Something as bitter as dSsqfotida."
For his part be would rather have a son of his
get drunk openly on good. pure whis-
key than 90 to the apotbecaries in
sneaking way and drink so much
slop that "the very swash of it would
knock him down" Mr.. Poor, veteran drug
gist Of this city, said few solid words in favor
Of the bill, bearing testimony to the necessity
for some guarantee Of the competency of retail
druggists Both the amendments mentioned
were rejected, but one offered by Mr.. Potter of
your city, requiring apothecaries TO translate,
for the information of purchasers, all prescrip-
tious in Latin, was adopted. This aroused the
ire OF Mr.. Merrill Of Springfield, who declared
himself an apothecary, and that he couldn't
carry on his business week or day under
such ridiculous law. In his wrath he moved
to change the title OF tue bill to ga Comedy of
Errors" Nevertheless, in spite of course of
treatment which has killed many stronger meas
ures the bill was ordered 10 a third reading,
by vote of SO to 81. Probably some amend
ments will be eliminated and others added at
the next stage.
The first object Of attack in the afternoon was
the bill relating u sidewalks in cities, by which
the board of mayor and aldermen was author-
lied 10 lay sidewalks aud assess the whole or
any part OF the expense on AUDITORS. Mr. Ben
ton Of BroOkline moved az amendment limiting
the proportion of expense 10 be assessed upon
AUDITORS TO fifty per cent, and the house agreed
to it, The bill was then ordered TO a third read
ing. This law is to take effect in any city on
its acceptance by the city council. AS Worcester
has now an admirable Law on the subject, it will
not do you any good. in fact, as one scction Of
the bill repeats ali laws inconsistent with this
general law, your good law will be relaxed some
what in its strigeuey and scope. The city OF
Boston tried 10 get law like the Worcester act,
which was drawn by your Mr.. Nelson, who was
chairman OF the judiciary committee two years
ago. Not getting that, they this year do the
next best thing, and get copy OF the Chelsea
and Lowell acts.
There was some talk against the bill relating
TO the service of civil process by constables,
which enables constable 10 serve a writ in
cases involving amounts as high as three hun
dred dollars, or a hundred more than the law
allows at present 1t was ordered TO a third
reading, unchanged, however, by a large ma
torty. When this bill had been disposed Of, the
orders Of the day were laid on the table to ena-
bic Mr.. Washburn Of Boston to offer series
Of resolutions ON the death Of Professor Morse,
action upon which was postponed until to-mor-
row.
On resuming the consideration Of the orders,
the FIRST matter encountered was the long-de-
ierred bill in relation to divorce. Mr.. Quincy,
Of Boston, took the floor against the bill. lie
did not object to abolishing divorce nisi in the
case Of desertion, however, and he moved to
amend so as to limit the abolition
proposed by the bill in accordance with his
views. Mr.. Cogswell Of Yarmouth made
speech in its favor, and criticised the law which
now allows divorce from bed and board instead Of
full divorce from the bonds Of matrimony. He
illustrated the great mischief caused by.sucl
divorces nisi, and dwelt in severe and just terms
on law iofbiddmg divorce absolute in eases of
gross and confirmed habits Of drunkenness.
Col. Mutt Of Natick followed in similar strains.
A number Of others took part in the discussion.
one of whom had a good deal TO say about the
suppurati0a Of married couples. Moses Kim.
ball made a vigorous sdeech against the bill,
taking high moral ground, and was so pointed
in bis opposition to the DIETING down the bars'on
the marriage question as TO bring out applause
aud though his speech was not quite TO the
point possibly did much to defeat the
bill Mr.. Hoyt Of Atbol replied with considera.
bile spirit TO what he termed the Sentimental.
ism" Of Mr.. Kimball He was very happy in bis
description Of the absurdity of divorce nisi, that
anomalous, half married, half divorced cond-
ton which the opponents Of this bill desired TO
perpetuate. On division Of the house the bill
was defeated by o vote Of % 10 10.
| There v little local spat Oh the bill TO es-
| tabllsf' district court Of central Hampshire.