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Commonforaltfj of flassadjuscttg. THE JOURNAL OF THE SENATE, FOR THE YEAR 1881. PRINTED BY OKDEIt OF THE SENATE. BOSTON : 3ßanij, a&erg, & ®o., printers to tije Commontocaltij, 117 FRANKLIN STREET. 1881. €ommontDcaltt) of iftassacljusctts. JOURNAL OF THE SENATE. AT a General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, begun and holden at Boston on the first Wednesday, being the fifth day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one, and the one hundred and fifth of the independence of the United States of Ameri- ca, the following-named members-elect of the Senate, hav- ing been duly summoned by the Executive, appeared, to wit: — Hon. Messrs. James Smith in the First Win. T. Van Nostrand Second James L. Quigley . Third George G. Crocker Fourth Suffolk John B. Martin Fifth Districts. Charles H. Allen . Sixth Henry W. Fuller . Seventh and Joseph Bennett Eighth Hon. Messrs. Harmon Hall in the First "1 Nathaniel A. Ilorton Second 1 Francis Norwood . Third 1 Essex Joseph N. Rolfe . Fourth r Districts. Charles B. Rice Fifth and John A. Wiley Sixth Hon. Messrs. Elisha S. Converse in the First - Robert R. Bishop . Second Third Leander M. Ilannum Middlesex Fourth Charles Q. Tirrell. Districts. Anson D. Fessenden Fifth 1 Thomas Winship . Sixth and Charles S. Lilley . Seventh J Hon. Messrs. Thomas J. Hastings in the First • Second William Abbott . Worcester Chester C. Corbin Third Districts. John M. Moore Fourth 1 and Daniel B. Ingalls . Fifth J Hon. Messrs. Marcus P. Knowlton. in the First Hampden and Emerson Gaylord Second Districts. Hon. Messrs. Samuel M. Cook in the Hampshire Districts. and Joseph II. Root. Franklin Hon. Messrs. Francis W. Rockwell. in the North Berkshire and Elizur Smith South Districts. Hon. Messrs. David W. Tucker in the First Norfolk and James P. Ray . Second Districts. Plymouth Hon. Messrs. Ebenezer T. Fogg in the First Districts. and Starkes Whiton. Second Hon. Messrs. Oliver Ames in the First Second Bristol Milton Reed Districts. and George 15. Richmond . Third Hon. Mr. Samuel Snow . in the Cape District. And were called to order at 11 o'clock A.M. by the Hon. Robert R. Bishop of the Second Middlesex District, senior member-elect. Quorum. Whereupon, on motion, Messrs. Ivnowlton, Lilley and Abbott were appointed a committee to wait upon the Governor and Council, and inform them that a quorum of the Senate is assembled and ready to be qualified. Subsequently, Mr. Knowlton, from above-named com- mittee, reported that they had attended to the duty as- signed them, and that the Governor was pleased to say that he, with the Lieutenant-Governor and Council, would attend forthwith upon the Senate for the purpose of ad- ministering the required oaths of office. Qualification Soon after, the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor with of Senators. the Council came in, and the Senators-elect severally took and subscribed the oaths of office required by the Consti- tution and a law of the United States, to qualify them for the discharge of their duties as Senators for the current political year. The Governor and Council thereupon withdrew. On motion of Mr. Whiton (Mr. Martin being in the chair), — Ordered, That a committee be appointed to receive, assort and count the votes for a President of the Senate. Messrs. Whiton, Van Nostrand and Allen were ap- pointed said committee. And the votes having been collected, assorted and counted, it appeared that Hon. Robert R. Bishop of the Second Middlesex District was elected; and, being con- ducted to the chair by Messrs. Rockwell and Quigley, he signified his acceptance of the office, and addressed the Senate as follows : — SENATORS, — I am deeply sensible both of the honor and of the high trust which accompany your action; and in return promise to unite with you in the best endeavors to keep the Senate worthy of the entire confidence of the State. Doubtless, a larger share of public business than usual will demand attention at this session of the General Court. With the revival of business and the coming of the flood-tide of prosperity, many interests will call at our doors for legislation. Unremitting attention to the details of these matters can alone produce the best results, and keep that just balance which fosters enterprise and thrift and growth on the one hand, and furnishes stability, safe anchorage and conservatism on the other, guarding the State, and giving the best advantages to the individual. Massachusetts, from the beginning, has resembled in her history the typical career of the successful man, whose foresight is tempered by caution, and whose caution is inspirited with courage. We are not ready, I take it, to confess that we are willing without thought to yield to schemes which may come to our doors, however impracticable, nor to reject without consideration plans which call for our attention, however wise. If this is so, there is only one method of selecting the true from the false, the wise from the unwise; and that is by work, patient, unflagging, zealous. In addition to the ordinary work, the revision of the Statutes of the Commonwealth, authorized by the last Legislature, and now admir- ably advanced, will probably call for an extra session. Let it be our aim to finish the work of the regular session in no longer time than was taken last year, —• the shortest on record for nineteen years. If, then, this legislation can be incorporated with the body of the laws in the interval before the special session, and enacted at that session, it will be a result of w7hich we may well be proud. To the endeavor to do our part to apply to the multiform exigencies of modern life that old frame and system of government, pronounced at its origin by its gratified principal author to be "the best the world ever saw," and still challenging a compeer, — still presenting the most perfect division of powers, and the most complete system of checks and balances, of any,—is the grateful task to which we are summoned. There was a great opportunity for our fathers to make a government; but there are circumstances for us as well as for them: new fields, new affairs, for the old truths and the old principles to grow and expand and blossom in, with a new delight and fragrance, if we are true to them, to ourselves, and to the time in which in God's providence we live. On motion, Messrs. Fessenden, Fogg and Root were appointed a committee to collect, assort and count the votes for Clerk of the Senate. And the votes having been collected, assorted and counted, it appeared that Stephen N. Gifford of Duxbury was elected ; and he, being present, was qualified by taking the following oath : — Whereas, you, Stephen N. Gifford, are chosen Clerk to the Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you do swear that you will truly enter all the votes and orders thereof, and in all things relating to your office that you will act faithfully and impartially, according to your best skill and judgment. So help you God. Organization On motion, Messrs. Hall, Converse and Martin were ap- of Senate. pointed a committee to inform the Governor and Council of the organization of the Senate. Messrs. Bennett, Horton and Hastings were charged with a similar message to the House of Representatives. On motion of Mr Gaylord,— Sergeant-at- Ordered, That the Senate proceed forthwith to the arms. election of Sergeant-at-Arms. And Messrs. Gaylord, Wiley and Snow were appointed a committee to collect, assort and count the votes therefor; and the votes having been collected, assorted and counted, it appeared that Capt. O. F. Mitchell of Bridgewater was elected. On motion, it was Chaplain. Ordered, That the Senate proceed forthwith to the election of Chaplain of the Senate. And Messrs. Richmond, Smith of Berkshire, and Terrell were appointed a committee to receive, assort and count the votes therefor; and the votes having been collected, assorted and counted, it appeared that Rev. Edmund Dowse of Sherborn was elected; and the Clerk was di- rected to notify Mr. Dowse of his election. On motion, Mr. Rice was charged with a message to the Governor and Council, informing them of the election, on its part, of Oreb F. Mitchell as Sergeant-at-Arms for the current political }rear. Mr. Rockwell was charged with a similar message to the House. Organization Notice was received from the House announcing the of House. organization of that branch by the choice of Hon. Charles J. Noyes of Boston as Speaker, and George A. Marden of Lowell as Clerk. Sergeant-at- A communication was received from the House an- Arms. nouncing the election, on its part, of Capt. O. F. Mitchell as Sergeant-at-Arms to the General Court for the current political year. Thereupon, it was ordered that the Clerks o'f the two branches give notice to Capt. Mitchell of his election to that office. Sent down for concurrence. Came up concurred. On motion of Mr. Van Nostrancl, — Newspapers. Ordered, That the Clerk be directed to furnish daily newspapers, not exceeding twelve in number, to be kept under his direction for the use of members of the Senate. On motion of Mr. Allen of Suffolk, — Ordered, That the Rules and Orders of the Senate of Senate Rules last year be observed until otherwise ordered. On motion of Mr. Crocker,— Ordered, That the Joint Rules and Orders of the two Joint Rules branches be observed until others are adopted. Sent down for concurrence. Came up concurred. On motion of Mr. Crocker,— Ordered, That a special committee to consist of five be Senate Rules appointed to prepare Rules and Orders for the government and0lders- of the Senate; and Messrs.
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