530 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



I would recommend that authority be given to 

 appoint a commissioner, whose duty it shall be to 

 revise all laws relating to the former status of the 

 negro, and report at the regular session of your Hon- 

 orable Body in January next, such modifications or 

 additions in the present code as may be suggested by 

 the provisions of the new Constitution abolishing 

 slavery, and the changed relation in which we stand 

 toward the colored race. 



"With regard to the question of negro suf- 

 frage he added : 



Maryland has no interest in negro suffrage, beyond 

 the effect which it is calculated to produce upon the 

 general interest and welfare of the country and the 

 negro himself. Her policy is already settled by her 

 new Constitution. To withhold from other States 

 the same power which she has exercised, to deal with 

 this and other subjects of a like character, appertain- 

 ing to their domestic governments, would be to let 

 go the most popular feature which has heretofore 

 contributed to our bond of union. 



The election in the Second Congressional 

 district to till the vacancy caused by the resig- 

 nation of Edwin H. Webster, took place on the 

 7th of November, and resulted in the success 

 of the Union candidate, John L. Thomas, by 

 4,677 votes, the Democratic candidate, "William 

 H. Kimmell, receiving only 950. 



MASSACHUSETTS. The Legislature of this 

 State convened at Boston on January 4th, and 

 was organized by the choice of Republican 

 officers in both branches ; and on the 6th Gov. 

 Andrew delivered his annual message. Among 

 the measures recommended to the attention of 

 the Legislature were the abolishment of the 

 death penalty, modifications of the law of mar- 

 riage and divorce, and of the usury laws, and 

 an amendment to the Federal Constitution re- 

 pealing the inhibition duties on exports. The 

 Legislature was also requested to ask the Presi- 

 dent to convene an extra session of Congress, 

 in case the Thirty-eighth Congress should fail 

 to adopt an amendment abolishing slavery. In 

 conclusion, he intimated that this was the last 

 time he should assume the duties of Chief Mag- 

 istrate of the Commonwealth. The Legislature 

 adjourned on the 17th of May, having passed 

 two hundred and eighty-live bills and seventy- 

 six resolves. The session was the longest since 

 1856. 



The finances of the Commonwealth received 

 a large share of attention from the Legislature, 

 in view of the necessity of meeting the extra- 

 ordinary liabilities incurred under the war. A 

 "bounty fund" of ten millions, with interest 

 at five per cent., payable in gold, had been 

 created in 1864; but owing to the high pre- 

 mium on gold, which the State was obliged to 

 purchase to meet the accruing interest, only a 

 small part of the loan was put into the market, 

 and the Treasurer of the State negotiated call 

 loans to the amount needed at six per cent, which 

 was one per cent, higher than the law allowed. 

 To remedy these difficulties the Legislature of 

 1865 authorized a new loan of ten millions, at 

 aix per cent, interest, payable in currency, and 

 raised the rate of interest on call loans to six 

 per cent. Before the new currency loan could 



be negotiated the overthrow of the rebellion so 

 enhanced the value of United States securities 

 that those of the State stood no chance in com 

 petition with them. An act was therefore 

 passed late in the session of 1865 giving the 

 Treasurer authority to borrow money, at such 

 rate of interest as the Governor or Council 

 might determine, until July, 1866, and author- 

 izing a portion of the currency loan of ten 

 millions to be issued, with interest in gold at 

 five per cent. An act was also passed allowing 

 a part of the loan of 1864 to be expressed in 

 the sterling currency of Great Britain for more 

 convenient sale abroad. To defray the current 

 expenses of the State a tax of $4,700,000 was 

 assessed upon the cities and towns, and a single 

 commissioner was appointed in place of the 

 former Board of Commissioners, consisting of 

 the Treasurer and Auditor. 



The coast defences of the Commonwealth re- 

 ceived some share of attention, and a resolution 

 was adopted referring to Congress the import- 

 ance of fortifying Provincetown and of con- 

 structing a military road from Orleans to the 

 extremity of Cape Cod. The act passed in 

 1864 making militia duty compulsory was sus- 

 pended, and a new act was passed authorizing 

 the militia force to be composed entirely of vol- 

 unteers, the infantry to consist of seventy com- 

 panies, with artillery and cavalry in proportion. 

 Provision was also made for a State census in 

 1865, and for a compilation of the industrial 

 statistics of the Commonwealth, the same to be 

 repeated once in ten years hereafter. An net 

 was passed prohibiting a discrimination in the 

 admission of colored people to theatres and 

 other places of amusement, and a resolution 

 that it is not " expedient or right in principle " 

 to license the sale of intoxicating liquors. Com- 

 mittees were appointed to sit in the recess of 

 the Legislature to consider the "financial condi- 

 tion of the Commonwealth," " what direction 

 shall be given to the liberality of the State in 

 behalf of invalid soldiers," and other matters. 

 Early in the session the Hon. Henry Wilson 

 was reflected a United States Senator for six 

 years from March 4, 1865. 



The funded and unfunded debt of Massachu- 

 setts on January 1, 1866, amounted in the ag- 

 gregate to $23,122,872, of which amount the 

 portion which should be charged to the war 

 account is $15,108,437. The funded debt was 

 $19,131,435, of which $6,574,435 should bo set 

 aside, as having accrued from loans to railroad 

 corporations, secured by mortgages and collat- 

 eral securities in addition to the sinking funds 

 established for the redemption of the scrip. Of 

 the residue, namely, $12,557,000, all but $450,000 

 is provided for by sinking funds, which are sup- 

 posed to be ample for the payment of the debts 

 for which they are pledged at maturity. Of the 

 total funded debt the amount of $7,170,000 will 

 not mature until 1894, and this sum will be fur- 

 ther increased by the issue of additional scrip 

 for the bounty fund loan, authorized by the 

 Legislature of 1864. This additional issue will 





