534 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



males. The average of the twelve years end- 

 ing in 1863, was one death to 52 persons living. 

 In 1863 it was one to 45 persons. The deaths 

 in 1863 were distributed rather uniformly 

 through the catalogue of diseases. There was, 

 however, considerable increase of deaths from 

 dysentery, diarrhoaa, and diphtheria. The most 

 fatal disease was consumption, which carried 

 off 4,667 persons, being 398 more than in 1862. 

 A general view of the geographical distribution 

 of the more important classes of diseases shows 

 that miasmatic diseases have a marked pre- 

 dominance in the interior counties. Diseases 

 of the digestive organs and bowels are distrib- 

 uted over the State apparently with no geo- 

 graphical distinctions. For diseases of the 

 respiratory organs the most fatal vicinity is 

 Barnstable County, and next Nantucket and 

 Dukes, Hampden, Plymouth, Essex, Berkshire, 

 Bristol, Hampshire, Middlesex. Franklin, Wor- 

 cester, Norfolk, Suffolk. While Suffolk County 

 is more exposed to acute diseases of the lungs, 

 in tubercular diseases it holds a more favorable 

 position, the series being: Hampden, Frank- 

 lin, Worcester, Norfolk, Hampshire, Barnstable, 

 Middlesex, Suffolk, Nantucket and Dukes, Es- 

 sex, Bristol, Plymouth. In developmental dis- 

 eases, the county of Franklin stands at the head 

 of exemptions, while Hampden, its neighbor, is 

 least exempt. Compared with the number of 

 inhabitants, there was one death in 1,636 in 

 Barnstable, and one in 452 in Hampden, the 

 average for the State being one in 794. In 

 general, the sthenic diseases, characterized by 

 inflammation or fever, prevail more in the in- 

 terior and elevated lands than on the seaboard ; 

 while those of the asthenic type are found in 

 largest proportion in the lowland counties. 



The report of the Liquor Commissioner for 

 1865, shows that in most of the towns of the 

 State supplied with liquors from the State 

 agency, there has been more care manifested in 

 the appointment of the agent and the regulation 

 of the agencies than in former years. The 

 amount of sales from September 30, 1864, to 

 October 1, 1865, including analyzation and 

 charges for trucking and package, was $239,- 

 714.25; commissions $14,504.44; total $254,- 

 218.69. The office and travelling expenses 

 amounted to $8,345.23, and the profits of the 

 commissioner to $6,159.21. A conflict has 

 recently arisen between the liquor dealers and 

 the State, on the question whether the former 

 are not protected against prohibitory State 

 legislation, by having taken out a license to sell 

 under the internal revenue act of the United 

 States. The Supreme Court of Massachusetts 

 decided that they were not, and the question 

 has been carried before the Supreme Court of 

 the United States. 



The annual political canvass commenced with 

 the meeting of the Republican convention at 

 Worcester, on September, 14th. Gov. An- 

 drew having declined, after five years' service in 

 the executive chair, to be again a candidate, 

 the Hon. Alexander II. Bullock, late Speaker 



of the House of Representatives, was nominated 

 in his place. A special series of resolutions 

 were unanimously adopted, declaring " that in 

 the death of Richard Cobden, late a member 

 of the British House of Commons, we feel that 

 our country has lost one of its most earnest and 

 devoted friends, and we mourn his loss as that 

 of a great benefactor of the human race," ex- 

 pressing joy that he, having done so much in 

 our great cause, had lived long enough to be 

 assured of its certain and glorious triumph; 

 and recognizing how much we owe to his co- 

 adjntor, John Bright, who stood as a fearless 

 friend of our country and its cause. Among 

 the regular resolutions adopted were those ex- 

 pressing confidence in President Johnson, agree- 

 ing with him that treason is the greatest of 

 crimes, and deserves condign punishment ; and 

 the following : 



Resolved, That the entire pacification of the coun- 

 try and the restoration of order is an object of the 

 first importance, and one which requires the exer- 

 cise of the most deliberate and cautious wisdom, in 

 order that there, may be no necessity of retracing our 

 steps ; and we agree with the Republicans of Penn- 

 sylvania, who, in their recent State convention, de- 

 clared that " the people lately in rebellion cannot be 

 safely intrusted with the political rights which they 

 forfeited by their treason, until they have proved 

 their acceptance of the results of the war by incor- 

 porating them in constitutional provisions, and se- 

 curing to all within their borders 'the inalienable 

 right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' " 

 And we call upon Congress, before whom must 

 speedily come the whole question of reorganizing the 

 Southern communities, to see to it that the loyal 

 people, white or black, shall have the most perfect 

 guarantees for safety before any final steps are taken 

 toward the readmission of the revolted people of the 

 South to their forfeited rights. 



Resolved, That we stand by the pledge given by 

 the convention which nominated Lincoln and John- 

 son in 1864, and will not only "maintain the acts and 

 proclamations by which the Government in self-de- 

 fence has aimed a death-blow at the gigantic evil" of 

 slavery, but will continue to ask for such amend- 

 ments of the Constitution as will prohibit the exist- 

 ence of that institution in every part of the country; 

 that we claim that no slaveholding constitution, law, 

 or custom broken up or placed at the mercy of the 

 Government by the act of rebellion, shall be repaired 

 or reinstated for the purpose or with the tendency 

 of practically rcenslavmg the enfranchised blacks, 

 and leaving loyal men under the control of rebel 

 power. And we warn the people that the purpose 

 and intent of the party which plunged the country 

 into war in 1860 and declared it a failure in 1864, is to 

 sacrifice all which has been secured to liberty by a 

 four years' contest, by repudiating its former de- 

 mands for universal suffrage, and all for the sake of 

 place and power. 



Resolved, That so long as any important political 

 questions growing out of the war remain unadjusted, 

 no part of the powers of the Government can be 

 safely committed to any political party composed of 

 Southern men who were lately rebels in arms and 

 Northern men who in national convention, only a 

 year ago, declared that " after four years of failure 

 to restore the Union by the experiment of war, 

 during which, under the pretence of military ne- 

 cessity, a war power higher than the Constitution, 

 the Constitution itself has been disregarded in every 

 part, and public and private right alike trodden 

 down, and the material prosperity of the country 

 essentially impaired, justice, Immunity, liberty, tm J 

 the public welfare demand that immediate efforts bo 



