MASSACHUSETTS. 



477 



cause of liberty ; that wo are heartily in favor of the 



enfranchisement -of woman, nn<l will hail the day 



the educated intellect ami enlightened con- 



oe of the women of MuaaachiuiotU find direct 



.ii ut the ballot-box 



which. ai'ter an animated discussion, was lost 

 l.\ u vote of 196 to 189. 



K Hurts were now mudo to secure from the 

 Democratic Convention a pledge in favor of 

 sutFcage, and a similar resolution was 

 that body, and rejected by a large 

 majority. 



The election was held on the 15th of No- 

 vember, and resulted in the choice of all the 

 Republican candidates for State offices, as 

 follows : 



i lllam Claflin Republican 79,549 



" John Qulncy Aaams, Democrat 49,530 



" WotdeU Philips, Labor Reform and Prohi- 

 bitionist 21,946 



Total vote for Governor (Including 200 scattering). 151,237 



The Legislature elected was divided as fol- 

 lows: 



Snate. HOOK. Joint ballot. 



Republicans 84 195 229 



Democrats 5 84 89 



Labor Reformers 1 11 12 



Republican majority 28 150 178 



There has been a gradual decrease in pau- 

 perism throughout the State, which is doe 

 largely to the wise policy recently adopted. 

 The chief feature of this policy has been to 

 favor the system of segregation in preference 

 to that of aggregation, by relieving the sick 

 and poor through the town authorities, thus 

 " saving a largo regular expenditure for their 

 support, and at the same time permitting them 

 to enjoy the comforts of their homes, and the 

 society of'their relatives and friends." There 

 are three ahnshouses for the accommodation 

 of the poor of the State, located respectively 

 at Tewksbury, Bridgewater, and Monson. The 

 first is the most extensive; the last is used 

 more especially as a primary school, and will 

 soon be discontinued as an almshouse, in com- 

 pliance with the recommendation of the in- 

 spectors, "that the time has come when the 

 almshouse department might bo abolished 

 with positive advantage to the charitable pur- 

 poses of the Commonwealth." During the 

 year ending October 1, 1870, the number of 

 paupers admitted into the almshouse at 

 Tewksbury was 2,055 ; discharged, 2,090 ; 

 supported, 2,745; deaths, 243; births, 58; 

 weekly average, 54. The State appropria- 

 tions for the year amounted to $75,333, of 

 which $73,271 were for current expenses, 

 which, divided by the average number of in- 

 mates, gives $1.94 as the weekly cost of each 

 inmate. The whole number of inmates in this 

 institution, January 1, 1871, was 811 ; of 

 whom 303 were men, 413 women, 46 boys, and 

 40 girls. There has been a gradual decrease 

 in the number of inmates of the workhouse 

 and almshouse at Bridgewater, the average 

 number in both departments for the past year 

 being 835 against 412 in 1869, 408 in 1868, 



881 in 1867, 682 in 1865, and 579 in 1860. Of 

 the average for 1870, 88 were in the aims- 

 house, and 247 in the workhouse. To the 

 former there were admitted during the year 

 266; born in the house, 21 : in tin- house dur- 

 ing the year, 868; died, 46; discharged, 249; 

 remaining October 1, 1870, 264. In the work- 

 house during the year there were 601, of 

 whom 264 remained at the end of the year. 

 The total current expenses for the year 

 amounted to $85,882, of which the sum of 

 $8,201, arising from the labor of the inmates 

 and former products, was reimbursed to the 

 State, making the average weekly cost to the 

 State for each inmate $1.84. The total value 

 of the property of the institution is about 

 $200,000. The average number of inmates of 

 the institution at Monson during the year end- 

 ing October 1, 1870, was 450, the smallest 

 number for any year since its opening in 1854. 

 Of this number 820 were in the primary 

 school, and 130 in the almshouse. 



In 1868 the average number at Monson was 

 646, of whom 238 were paupers. The great 

 decrease in the number of paupers and pupils 

 .within the past two years is attributable in a 

 largo degree to the changes in the settlement 

 laws made within that period, and the vigorous 

 policy adopted in regard to tramps. In 1861 

 there were no less than 1,384 of these tramps, 

 which number decreased to 467 in 1869, and 

 for the past year does not exceed 250. All the 

 children of the school who are old enough are 

 taught to labor, and many of them render ser- 

 vices as helps. 



On the 1st of January, 1871, the total number 

 in the primary school and almshouse depart- 

 ment was 448; of whom 21 were men, 30 

 women, 302 boys, and 95 girls. The total num- 

 ber of inmates January 1, 1870, was 500. The 

 current expenses for the year were $48,781, 

 and the average weekly cost of each inmate 

 $2.08. 



On the 1st of January, 1871, there were in 

 the three almshouses above referred to 364 

 men, 464 women, 85 boys, and 92 girls, making 

 a total of 1,006 ; in the primary school 275 

 boys and 74 girls, and in the workhouse 108 

 men and 150 women. The report of the 

 trustees of the Lunatic Ilospital at North- 

 ampton shows the number of patients in this 

 institution on the 30th of September, 1869, to 

 have been 402, and the number admitted 

 during the year 202, making the whole num- 

 ber having received the benefit of the insti- 

 tution 604. Of this number 166 were dis- 

 charged, and 83 died, leaving 405 inmates 

 of the hospital September 80, 1870. The 

 proportion of deaths has been, with two ex- 

 ceptions, smaller than in any preceding year, 

 and below the average annual mortality for 

 the whole period since the founding of the 

 hospital. The daily average of patients for 

 the year was 408 ; 60 were discharged cured, 

 68 improved, 66 unimproved, and 2 not insane. 

 The total number of patients in the hospital, 



