544 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



his life-long convictions, lie lias been assailed with a 

 "bitterness and violence seldom equalled in the most 

 intense party conflicts, and has been subjected to 

 threats of ejection from the Senate, and even of per- 

 sonal violence. His whole action under such ex- 

 traordinary and trying circumstances having been to 

 our knowledge consistent, courageous, and honora- 

 ble, as well as in the highest degree beneficial to the 

 State, we believe him to be entitled to the respect, 

 confidence, and gratitude, of the people. 



The Legislature continued in session until 

 the 15th of July, during which time it passed 

 eighty-eight acts and forty-one joint resolu- 

 tions. Little of the general legislation was of 

 sufficient importance to deserve special notice. 

 There were several acts in relation to railroads, 

 among them one granting permission to the 

 Portland & Ogdensburg road to cross the State. 

 This line, as projected, will pass through the 

 town of Conway and the White Mountain 

 Notch, striking the Connecticut River at Dai- 

 ton. The consolidation of the White Moun- 

 tain Railroad with the Boston, Concord & 

 Montreal was authorized, and a railroad from 

 Littleton to Franconia, in the White Mountain 

 region, was incorporated. Several other local 

 lines were chartered, which will add materially 

 to the facilities for internal communication. 



The question of compulsory education came 

 up early in the session, and an act was finally 

 passed, providing that parents or other per- 

 sons, having the custody of children between 

 the ages of eight and fourteen, shall cause 

 them to attend school for at least twelve weeks 

 in each year, six weeks of which attendance 

 shall be consecutive, "unless such child shall 

 be excused from such attendance by the school- 

 committee of the town, or the board of edu- 

 cation, or the superintending school commit- 

 tee of such district, upon its being shown to 

 their satisfaction that the physical or mental 

 condition of such child was such as to prevent 

 his attendance at school for the period required, 

 or that such child was instructed in a private 

 school or at home for at least twelve weeks 

 during such year in the branches of education 

 required to be taught in the public schools, or 

 having acquired those branches in other more 

 advanced studies." The provisions of the act 

 are enforced by a penalty of ten dollars' fine 

 for the first violation and twenty dollars for 

 each and every subsequent violation. 



A bill to protect the rights of married men 

 was introduced, and the subject referred to a 

 committee composed of bachelors. They re- 

 ported in favor of the bill, and it was passed. 

 It provides that marriage shall not hereafter 

 render the husband liable for the debts con- 

 tracted by his wife prior to their wedlock, and 

 that the wife shall not be discharged from such 

 liability, "but she, and all property which she 

 may hold in her own right, shall be held liable 

 for the payment of the debts contracted before 

 marriage in the same manner as if she contin- 

 ued sole and unmarried." 



A number of petitions for the concession of 

 the right of suffrage to women were received 



and referred to the committee on national af- 

 fairs. The same committee was instructed 

 " to inquire whether the provision of the Con- 

 stitution of the United States, making all per- 

 sons born or naturalized in the United States, 

 subject to the jurisdiction thereof, citizens of 

 the United States and of the State wherein 

 they reside, and prohibiting any State from 

 making or enforcing any law which shall 

 abridge the privileges or immunities of the 

 citizens of the United States, does or does not 

 secure to adult females, born or naturalized in 

 the United States, and subject to the jurisdic- 

 tion thereof, the right of suffrage, and the 

 right of holding office," and to report by bill 

 or otherwise. After the matter had been in 

 their hands for some time, the committee re- 

 ported that "the subject-matter of the wom- 

 an's suffrage petition and memorial is very 

 broad and deep, involving the fundamental 

 principles of government, that the time of the 

 committee is too limited to give it adequate 

 consideration, and that they be excused from 

 its further consideration," and their report 

 was accepted. 



A bill to repeal the liquor law of 1870 passed 

 the House, but was indefinitely postponed in 

 the Senate. A bill remodelling the judiciary 

 met with similar treatment. 



The results of the session were disappoint- 

 ing to both Democrats and Labor Reformers. 

 The plans of the former were frustrated by the 

 equal division in the Senate ; and the latter, 

 while holding the balance of power on general 

 measures, were not able to get any considera- 

 tion for those in which they were specially in- 

 terested. The only thing done for them was 

 the adoption of the following resolution, which 

 was succeeded by no further action : 



Resolved, That the Committee on Eetrenchment 

 and Eeform be instructed to inquire into the expedi- 

 ency of providing by law that eight hours' labor 

 should constitute a day's work, and also the expe- 

 diency of making further provision by law for the 

 protection of children under fourteen years of age 

 employed in our manufacturing establishments, and 

 that said committee report by bill or otherwise. 



A committee was appointed by the Govern- 

 or after the close of the session, in pursuance 

 of a joint resolution, to collect material and 

 present a plan for the organization of a Bureau 

 of Labor Statistics at the next session of the 

 Legislature. S. Flint, J. II. Ela, and H. Col- 

 ony, were appointed, and in October sent out 

 circulars, addressing inquiries to the citizens 

 regarding the condition of laborers. 



The financial condition of the State appears 

 to be very favorable. The debt on the 1st of 

 June was $2,360,087.52, which shows a reduc- 

 tion of $419,204.44 during the preceding year. 

 The expenses of the same year, including the 

 payment on the debt, amounted to $1,038,386, 

 while the receipts of the Treasury were 

 $1,182,325. The State-prison at Concord is a 

 paying institution, affording a profit to the 

 State, above all expenses, of $5,259.17 during 



