A Brief History of the Constitution and Government of Massachusetts: With a Chapter on Legislative Procedure |
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adjourn adopted annual session appointed Article of Amendment Assistants authority biennial elections bill or resolve body Boston branch caucus chap chosen chusetts clause clerk colony Committee on Bills Commonwealth Constitution of Massachusetts Constitutional Convention Convention of 1820 Convention of 1917 Councillors delegates discussion district Engrossed Bills favor finally rejected given Governor and Council granted held House of Representatives House Rule Ibid impeachment Initiative and Referendum John Adams joint ballot joint committee Joint Rule justice legislation Legislature Lieutenant-Governor majority martial law Mass Massachusetts Constitution matter measure ment mittee nomination notaries Notes of Rulings opinion original party passed petition Plymouth Plymouth Colony point of order presiding officer Probate proposed question ratified Recess Committee referred Register of Deeds removal by address Samuel Adams says Senate Rule sent Speaker statute submitted Third Reading tion town veto vote
Popular passages
Page 56 - It is essential to the preservation of the rights of every individual, his life, liberty, property and character, that there be an impartial interpretation of the laws and administration of justice. It is the right of every citizen to be tried by judges as free, impartial and independent, as the lot of humanity will admit.
Page 87 - There they smoke tobacco till you cannot see from one end of the garret to the other. There they drink flip, I suppose, and there they choose a moderator, who puts questions to the vote regularly; and selectmen, assessors, collectors, wardens, fire-wards, and representatives, are regularly chosen before they are chosen in the town.
Page 87 - This day learned that the Caucus Club meets, at certain times, in the garret of Tom Dawes, the Adjutant of the Boston Regiment. He has a large house, and he has a movable partition in his garret which he takes down, and the whole club meets in one room. There they smoke tobacco till you cannot see from one end of the garret to the other. There they drink flip, I suppose, and there they choose a moderator, who puts questions to the vote regularly; and selectmen...
Page 31 - No person can in any case be subjected to law martial, or to any penalties or pains, by virtue of that law, except those employed in the army or navy, and except the militia in actual service, but by authority of the legislature.
Page 87 - ... other. There they drink flip, I suppose, and there they choose a moderator, who puts questions to the vote regularly ; and selectmen, assessors, collectors, wardens, firewards, and representatives, are regularly chosen before they are chosen in the town. Uncle Fairfield, Story, Ruddock, Adams, Cooper, and a rudis indigestaque moles of others are members. They send committees to wait on the merchant's club, and to propose and join in the choice of men and measures.
Page 48 - Considering the questions in this light, we are of opinion, taking the second question firs!, that, under and pursuant to the existing Constitution, there Is no authority given by any reasonable construction or necessary implication, by which any specific and particular amendment or amendments of the Constitution can be made, in any other manner than that prescribed in the ninth arlicle of the amendments adopted in 1820.
Page 35 - That a committee of three on the part of the Senate, and five on the part of the House, be appointed to prepare such address, and submit it to a meeting of the whigs on Monday morning next, the 13th inst., at half past 8 o'clock.
Page 109 - ... any sum of money in the nature of a pension or retirement allowance, or to pay any salary which would have accrued to a deceased official or employee but for his death, or to pay any claim for damages not authorized by existing law...
Page 110 - Provided, That no such government shall be erected or constituted in any town not containing twelve thousand inhabitants ; nor unless it be with the consent, and on the application, of a majority of the inhabitants of such town, present and voting thereon, pursuant to a vote at a meeting duly warned and holden for that purpose...
Page 48 - ... If, however, the people should, by the terms of their vote, decide to call a convention of delegates to consider the expediency of altering the constitution in some particular part thereof, we are of opinion that such delegates would derive their whole authority and commission from such vote; and, upon the general principles governing the delegation of power and authority, they would have no right, under such vote, to act upon and propose amendments in other parts of the constitution not so specified.