LIBRARIES 266892 MARCH 1930 JOURNAL OF THE HONORABLE SENATE, JUNE SESSION, 1851. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1851. This being the day prescribed by the Constitution for the Legislature of New Hampshire to assemble, the following persons, elected Senators, appearing, took and subscribed the oaths of office, agreeably to the provisions of the Constitution: The Senate was called to order by the clerk of last year. On motion of Mr. Haley Hon. Mr. Hoit was chosen chairman, to preside until a President shall be chosen. On motion of Mr. Adams— The Senate proceeded by ballot to the choice of President. On the first balloting the chairman announced the state of the vote as follows: Whole number of votes cast, Necessary to a choice, Hon. JOHN S. WELLS has 8 5 8 -and Hon. John S. Wells was accordingly declared unanimously elected President. Mr. Wells upon taking the chair addressed the Senate as follows: Senators :-You will please accept my grateful acknowledgements for the honor which you have conferred by selecting me for the presiding officer of this branch of the Legislature. It will be my aim to perform the duties faithfully and impartially, and I hope that I may succeed to your satisfaction. In the performance of our legislative duties, questions may be presented of difficulty and perhaps embarrassment, but our guides and limits are plainly and distinctly expressed in the Constitution of the United States and of this State. The former, with the laws which shall be made in pursuance thereof, is declared to be the supreme law of the land, and that the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. The laws, then, which we can lawfully enact, must of necessity harmonize with the rights of the General Government, as expressed ir.the Constitution; and so long as National and State legislation shall be confined to constitutional limits, the splendid theory of our government must continue to commend itself to the wise and good everywhere. The existing laws of New Hampshire and the administration of justice within this State are well calculated to restrain vice and give confidence and security to the industrious and virtuous; and when we can so truthfully point to the morality, general intelligence, thrift, quiet, and law-abiding principles of our citizens, I believe we may justly regard the past legislation of our State as a light to our path which we may follow with safety. On motion of Mr. Haley |