The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-09-26

No. l.-MAsSACHUsETTS.
CMassschusetts Legislature, in Senate, Monda,
May 81. 1855, Morning session)
Mr.. Hall OF Plymouth, from the Con
mittee on Conference, reported th
amendment to the Constitution relativ
to the eligibility to Office aud right o
suffrage in new draft, as follows 2" N
person shall be eligible to Office in thi
Commonwealth, unless he shall hav,
been born within the jurisdiction of tn
United States, or unless he shall hav,
been the child of an American citizen
born during the temporary of one OIL
both of his parents from the United
States and no person shall be entitlec
to vote in this Commonwealth unless ht
shall have been resident within the ju
risdiction of the United States for TWEEN
ty one years; provided that persons o.
foreign birth who may have been duly
and legally naturalized, or otherwise
! qualified, before the adoption of this
amendment, shall be entitled to vote IL
this Commonwealth
CIn the House, Monday afternoon Session. May 81
1855.
The amendment to the Constitution
relative to suffrage and eligibility to of
flee, as reported by the Committee OF
Conference, came from the Senate for
| concurrence.
The amendment was opposed by
Messrs Slack AID Swift of Boston, and
advo ;ated by Msssrs Phelps OF B sston,
Kimball of Salem, and Carey of Ips
wich, and agreed to by vote of 227
yeas, to 80 nays.
(The above is copied FROM the Boston
Statesman and Weetly Post, of Friday
morning, May 25, 1859
NO. 2.-MAssAcHUs ETrs.
An ACT restricting the several Courts establish
ed by the laws of this Commonwealth, from
erciGiug jurisdiction in the OF Naturalz Ia
ton-
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives, in General
Court assembled, and by the .authority
of the same as follows:
SEC l. It shall not be lawful for any
Court established by the laws of this
Commonwealth, or for any clerk there
of, to receive or entertain any primary
or final declaration, made by or on be-
half of an alien, to become citizen of
the United States, or to receive any reg
istry of an alien, or to entertain juris
diction for the naturalization of aliens.
SEC. 2. Any clerk or other person,
who shall record or flc any such appli
cation or declaration, or undertake to
issue certificate of naturalization, to any
person so hereafter applying, shall be
liable to 6ne of ten dollars, and costs
os prosecution, to BE- recovered by com
paint before any justice of the Peace or
Police Court, in the county where the
offence was committed.
SEC. 8. This act shall take effect
from aud after its passage.
Approved by the Governor, February
27, 1855.
no. 3.-MAssAcursErrs.
Res9lUed, concerning Naturalization
and the Naturalizing of the general Gov
ernment.
ResolUed, That the political institu-
tions of our National and State Govern
ments are based upon peculiar system
very distinct IN its general spirit and
principles from the governmental policy
of the older nations of the earth. This
system necessarily presupposes state
of society and concurrent public opinion
that has never, as yet had any exi xistenee.
elsewhere Bat theory and practice
prove that republican in
are especially adapted to an
aud intelligent people, peo
pie capable of and in some measure, at
least, accustomed to the exercise of self
government, which it is distinguishing
and essential characteristic. A popular
of government requires as
its basis the previous and assured exis-
tence of that sound and progressive social
condition which is its great object to
cherish and carry along to the highest
possible stage of prosperity and ad-
Resolved, That sound philosophy and
experience alike declare, that
free institutions can be safely confdcd
only to the control of free men-of men
free from the delusions and darkness of
ignorance, and free from the abject de-
preston caused by religious, personal
and political despotisms.
ResokUed, That foreigners born under
nAuenees hostileto such popular insti.
tutions, and trained up in state of So
,iety Incompatible with them. can in
general have no sober appreciation of
their privileges, and no sufficient com
prehension of their true character and
purposes, and chat aliens are therefore
,ommonly incapable of exercising the
full franchise of citizen of our republic
With advantage to themselves, or safety
to others. d
Resoleed, That We commend thess im- !
,ortant truths to our delegation in Con-
,ress and request them to use their en-
leavors to produce such alteration in the
lawsthat will extend the |
ierm of residence now requir ed as pre-
equisite TO entitle aliens b eTl to thepo-