New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-04

The very light vote but large majority by which
the people of Massachusetts have just adopted an
amendment to their State Constitution respecting
the apportionment OF the Members of the lower
House Of their Legislature, carries with it great
deal of instruction. 1t strongly illustrates the i'm
portant political fact that needed and necessary re-
forms, hewever opposed to rooted prejudices and
private interest, and with whatever violence and
pertinacity they may be resisted WILL however,
triumph at last-the opposition gradually giving
way aud measures often finally prevailing as if BY
common consent, which had over and over again
been rejected by what seemed overwhelming and
decisive majorities.
by the original Charter, granted in 1929 by
Charles /. to " the Governor and Company Of Mas
" sachusetts Bay in NewEngland," not only the
election Of Governor, Assistants and other officers
but the enactment of civil and criminal laws and
the raising Of money were entrusted to "great and
general courts, to be composed of all the freemen
or stockholders Of the Company, aud to be- held
quarterly for those purposes. The intent was that
those freemen or stockholders residing in England
and holding their meetings there, should choose
officers and make laws for the Colony, just the
East India Company afterward did for their oriental
territories and as the Hudson's Bay Company does
to this day for their American possessions. The
principal stockholders in the Company of Massachu-
sets Bay resolved however, on removing themselves
to America; and taking the Charter with them, they
transferred thther along with it and themselves the
locality Of the Company and place of meeting of its
general and monthly courts. In the first year or
two after this removal the Governor and Assistants,
who under the Charter were to hold monthly courts
for matters of executive routine, were allowed to
assume to themselves the powers of legislation also,
and even of filling vacancies in their own body.
But the freemen soon resumed their rights claiming
for themselves under the Charter the authority Of
admitting new freemen--voters, that il, and mem
beers Of the body polite; the choosing Of all prnci
pal officers, the making Of laws, the granting Of
lands, raising Of money by taxes for general use,
and the revision, by way of appeal from the Gov
ernor and Assistants, Of all judicial procedures,
civil and criminal. AT the same time. however, so
far as related to everything except the election Of
officers, the pure democratic system was abandoned
and the representative system adopted. While the
body Of the freemen assembled annually at Boston
for the choice Of Governor, Assistants and other
high officers the holding of the three other great
and general courts was deputed to body Of dele
gates, elected by the towns, " to deal in their be-
half in the public affairs Of the Commonwealth"
and for that purpose Ito have derived to them the
fullvoice and power of all the freemen." Z - =
The Court Of Elections, or General Court
Eectory," as an early writer calls it, was held in
April or May (the last Wednesday in Eastern.
originally in the Boston Meeting House which stood
near the head Of the present State street The Gov
ernor and assistants presided and the freemen, who
at one period were required to attend the General
Court armed, came in by one door to vote and
passed out by another The voting was By spa.
pers," i. e., by ballot and sbsentees might vote by
proxy.
Very coon, however. the Representative Courts
were reduced to two in each year, Que of which
was to be held Immediately after the Court of Elec
items. change soon followed By law dispensing
With the attendance Of all the freemea at the Court