Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-04-23

to the level of the trainers of the Constitution
of the United States"
We think these persons have lust cause IN
complain OF their Republican brethren of Mas
sachusetts In that State negro is pol;ticaI
ly, on an equality with white citizen. No
distinction whatever is made between them.
A negro removing from another State into
Massachusetts can vote after residing there
twelve months. A German adopted citizen re.
moving from another State into Massachusetts
must remain there two years before he can
vote
In our opinion, a greater insult could not
have been shown the adopted citizen While
the Massachusetts Constitution, as lately
amended, is fragrant violation of principle, it
is also pointed insult-an insult marking as
an inferior class those whom it strikes at and
politically degrades.
This prescription of adopted citizens has been
carried on secretly by the Republicans ever
since the death of Know Nothingism in the
North. In our late Constitutional Convention,
the Republicans attempted to equalize the ne
gro with the white man, but failed. Not sat
lsiled with that failure, they in the last Legis-
lature, attempted to cut off the foreign vote by
the passage of registry law, which would pre-
vent more than half of our adopted citizens
from voting Their brethren in Massachusetts
have been more successful, and have carried
out the programme fully, and in the same man
ner as contemplated by the Republicans of
Iowa.
The Enquirer, commenting on the subject
says that the Republican party nor the Re-
publican American party, nor any other oppo-
sition party, by whatever name it may be call
ed, can ever regard the adopted citizen with
the same kind consideration and regard that
has ever marked the course of the Democracy.
Nor can the adopted citizen cherish that fra
ternity of feeling for the opposition party
which makes him naturally incline to the
Democratic party Between the adopted
citizen and the Democratic party there is
sympathy founded on principle 1t has exist
ed from the days of John Adams, and will con.
hnue to exist though circumstances may tenn
porarlly weaken it. The Democratic party
has been the friend of the emigrant in the
face of the most bitter opposition, and even
against the prejudice of many adopted citizens,
themselves That friendship had its founda-
ton in principle-democratic principle-that
OF equal rights, a broad humanity, that carried
the heart willingly and heartily to sustain the
principle We hope that neither may ever be
ignored by that party. And should it do so
it would cease to be the Democratic party.
From the Illinois State Register (Buchanan)
FOREIGN VOTERS PRosCRIBED IN MAssA-
oHusETTs.-The recent Legislature of Massa-
chusetts made provisions for changing the
Constitution of the State so that persons of
foreign birth SHOULD remain in the State seUen
years before they should be allowed to vote, or
two years after they were naturalized When
it is remembered that this State-this same
Black Republican State of Massachusetts-al-
lows the negro who comes there from another
State to vote after one years residence, the re-
strlction of foreign born voters to SeUen years
residence, is not only outrageously unjust, but
it is also an insult to the intelligence, the pat
riotism, and good name of every foreign-born
citizen of America. The idea of Legislature
of white men placing negroes in a superior po-
sltlon to intelligent white citizens, merely be-
cause they happened to be born in foreign
country is preposterous, outrageous, and damn
able! But, strange as it may seem, this very
idea has been entertained by the Black Repub-
hcan Legislature of Massachusetts, Profess
ing to entertain friendly feelings towards the
foreigners, the Republicans of that State have
attempted an outrage which would degrade the
foreign-born voter below the level of the black
est niger in the Commonwealth. Negroes
are invited to come to the State and vote after
one years residence, but the intelligent for
eigner is coolly and insultingly told by thes,
puritanic Black Republican bigots that he mus
wait seven years before he can be allowed t,
exercise the dearest right of freemen, the RICH
of the elective franchise.
But who are responsible for the attempted
outrage upon foreign-born citizens of Massachu
sets The Legislature of the State is large
ly Republican, and the amendment to the Con
stitution which prescribes foreigners received
the support and votes of every Republican
member. But the Democrats in the Legisla-
tlre = only thirty-two i'll number = voted
met BOD - g., L.
the last. The Democratic party has always
been true to the rights and interests of for
eign-born residents of the country, and the
Democrats in the Massachusetts Legislature,
in resisting the unjust proscriptive and despo-
tic course of the Republicans towards the for
eign-born voters, only carried out the long
and well established principles of the Demo
cratic party. Equal and exact justice to all
men" has ever been the cherished motto of
the American Democracy.
Will the foreign-born citizen of this country
act with party that has shown itself so recreant
to their dearest rights Will they allow them
selves to be outraged and insulted have the sa-
cred right of the elective franchise wrested from
them, and their place of birth made a cause of
reproach, and not spurn with contempt the
party which thus endeavors to wrong them
1t has been the boast of the Republican party
that it is the same wherever its organization
exists. This being granted, as they claim it.
and what have the foreigners to expect of such
party? We point to the action of Massachu-
sets, for the answer. We ask the foreign
born citizens of Springfield and of the whole
State to consider this subject well before they
will allow themselves to act with party that
has thus attempted to outrage and insult them
We commend to them the example of the Ger
mans of Boston, who had previously acted
with the Republicans They assembled in
that city, few days ago, to the number of
and repudiated forever the Republican party.
Speeches were made, denouncing the attempt
to degrade them and the greatest unanimity
prevailed