The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-11

tbs MASSACHUSETTS SurrHAGE RssrInotioH
ADorrED-lTs PnoDADLE PoLnICAL CoNsE-
ouENors.--The proposition referred TO the people
W the late Massachusetts Legislature denying
tue right Of suffrage in that State to foreign born
cinzens Tor two additional years after their na-
toralizallcn, has been ratified by the popular
vote The vote is exceedingly Iigbt-about Que
fourth OF the actual voters of the State partici-
pating La the election. Tie obnoxious amend
ment, therefore, has been carried by default; but
having become part Of the State constitution
Of Massachusetts through the agency of the d.
minant republican party, that party will every.
where be held responsible for this offensive dis.
elimination against our foreign born citizens.
The Native American sentiment in Massaohu-
sets is particularly strong. 1t has come dowa
70 that people from tho rigid old Puritans; aud
from this constitutional amendment agails. the
adopted citizen the republican party Of Massa-
chusetts had perhaps no escape. But admitting
That this thing was local concession to Nativism,
which the safety of the republican party in that
State imperatively required, tho question comes
up, what will be the probable consequences TO the
party of this restriction outside of Msssachu-
ottss That it will be somewhat damaging is Ger
tain that its effects will be very serious il
highly probable, and It is not impossible that Che
consequences may lead to the defeat of the re-
publican party in 1860, from the loss of those
important Northwestern States in which the
German vote commands the balance ofapower.
From New York to Minnesota the managers
of the republican party, aware Of their danger,
have cndeayored to bring UP their Massachusetts,
brethren to the work of defeating this conssitu-
tonal amendment. Tut all efforts of this sort,
seconded with all the influence aud abiIity of
Senator Wilson, have failed Of their purpose;
and now, if the forlorn democracy do not tura
this important battery with ruinous effect upon
the republican camp ia New York, PenasyI-
vsnia Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wis
consin, Iowa and Minnesota we are very much
mistaken. We know tuat an immense body OF
our German adopted citizens have joined their
fortunes with the republican party on the
ground of hostility to the extension Of slavery,
and in favor of free SOIL free labor free farms,
&c; but when the party advocating these mea-
sures soops to iuggle with Know Nothipgism in
a restriction which places the German born
citizen two years behind the free niger, the
German born citizen outside of Massachusetts
will be very apt to sympsthise with the German
suffering from this restriction.
Thus, the first significant result Of this Massa-
chusetts constitutional amendment will probably
be the election of two democratic members of
Congress from Minnesota, heretofore pretty gene
rally given up to the republicans. We shall
hear ola reaction among the Germans, and the
offending republican party will very soon feel
the pressure Of this peace flering to Know
Nothingism. In hde-bound Massachusetts, they
know nothing of the more liberal public sent-
ment Of the great West