Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-05-05
CLEARFIELD, PA, WEDNESDAY, MAY $, 1880

that this was their employers wish,
and they must govern themselves nc.
cordingly. This was done and the
men very generally obeyed the orders
given. One testified that he did not
and was soon driven ont OF that en-
; ploymont I
Several cases of individual intcrier-
ence by employers with the freedom of
choice by their workmen came 10 the
notice of your Committee, none of
which were so fragrant in their details
as those already given but there was
enough to show that the determine
ton existed TO coeree choice by press
ing upon the necessities of workmen
and operatives IfrI
The State of Massachusetts, has a
stringent registry law for the registra-
ton of voters. All naturalized citizens
must produce their certificates of nat
humiliation before tho board OF regis.
tration aud the name of the citizen
can only 90 upon the list of voters af-
ter careful scrutiny. The law is a
most wise and salutary one, but your
Committee are compelled TO report
that its provisions, in one case, were
made the means Of depriving several
citizens born within the State OF their
right to vote, and one of them actually
took out his naturalization papers.
This difficulty occurred at Plymouth,
and is thus described by DR.. Shum-
way, witness:
ain the first place, we had decision
from the board OF selectmen that those
persons who we're born Of persons un.
naturalized, could not be citizens Of
the United States, and therefore, could
not register as voters. This was made
to operate very injuriously, because
most of those who had come Of age
were young men who were going TO
vote for General Butler. IL 80 com.
pletely demoraized them that some of
them said they would not have any.
thing more to do with it, endeav-
ored to persuade them to hold on. The
first ntimation ] had Of il was this: {:
A young man came TO mo and asked
me if | did not suppose that man
born within two rods of Plymouth
Rock was citizen of the United
States. | said ! had no doubt of it,
He said they had refused to register
him, although he was born there, be-
cause his father had not been natural.
ized. | told him supposed somebody
was playing joke upon him, and he
replied that it was serious matter
| went before the board OF selectmen,
and found that they had made that
decision. | endeavored to argue the
case with them, but they said the dc.
cision was final that no one who was
I born Of unnaturalized citizens could
, be.a citizen unless himself naturalized,
J and that they would not allow any
such to register. Some Of the men
who had been refused on this ground,
went once or twice to the town.house,
and then said they would give it up,
} and wouldn't have any more to do
} with it. One or two persisted in main.
tanning what they supposed to be their
, rights, and finally succeeded. ] will
J state that this decision was made
about ten days before the election. |
J think, (the first knowledge had of il
at that time, and that on the night
before the election, Monday evening
at ten o'clock, (the polls being opened
on Tuesday, the decision was re-
: versed, understood The polls opened
on Tuesday at quarter Of nine
} o'clock, and the law is, | think, that
after the polls have opened, no man
} shall be allowed to register As il
was my FIRST experience IN political af-
fairs, failed to take the names OF
, those persons. / know Of only two
, who were registered, and do not know
t of those who were not. understood
/. that there were some ten or dozen
who wero refused registration, bat
t that do not know anything positively
about that is merely heresay with
me. Another case that ] do know of,
9 was that of man who, notwithstand'
j ing that he had been born in the
neighboring town, went and got ma
: turalized. His name is Alexander
r Morrison. Producing the naturaliza
ton paper OF Morrison, which is ap
s pended to this testimony. This is hs
Q naturalization paper. He was born in
the neighboring town Of Sandwich.
! One of the men was born within
0 two rods of Plymouth Rock. ..I b..
0 20. State the politics of the select
: men at Plymouth. A. Four of them
a were Republicans and one was Q
: Democrat-that is an Abbott Demo
s crat. The board was practically 8
Q unit in the last campaign. 1t wa'
$ composed OF five members
The young man, Morrison, who wa'
[, naturalized, was called and testified II
I substance as follows;
}. Question. Where do you live
. Answer. At Plymouth.
Y O. Where were you born2 a. Clos'
by Sandwich.
e O. Are Plymouth and Sandwich il
j. the same county2 A. No, siri Ply
n mouth is in Plymouth county, anC
Sandwich is in Barnstabe county.
}. @ State the circumstances under
which you made application for regis
G tratlon, why you got naturalized, ant
s whether that which is now shown yol
c is your naturalization paper2 A.
c went to the seleotmen on the SAINT
!, night that Mr.. Carr went to them
!, That was Saturday night Mr.. Brad
c ford, one OF the selectmen, asked M
Il why my name was not on the list
/ and if bad paid my taxes. | tolt
him that had paid them. lie asket
s me if / was naturalized. ! told him
n was not, that was born in this coun
1, try. Ho then asked me II my fathe
q was naturalized, and | replied that m,
father was not. He said he didn't SCI
n how ! could vote, for the reason tha
ir my father was not naturalized. bu
Q. that he would carry the matter be
70 fore the selectmen at the meeting Of
Ie Saturday OF the next week. ] wen
v there shortly afterwards, when he toll
a. me that ! should not vote because m!
n father was not naturalized ii u
ID Q. Did you not get naturalized sut
N sequently2 A, Yes, sir -l
q. How did that happcn2 a
a. Shortly after that, Mr.. Hedge, th
n. constable, came to me-it was befor
b. the election, though don't know hoy
n. long beioro-and told me bad bette
q 20 in that morning and get my natuI
N alization papers; that IL would probi
m bly, be my last chance before the elot
ID tion. then went in and got my pi
t. pers out. .s
q. Before whom did you gog 4