Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1859 — THE TWO YEARS AMENDMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS. [ARTICLE]

THE TWO YEARS AMENDMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS.

Some of the Democratic papers are endeavoring to make capital out of the fact that the Massachusetts people have voted, by less than 40,000 votes for and against it, that foreigners must reside within the Sthte two years after naturalization before they can exercise the elective franchise. The vote polled for and against was less than the Democratic vote in the State; yet it is charged as a “Black Republican” movement, notwithstanding the fact, that the prominent Republicans spoke and wrote against it and every Republican paper in the State, but ; two, opposed it. But the same papers that charge this on the “Black Republicans” forget to state that South Carolinia, pre-emin-ently a Democratic State, adopted just such an amendment two years ago. Wonder if the “Black Republicans did that too! The best, article we have seen on the subject is the following from the Monticello Spectator: “The Democrat of this week says that ■'telling the truth does not belong to the Spectator-,' and who would ever think of disputing anything in the White County Demoicrat? Hear it: “ ‘Hamshire gave 744 (for the amendirient) to 286, (against it,) Franklin gave 417 to 9, Berkshire, in nine towns, gave 317 to 97 I against it. In the whole of Hamshire county there is not fifty Democratic voters; in | Franklin there is, not twenty-five; and in Berkshire they have not had a ticket for the last six years.’ (!) We find, by consulting Democratic statistics, that there were in Hamshire (in 1856) 832 Democratic votes, and there were i cast for the amendment 744. Now, 832 is j more than 744, and if the Democrats did not i wish the amendment to prevail, why did they I not turn out and vote against the Amerijeans! The probability is that the DemoI crats helped the A mericans in giving 744. i ‘Franklin gave 417 to 9.’ If so, where were i the remaining 1,257 Democratic voters of that county that only nine got to the polls? Did he reckon a p irt of them among the 417? ‘Berkshire gave 317 to 97,’ djd it! Well, then, could you not tell the whereabouts of the remaining 2,642 Democrats on that day! Do tell! In the whole of Hamshire county there were only 50 Democratic voters.’ Indeed! Why, the Democratic vote for Buchan m in that county was 832, and now not 50! Well, the Democratic ; forces are not ‘in a state of parturition’ there, we guess. . Franklin there is not 25.’ Well, then. Democracy is ‘gone up,’ for in [ 1856 it gave the Democratic candidate for President 1,266 votes. Gone down 1,241 I since ’56! Well may the Democrat say ‘the It- nbliran forces, at the present time, arc state of parturition,’this being the case. ' i in Berkshire they have not had a ticket ihe 1 st six years;’ but, notwithstanding, , v gave Buchanan, in 1856, 2,749 votes. , ,of course, they did without a ticke* ,d reader, who tells the truth? Is it ■ Fiat 50 is 832! 97 2,749! or 25 is ■ If q -. it will be seen that thi J amend i g a law was a Democratic do/ -v they attempt to palm it upo; Republicans. Democracy and Know-Noim ingism (in both of which parties the White Countv Democrat owns stock) are chargable with this amendment, as riftich in Mnssacbuertt. a ; in South Carolina.”