monarchy should be restored; and with it the repose and happiness of France.-Many of Bonaparte's first officers, civil and military, signed the Constitution inviting Louis XVIII. to return and accept the throne, and swore allegiance to him ;-and the people of France were expressing their gratitude to their deliverers from Bonaparte's tyranny, and hailing the return of the Bourbons, and of Peace.- The French conscripts had been ordered home.-Part of the allied troops had left Paris, &c. for Germany.-The Emperor of Austria entered Paris 15th April, and agreed to all the measures which had been adopted. Whilst these events were transpiring, Bonaparte remained at Fontainbleau; his army, which, on 1st April, was only about 40,000 men, had dwindled like a rope of sand, officers and men deserting his standard. He was notified of his dethronement, and requested to choose a place of residence for himself and family. He accordingly abdicated the thrones of France and Italy, and chose the Island of Elba (in the Mediterranean, situated between Corsica and the coast of Tuscany) as the place which he preferred retiring to. He is said to have departed from Foutainbleau the 18th April, under escort of 1500 of the allied troops, on his way to Elba-there to enjoy, in disgraceful exile, upon a liberal annual allowance charitably offered by the allies. How changed his fortunes! -" But yesterday his word had weigh'd 'gainst half the world-now none so low to do him reverence." His Empress (Louisa Maria, Arch Duchess of Austria) was at Rambouillet at last dates with her young son ;-she had not seen Bonaparte since the occupation of Paris by the allies. It is said she will be divorced, and retire to Italy, with a new title, &c. Her father (the Emperor of Austria) had paid. her a visit at Rambouillet. A Paris article of 18th April, says, "In consequence of the evil disposition of some persons in intercepting the orders and despatches of government, much blood has been unnecessarily shed. At Foulouse, a desperate battle was fought, in which the French were defeated--Gen. Taupin was killed, Gens Harupe, Bouret, Berlier, and Gasquet, and Col. Morlincourt, severely wounded. From the same cause a bloody battle was fought between Lord Wellington and Marshal Soult, on the 11th April which terminated in giving to Lord W. the field of battle." King Ferdinand of Spain had arrived at Gerona on his way to Madrid; and the other branches of the royal family of Spain (also kidnapped by Bonaparte) had been set at liberty.

Time nor room will not now (June 3) admit of further enregisterment. We have opportunity only to remark that the Peace and Independence of EUROPE appear to be secured ;-and we regret we cannot now aad that the Peace of these United States, and of the Whole World, is also secured.

DIGEST OF THE ELECTION LAWS.

CHAP. I.-PUBLIC OFFICERS.

IN the Declaration of Rights which forms a part of the Constitution of this Commonwealth, it is assumed as a principle, that "the idea of a man born a magistrate, lawgiver, or judge, is absurd and unnatural,” and it is declared that "all elections ought to be free," and that "all inhabitants of this Commonwealth, having such qualifications as they shall establish by their frame of government, have an equal right to elect officers, and to be elected to public employments." By the constitution it is provided that a part of the public officers of the Commonwealth shall be designated by the suffrages of the people themselves, in their primary assemblies, and that part shall be designated by the appointment of certain branches of the government. Those who are elected by the people

are,

1. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor. They are annually elected by the inhabitants of the incorporated towns and districts of the Commonwealth, assembled in their several towns & districts.

2. Forty persons to be Counsellors and Senators. For the election of these forty persons, the Commonwealth is once in every ten years by law divided into districts; and the inhabitants of each district annually choose so many of the forty Counsellors and Senators, as are by law assigned to them, being in proportion to the amount of public taxes paid by the district. Nine of these persons, after being elected by the people, are selected by a joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives to be Counsellors; and the remaining thirty one, together with such of the forty as refuse to accept the office of Counsellor, form the Senate for the year. The Senate constitute the upper branch of the General Court.

3. Representatives. They are delegates from the towns in the Commonwealth, and when assembled form the lower branch of the General Court. Every town, which was incorporated at the time of the adoption of the Constitution, is entitled to send one Representative to the General Court. Every corporate town containing one hundred and fifty rateable polls may elect one Representative, and one additional Representative for each additional number of two hundred and twenty-five rateable polls.

4. Town Officers. Every Town is required by law (St. 1786, March 23, § 2) to choose annually, in the month of March or April, and whenever vacancies shall occur, (54) a Town. Clerk; three, five, seven or nine Selectmen; three, five, seven or nine Assessors; (St. 1786, Feb. 20)-two or more Fence Viewers-(St. 1786, Feb. 21)-a Treasurer; two or more Surveyors of Highways; (St. 1786, March 5)-one or more Surveyors of Lumber; (St. 1783, July 11)--Wardens; Tythingmen; Sealers of Leather; Measurers of Wood; Clerks of the Market; Constables; and other usual Town-Officers. The penalty for neglecting to choose either Assessors or Selectmen is from 30 to 100 pounds. (St. 1786, Feb. 20)-Towns are likewise empowered to choose any number, not exceeding twelve, of

Overseers of the Poor; (St. 1793, ch. 59) but in case they are not specially chosen the Selectmen are ex officio Overseers of the Poor. They may choose Collectors of Taxes; (St. 1785, March 16) but in case Collectors are not chosen, the Constables are to collect the Taxes. They may, if they see fit, choose Fire-Wards; (st. 1797, March 10) but in case Fire-Wards are not chosen, the Selectmen, or in their absence two or three of the Civil Officers of the Town, or in their absence the superior Military Officers, are invested with the power of Firewards. Maritime Towns are required to choose (St. 1783, July 11) Cullers of Staves and Hoops and Cullers of Fish. [St. 1784, Nov. 9]

A

5. County Officers. A County Treasurer, for each County, is required to be chosen annually, in the month of March or April. Register of Deeds, for each County, is to be chosen once in every five years, in the month of March, beginning in the year 1786; and at other times as often as vacancies shall occur.

The public officers by appointment are, 1. Those who are appointad by the Governor and Council. Among these are the honorable Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court; the Judges of all other Courts of Justice; Justices of the Peace; Sheriffs, Coroners and Registers of Probate. 2. Those who are appointed by ballot of the Senators and Representatives in Convention. Among these are nine Counsellors, who must first be taken from the forty persons elected by the people to be Counsellors and Senators; but if either of these refuse to accept the office of Counsellor, his place must be supplied by another appointment from among the people at large. The two Houses in Convention likewise choose a Secretary and a Treasurer for the Commonwealth, and Notaries Public.

CHAP. II.—QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE. 1. For Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution [Ch. 2, § 1, art. 2, & §2, art. 1] are, that the Candidate shall have been an inhabitant of the Commonwealth for seven years preceding his election; shall possess in his own right, a freehold estate of one thousand pounds value, and shall declare himself to be of the Christian religion. The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor can hold no other office under the authority of the Commonwealth, or any other State. [Ch. 6, art. 2]

2. Counsellors and Senators. To qualify a person to be a member of this body, he must possess, in his own right, a freehold estate of three hundred pounds value, or an estate either personal, or real and personal, of six hundred pounds value; he must have been, for five years preceding his election, an inhabitant of the Commonwealth, and at the time of his election an inhabitant of the district from which he is elected [Ch. 1, 52, art. 5]. Not more than two Counsellors can be chosen from one Senatorial district. [Ch. 2, § 3, art. 4) No person holding the office of Judge of the Supreme Court, Secretary, Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, Treasurer, Judge of Probate, Commissary General, President, Professor or Instructor of Harvard College, Sheriff, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Register of Probate, Register of Deeds, Clerk of the

Supreme Court or Court of Common Pleas, Officer of the Customs or Naval Officer, shall at the same time have a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives. [Ch. 6, art. 2] A person holding a military commission in the service of the United States, cannot at the same time hold a seat in the Senate.-[Resolve of the Senate, Feb. 1813.]

3. Members of the House of Representatives. Every member must have been an inhabitant of the town which he represents for one year next preceding his election, and during that time must have possessed within the town, in his own right, a freehold estate of one hundred pounds value, or rateable estate of two hundred pounds value. [Ch. 1. § 3, art. 3] The persons above named, as disqualified for holding a seat in the Senate, are likewise disqualified for a seat in the House of Representatives. [Ch. 6, art. 2]

4. Town Officers. The Selectmen must be able and discreet persons, of good conversation, inhabiting in the town, for which they are elected. But of their ability and discretion the Electors are to judge; and every person duly elected to any town office, except that of Constable, if he be an inhabitant of the town, unless he has served the town in the same office the year preceding, is liable to a penalty of thirty shillings, if he refuse or neglect to take the oath of office. [St. 1786, March 23.] Every person elected Constable, except certain exempts, unless he has served in the same office, or as a Collector, within seven years, is obliged to accept under a penalty of five pounds, and in Boston, Salem and Newburyport, of ten pounds. The penalty for not accepting the office of Assessor, when chosen, is five pounds [St. 1786, Feb. 20]-Surveyor of Highways, three pounds [St. 1787, March 5.]-and Fire-Ward, ten dollars. [St. 1797, March 10.]

5. County Officers. The County Treasurer must be a frecholder and a resident in the County for which he is chosen. [St. 1786, March 23] The Register of Deeds must have a freehold within the County for which he is chosen, of the annual income of ten pounds at least. [St. 1784, March 17, § 1] No Clerk of any Court of Common Pleas or of the Supreme Judicial Court, can at any time be Register of Deeds. [7]

་

CHAP. III.—QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS.

1. In the election of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Counsellors and Senators. Every male inhabitant of any town in this Commonwealth, of twenty-one years of age and upwards, having a freehold estate within the Commonwealth of the annual income of three pounds, or any estate of the value of sixty pounds, [or, 200 dollars,] is entitled to vote in the town in which he is an inhabitant, at every election for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, [Con. ch. 2, $1, art. 3] and for the Counsellors and Senators of the District of which he is an inhabitant. [Ch. 1, § 2, art. 2.] Every person is consider ed an inhabitant of the town, district or plantation where he dwelleth or hath his home [Ch. 1, § 2, art. 2.] The inhabitants of plan. tations unincorporated, who are empowered and required to assess taxes upon themseleves, and the inhabitants of plantations who gre

S2

assessed by the Assessors of neighbouring towns, who have the requisite qualifications of age and estate, are entitled to vote for Counsellors and Senators in the plantations where they reside, or in town where they are assessed. [ibid] But the inhabitants of the unincorporated plantations in the State, are not anthorised by the Constitution to give in their votes for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. [Vide opinion of the Judges, 3 Massachusetts Reports, 568.] If a person, knowing himself not qualified, shall vote, or attempt to vote, he becomes liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, and his aiders and abettors to a fine of thirty dollars. (St. 1813, ch. 68, § 3)

2. In the election of Representatives, (State and Congressional.)— Every male person, who is twenty-one years of age, who has resided in any town, which has the privilege of electing a Representative, for the space of one year next preceding, and who has a freehold estate within the same town, of the annual income of three pounds, or any estate of the value of sixty pounds, has a right to vote in the Representative election for that town. (Con. ch. 1, § 8, art. 4) The penalty forfeited by any person unqualified who attempts to vote is the same as in the election of Governor. (St. 1813, ch. 68.)

3. In the election of Town Officers. Every male citizen of the Commonwealth, of twenty-one years of age and upwards, liable to be taxed, who has resided within any town, plantation or district, for one year next preceding his voting, (except those who are supported as panpers) is entitled to vote in such town, district or plantation in the election of all Town Officers. (St. 1811, ch. 9) If any person, knowing himself not qualified, shall vote or attempt to vote in the choice of town officers, he becomes liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, and his aiders and abettors to a fine not exceeding thirty dollars. (St. 1813, ch. 68.)

4. In the election of County Officers. The County Treasurer (St. 1784, March 17) and Register of Deeds (St. 1786, March 23) are chosen by such persons as are qualified to vote for Representatives. CHAP. IV.—Mode of electing Governor, Lieut. Governor, Counsellors and Senators.

1. Duty of Assessors in making Lists of Voters. It is the duty of the Assessors of each town and district, (St. 1803, March 7) and the Assistant Assessors of each ward in any town, (St. 1810, March 6) on or before the first day of March annually, to make out and deliver to the Selectmen, a correct alphabetical list of such inhabitants of their sevoral towns, districts or wards, as to them shall appear to be qualified to vote for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Senators, Representatives in the General Court or in Congress. Assessors of plan sations must furnish themselves with such lists, by the tenth of March annually, and publish, correct and use them, on the day of meeting, as is hereafter described to be the duty of Selectmen. In general, the duties and liabilities of the Assessors in unincorporated plantations are the same as are hereafter described to be the duties and liabilities of Selectmen, in the incorporated towns and districts