Chap. 272.—An ACT to Amend and Re-enact an Act to Encourage Immi-
gration and Protect Immigrants, passed March 2, 1866.

Approved July 11, 1870.

1. Be it enacted by the ‘general assembly, That an act enti-

tled an act to encourage immigration and protect immigrant
labor, passed March second, eighteen hundred and sixty-six,
be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:
_ “Whereas, it is essential to the material prosperity of this
commonwealth, that labor be protected by law, and proper in-
ducements held out for the immigration of industrious foreign-
ers; therefore, to encourage and protect the immigration of
such persons:

Ҥ 1. Be it enacted, That contracts for labor for a term of
service, not exceeding two years, made in a foreign country,
and duly attested by the United States consul or commercial
agent at the port where such immigrant shall embark, shall be
respected and enforced by the authorities of this state, to the
same extent and in the same manner as if made within the
state.

Ҥ 2. Be it further enacted, That all contracts made as
aforesaid, shall be in duplicate, the original in the vernacular
language of the immigrant, and which shall be retained by the
immigrant bound thereby; the duplicate in the English lan-
guage, and which shall be recorded in the office of the county
court within ten days after the arrival of the said immigrant
at the residence of his or her employer; and if not so recorded,
the employer shall not be entitled to the benefit of the provi-
sions of this act until the contract shall be recorded.

Ҥ 3. Be it further enacted, That immigrants under con-
tracts as aforesaid, shall have the right to apply to any justice
of the peace, who shall, on application, require personal secu-
rity for the payment of wages at the times specified in said
contract; or if not so specified, then month by month; and any
immigrant who, without good and sufficient cause, being dis-
charged from the service of an employer, may recover from
his or her employer, in addition to the amount due for past
services, damages not exceeding the wages for three months
of the unexpired term of his or her contract.

Ҥ 4. Be it further enacted, That any immigrant bound by
contract as aforesaid, who shall, without good and sufficient
cause, abandon or leave the service of his or her employer,
shall be liable to said employer for an amount not exceeding
the sum which may or would be due for a term not exceeding
three months of the term of his or her contract; which amount
shall be recoverable from such immigrant in the manner pre-
scribed by the common law of the state.

“45. Be it further enacted, That all the provisions of this
act shall apply to all contracts made with immigrants after their
arrival in the United States, as well as to contracts made in a
foreign country, for two years after their arrival in the United
States; except that such contracts made within the United
States may be attested by a justice of the peace or other officer
authorized by law to attest and affix his official seal to such
contract.

“§ 6. This act shall be in force from its passage.”