HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4557        FILED ON: 9/4/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David F. DeCoste, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to amend the Flag and Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4557        FILED ON: 9/4/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act to amend the Flag and Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

1.Whereas, Wessagussett, later called Weymouth, the oldest settlement of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was settled in August, 1622 by the Thomas Weston party; and

2.Whereas, the Thomas Weston party were previously banned from the Plymouth Colony for conduct unbecoming and thereafter moved north to establish said Wessagusset Colony; and

3.Whereas, said Thomas Weston party continued in their unbecoming ways and stole crops and goods from the indigenous natives as they were woefully unprepared to forage, grow crops or manufacture any goods; and

4.Whereas, said Thomas Weston party also defiled the gravesites of the deceased of the indigenous natives causing the justly outraged indigenous natives to threaten war against the Thomas Weston party’s Wessagussett Colony and the Plymouth Colony; and

5.Whereas, then-Governor Bradford of Plymouth Colony sent Captain Myles Standish and a group of armed men to Wessagussett to slay the indigenous native leaders on April 6, 1623 to repress a rumored attack that would have wiped out both the-then Wessagussett and Plymouth settlements; and

6.Whereas, Captain Myles Standish enticed the indigenous native leaders into the fortress under a white flag of truce along with the promise of a meal of pork; and

7.Whereas, upon entering the fortification under said white flag of truce and promise of a meal of pork, the indigenous native leaders were slain in cold blood by Captain Myles Standish and his dishonorable men hiding behind the fortification’s doors; and

8.Whereas, Captain Myles Standish was later commended for his alleged bravery and a vast park was named in his “honor” in Plymouth, Massachusetts for said alleged bravery; and

9.Whereas, the Seal of the Commonwealth, adopted December 13, 1780 by then-Governor John Hancock and the Council; ratified by the General Court on June 4, 1885, depict an arm and hand holding a broadsword said to be that of Captain Myles Standish, which arm and sword hangs menacingly over the indigenous native depicted on said Seal and later Flag of the Commonwealth; indicating the subjugation and humiliation of the indigenous natives, which is known to be offensive to a great number of people: with or without an indigenous bloodline; and

10.Whereas, the citizens of both the commonwealth and the city/town of Weymouth continue living with great dishonor and deep stain as a result of the treacherous, murderous ways of Captain Myles Standish and his dishonorable ilk on April 6, 1623; and

11.Whereas, it is particularly difficult to see how the menacing image of Captain Myles Standish’s arm and broadsword held above the head of the indigenous native benefits the proud people of the commonwealth or the city/town of Weymouth; and so, therefor:

12.Be it resolved: that the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in bicameral session or separate, concurring sessions, send forth to the governor of this good commonwealth a measure to have the offensive arm and broadsword of Captain Myles Standish, shown menacingly above the head of the indigenous native, as it also suggests the subjugation of all of the good people of the commonwealth-at-large, be removed from the state Seal and Flag of this Honorable commonwealth and birthplace of our American freedoms and liberties, forthwith;

13.And, be it further resolved: that, in the absence of such bicameral agreement, the governor shall issue an executive order to facilitate the requested change, with concurrence of at least five members of the Governor’s Council, pursuant to the Massachusetts Constitution, Chapter II, Executive Power, Section I: the Governor, Article IV, of said constitution, to wit:

“the governor shall have authority from time to time, at [his] discretion, to assemble and call together the councillors of this commonwealth for the time being; and the governor with the said councillors, or five of them at least, shall, and may, from time to time, hold and keep a council, for the ordering and directing the affairs of the commonwealth, agreeably to the constitution and the laws of the land.”

14.And, be it furthermore resolved: that the governor, with consent of at least five members of the Governor’s Council, pursuant to Chapter II, Executive Power, Section I: the Governor, Article IV, aforesaid, order the name of Myles Standish State Park to be changed to honor the indigenous natives of the-then Wessagussett Colony known as the Massachuset [sic], for whom this great commonwealth was named, by renaming it [the] Massachusetts State Park; and that a copy of this bill, all resolutions herein and all orders thereafter, be transmitted forthwith to the Clerk of the Senate; the Clerk of the House of Representatives; the Office of the Governor of the commonwealth and the Town Clerk of the city/town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, and, all other city and town clerks in the commonwealth for the official filing in their records, and; that all stationery, documents, banners, flags or any other paraphernalia or indicia of the commonwealth emblazoned with said offensive seal shall be corrected within one (1) year thereafter, or sooner, to comport with this constitutionally-provided and protected free petition and its accompanying bill or jointly-approved amendments thereto.