It was said that a man known to be a Democrat, or a Free Soiler, was pretty likely to get his discharge from the employ of any great manufacturing corporation that had occasion to reduce its force, and that he would have no chance to get an increase of wages.

I do not now believe there was much foundation for this accusation.
But it was believed by many people at the time.

So a law requiring secrecy in the ballot was framed and enacted in spite of great resistance from the Whigs.

This has undoubtedly proved a good policy, and has prevailed in Massachusetts ever since, and now prevails largely throughout the country.
But this one measure was not enough to hold together elements otherwise so discordant.

So the Democratic and Free Soil leaders agreed to call a convention to revise the Constitution of the Commonwealth, which had remained unchanged save in a few particulars since 1780.