The clerk of the court shall enter such oath of record, and
give the person taking the same a certificate thereof, for which he
shall receive the fee of one dollar. And in order to preserve to the
citizens of this commonwealth, that natural right, which all men have
of relinquishing the country, in which birth, or other accident may
have thrown them, and, seeking subsistance and happiness wheresoever
they may be able, or may hope to find them: And to declare
unequivocably what circumstances shall be deemed evidence of an
intention in any citizen to exercise that right, it is enacted and
declared, that whensoever any citizen of this commonwealth, shall by
word of mouth in the presence of the court of the county, wherein he
resides, or of the General Court, or by deed in writing, under his
hand and seal, executed in the presence of three witnesses, and by
them proved in either of the said courts, openly declare to the same
court, that he relinquishes the character of a citizen, and shall
depart the commonwealth; or whensoever he shall without such
declaration depart the commonwealth and enter into the service of any
other state, not in enmity with this, or any other of the United
States of America, or do any act whereby he shall become a subject or
citizen of such state, such person shall be considered as having
exercised his natural right of expatriating himself, and shall be
deemed no citizen of this commonwealth from the time of his
departure.
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