Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1804-09-20


over this kind of animadverfion that
forces humility. and innocence from
their retreat into the glare of public
view; that wounds and ierrifes that
deifroys the cordialily and the peace
of domeaic life; and that without
eradica,ing a Jingle vice, or Jingle
folly, plants thoufand thorns in the
human heart.
"The learned Council has been
pleaied to fay, that he comes forward in
this proiecu,ion as the real advocate
for the liberty of the prefs, and to
proted mild and meroiful govern
inent from its licentioulneis and he
has been pleafed to add, that the con-
ititution can never be lof, while its
freedom remains, and that its licen-
tiouineis alone can deitroy that free
dom. AS TO that, gentlemen, he
might as we'll have faid, that there is
only one difcafe of which a man can
die; and when be comes forward TO
extinguiihl this paper in the ruin of the
printer by itate prelecution, in or
des to prevent its dyirg of hcenriouf.
nefs, you mulf Judge how candidlyhe
'is treating you, both in the fatf and In
rhe realoning. Is il in Ireland, gen
tlemen, that we are told licentioufnefs
is the only difeafe that can be mortal
to the Preis? Has he heard OF norh-
ing elfe that has been fatal to the free.
dom of publication I know not
whether the printer of the Northern
Star may have heard of fuch things in
mis- captivity, but | know that his wife
and his children ate well apprifsd that
prefs may be deltroyed in the open
day, not by its own Iicentiouineis, but
by the licentioufnefs Of a military force.
AS TO the iincerity of the declaration
that the fate has profecuted in order
to sf1ert the freedofHof the Prefs, it
ftarts train OF thoweAt, melancholy
tstrofped and direful prolpea, to
which ] did not think the learned
Council would have wilhed to commit
your minds. s.-It leads you naturally
10 reheet at what Zines, from what
motives, and with what coni.quenors
the government has dilplayed its pat.
riotifm by thefe fort of proleculions.
As TO the motives does hilfory give
you fingls sihltance in which The itate
has been provoked TO thsfe conflicts,
except by the fear of truth, and by
the love ofvengeance Have you ev.
er feen the rulers Of any county bring
forward profecution from motives
cfhlial piety, for libels upon their de-
parted ahceitors Did you read that
Elizabeth directed any Of thofe ltate
prolecutions, againf the libels which
the Divines OF her times had written
againa her Catholic Sitter, OF againlt
the other libels which the fame gen.
tlemsn had written sgainf her Prot.
eftaht father ! No, gentlemen, we
read of no fuch thing but we know
ihe did bring forward profecution
from motives of perfonal refentment,
we know that jury was found time.
ferving and mean enough, to- give
verdia which fhe was afhamed TO carry
into efed. l faid thar the learned
Counfei drew you back to the times
that have been marked by thefe mif.
erable con@tfs. | fee you turn your
thoughts to tbofe pages of govern
mental abandonment, of popuiar deg
rada,ion, Of eap1ing liberty, Of mef-
cilefs and langasnafy perfecuGon, to
that miserabie period, in which the
fallen and abje6 Fate of man, might
have been aImoa an argument in the
Eaouh of An Atbeia and the hhfphe.
mer, avainff the exiltence of an all rff