The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-03-20
To the E-semen of Rhode Island.


To the ESemen of Rhode- Island.
FELLOW.CiTIZENS,
DELEGATED to express the views
and wishes of the Republicans O; the State in
General Convention, we take the liberty TO
address you, at this time, and offer for your
reflection some of those sentiments which
are entitled to your serious consideration
That the mass of us have a ce,cmcD interest
is not to be denied, aud the difference in our
opinions must principally be owing 20 our obs
serving objects thr"ugh different mediums,
and to our having more or less confidence In
the political integrity OF certain men. We
do not arrogatc unto ourselves pcriectability
which belongs not to human nature; we may
be wrong, and when convinced Of our errours
are willing TO renounce them. But we feel
consciousness Of the correctness Of those
principles for which our counirymon fought
and blcd for seven successive years, and
which tho most illustrious worthless of our
country have sanctioned by their prcccpis
and example. We are therefore Rrfu6Hcans
by birth, fortune, interst and from conviction.
We believe that the people possess the right
and ought to have the freedom OF choosing
their rulers, and that tn ,sc rulers ought, at
certain stated periods, to return again to the
general mass, to be clothed again with dele
gated power, or left to enjoy the privileges of
citizens in private stations. We are opposed
to Monarchy and to Aristocracy, and would
not wish TO see a President with the power OF
a King, or Senate composed of Eobles,and
if amy of our fellow-ci,izcns are dcsirous to
behold or participate in such distinctions,they
have a right to their own opinions, but not
to our or your confidence.
Such is our political creed, and such we
trust is the political creed Of those whom VIC
recommend to you for Govern0ur, Lieutenant
Governour, Senators, Secretary and General
Treasurer of the State for the year ensuing.
Happy should we be, were we as we'll sat-
ished, that our opponents had none OF that
lcsven Of Monarchy, Gffle Of sviieh " ieav-
eneth the whole Mmt." 1t will not now be
denied, that the plan of Constitutions Cor the
United States, which Mr.. Alexander Hami-
ton submitted TO the Convention, if adopted,
would have given us the substance as we'll as
the form Of the British Constitution ; and we
recognize in the measures which he. after
wards proposed when Secretary of the Trea-
sury, desire to infuse into the government
a Monarchical and Aristocratical Influence,
Republican defects Of the constitution. And
no DOUBT, had he not been at length opposed
by the Ropublicanisrn of the country, and
had the government have been until this time
iu.rusted TO the hands Of those who have a-
dopted lIis principles, the people Of these
United States would have found themselves
so surrounded by standing armies, sedition
Iaws, excise officers, observation-disclosures,
Bank directors, stock specuIators and govern
ment dependents, aided and assisted by an arr
my Of Judges, that they would have enjoyed
all the blessings Of an energetick government,
and been efFectuaIIy protected from fheir
ozyn rvorH erewies-themseiues. But thanks
to the great ruler Of Nations, Republican
Administration has destroyed Monarchy in
its cradle, and administered the government
in Republican simplicity.
We are also firmly attached to the Union
Of these States, and consider it as our only
security against external and internal enemies.
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