The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-09-23


Mr.. EDlroR,
Anoot omit communicating TO the publi
very ao,ei dreisnn which va. m,ts =, -
'owu-mssli"s, ia Ansess last, respec,in,,
snanengca vote. IhS vote chaiisneed -
gwen IN By Mr. John 2. Whi.iosa, Eeeuer =
tue lighthouse a. Posns-iuciin, sud tl,r o.r
son who fnAde the cssruengs, wan no Ies. .
pe'sohaSe than tho redoubtaa.e Eiish. u
.o"eF' Oh the ground that the voter. b.;o.
Aeepsr oil the hSht-hsuso and iiy,sp ON -, :
iahd of The United States, is therstnr.
ihnao.iant@or citizen Of the touo or s,a,. -,
consequently ineiiglbis as . voter. +,
nfged on The part OF Mr.. Whrtord. ,h., 49,.
WAS citizen OF this state and tosu "a =.
ne oiiersd his vote upon freehold -, "'a'
the town oi North Kingston, of wbic,, =. :"
duced legal certificate, and tina, n. ,.. ~. t.s
,n the jurisdic,ion OF the ,ownaod 49, .r.'
"a" =, s's'lon was then read ~ Potter, which
lot OF lsnd 10 the United States for ~ 80.
p'se q erecting lighthouse thereon, bn
1".s s1a'S Fcserved eli the right OF civil and
S'ininAi process against unv ner.o,s -
might reside there, therelorsss,.s .;sss. ""o
risdicnon is as complete over thar tractt "a q.
land as of any land whatever within the state,
except taxation. No one, believe, will
doub, that the land il question is IN the town
OF South kingsion and in the state of Rhode
Leland, Unless the liberal aud enlightened Mr..
Potier admits the British 10 Claim above high
wa.er mark. IL was then urged, in a very
Iear5ea and eloquent speech, by alr. John q.
CiarS, that Michigan, who lived on ,errito-
~ oil tho United States, might as well vote as
Nt.,tf frr1 . e
ehis town because he kept the lighthouse (!
II I, IS admitted that lie Is not cilsxen ol this
town, bnt belongs TO a foreign territory Of the
United States, then surely the lass Of this
stale conact take cognizsnce of any person Oh
said territory, either by civil or criminal pro-
cess II that were the case, we should fully
agree with Mr.. Clark, whose depth IF kaos9l-
edge to be sure has not yer been fully ascer-
saincd Although II Was urged on the part
OF Mr.. Wnitford, that the eleciioo law was in
his favor, and that there was 90 statute in
this stSte by which he was precluded, yet
by . ceriain Kind Of injfusaee possessed by
Mr.. Congress man Potter, the moderator d.
cided against the vote. Onc other circum-
stance was urged by Potter, which was, that
the states of Massachusetts and Virginia had
lAws againet Psrsons voting onder similar cir
cumstarScss and that il ought to be 60 in this.
= ehessiors appears that Po,tsr's law has
4spe' ;cte k'f>:S before u xx4S red--probs
ebiy ne vii sfaer such asfw to be made.
This scircumstancs reminds me Of passage
IN Dr. UuderhiIps writings concerning the
accommodation 'of his grand parent from
the Presbyterian church. After they Of ~
church had deiared their charge agsins, "im'
he replied g where is the law by yach you
condemn met" Gov. Win:hrop~aid' "there
As commlttee to draft laws. 'rother Peters'
are you not on that compstee 1 am sure
that you have made a " against tnis Crying
sim" Hugh peter)repIied, that g he had
such law 10 hi, -fnd, but had not written it
down, Sir Ha,Y vane says i, is Sufficient"
lIaynes said" An, law enough" Underhil
was coudNmned--and by similar code Of
laws NJ. Whiiford's vote was thrown OUT
Pottc/ had such law in his mind, and tina,
Wa deemed sufficient 10 violate the rights of
q reeman. Underhill was conde mncd by
Winthrop, March Goth, 1888, in Boston, for
offending against no known lsw--and Whit
ord vas condemned by Potter, August 81,
1912, for similar offence. Thus tho world |
'etrogrades. A SPECTATOR.
II the learned orator meant any thing. he proba.