The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-05-11

lows, tnat IL lt were Inc opinion OF Tue iiou.
House that he was not entitled tn his scat, he
had no desire to hold it--,hat he considered
himself returned to this house, as rcpresen-
,a,ivc, by majority of the freemen OF the
town OF North h-Kingstown--Ihat he never
heard the Illegally of the proceedings OF the
town meeting called in question until then
that if the representatives were not legally
chosen, the votes that were given In for Gov
ernor and General Ofiiceis, at the same meet
ing, must be also illegal--,hat those very
votes had been counted and made use OF in
choosing the Governor Of the State and othcr
oticers--that no protest had been made a.
galnst the reception and counting of them
that II was not new thing in the town Of n.
kingstown for the oldest soRs of fYeeho!ders
10 vote for moderator although they had new
er been admitted free--that il had also been
customary in other towns, as he had under
stcod--that he did no, and should not deny
that it was sometimes the case that the oldest
sons of ireeholders were admitted free by the
vote OF the sown before they voted but for
his present purpose he considered 1t altogcth-
CT immaterial whether they were entitled 10 q
vote ia the first instance or not--as vet there
had been no proof exhibited TO the house TO
show how they did vote-that there were a
number of Mat class who voted in the choice
Of the moderator who belonged TO both par
ties, and il the house would first decide that
those votes were illegal, he could then be
prepared 10 show that ma ority Of them vo-
ted for Mr.. Carpenter-,hat until ibis ques-
ton was decided and was proved to this house
that alority of those who voted as Oldest
sons OF freeholders on town meeting day, vo-
ted for Mr.. Congdon, he should consider the
town-mceung legal and himself entitled TO
his seat. The remarks of Mr.. Allen did not
vary materially from those made by Mr.. San
ford. He concluded by requesting the house
first TO decide the question whether those who
voted for The moderator previous to their be.
ing admitted free, had right 20 vote, and
thea 10 take measures 10 ascertain for whom
they did vote. Mr.. Maxwell was then re-
quested by the Speaker to close his argument
in favor of the Petitioners. He began witt,
some scnIrillous remarks upon the testimony
Of Jonathan Reynolds and reflections on tlie
sitting members. He was called TO order
aud reprimanded by the Speaker.
He then observed, that if he could not be per-
nitted to go on in his 2cc7 7r7y, he should Give
UP The support oflhe Petition. lie was in,l.
~ willing to submi, it TO the candor Of the
va III y
on the part OF the house for some time, which
was broken by q motion or Mr.. 2ousmani nc,
(who, by the way. has iaterly become very
important aDd eloquen, member) that the
prayer Of the Pititon be granted. This, :he
Speaker observed, was taking rather too broad
, ground in that stage OF the busiaess---uftet
some dcsu!tory remarks Mr.. X. withdrew his
motion. Maj. Bull then rose and with great
candor observed, that the business OF contest
ing elections was new TO bim--that he was in
the house at the time the election of the mem.
bcrs returned from the town Of Little-Comp-
ton, few years since, was contested, and the
mode adopted then he thought would be
good one now which was, TO take the sense
of the house by different vote, on every ques-
lion which could grow out of the subject mat
ter in dispute. These remarks it was evident
were not agreeable to the majority Of the
touse.-lt was then moved by an eloquent
member from Newport, that the meeting
held In North -Kingsiown for the election of
representatives. WAS illegal and that the seats
OF the sitting membe.s be vacaicd--whi hich
passed by large ma jority, every federalist
in !hc house (Maj. Bull exccpted,) voting in
favor of the motion. Thus were the mem.
bcrs returned from the town of North K :ngs.
town deprived of their seats without any rea-
son being assigned why or wherefore. It.
will undoubtedly he observed by some, that
they were deprived Of their seats in consc-
quence of the illcg ality Of the meeting which
returned them. But how does this appear
What evidence had the house that the mod
orator was not legally chosen !-,here was
none. This was the only ground on which
The Dettioners relied 10 de strov the election
Maxwell did not have the effrontry to say
that Mcssrs. Sandford & Allen bad not ma
jority of the votes and being unable to prove
that the moderator was illegally chosen, the
very foundation on which the Petitioners
we're to build. failed and the sitting mem
bers must have been deprived of their seats
for no other reason than because their seDti-
men,s were not in concordance with those of