The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1817-12-24
@isreiIanp.
THE CON vENTION..


which, though DaiDiol 10 reHec, upou, cannot
be passed over hl silence. Ii gives US no
pleasure al any iin,e, 10 snimadvert upon the
folly or w,csednSss OF Cur fellow ci,izens,
much less SO at the present; but as faithful
wa,ehmen, entrusted with imbortan, duties
Tor the faithful discharge Of which we arc
accountable ~ the public, il now bceomes our
duly, and as such We shall not shrink from
It's perioi mance- Nor can an inves,i CATION
OF this subject at THU tine be useless. Ii is
now three years since the Convention sat, add
the mind OF all have had ample Time 10 be so
divested OF party amin osiiy OF prejudice as TO
Judge OF is win GOODNESS and candor. BE-
sides many OF those who were principal ac-
tors IN this drama are Ia public life, and the
people ought 10 know whether their conduct
has been such at 10 emile them 10 contin.
uance oi their faSors.
What good aSn can recall to mind the
strange scencs u this day, with feeligs un.
mixed with disgust and horror! A band OF
dcaperadoss, fof Incy hardly deserve better
namc, aiter hsslog wrought up The angry
passions Vt theic followers 10 the h,ghcs,
pitch. and despai.ing Of getting themselves
lawfully hto power, pfoIcct convention oi
ol eodeayoriaB 70 altsy the public leINen,
which the!r own tiie cUrduct had excited g.
gainst goveinn,ent and instead Of encour.
aging loans and shiistments TO assist the y.
Dited States Ia carrying on the war, they
must need, DC dsusing ways and means to
acscr the uaion and consequently 10 plunge
their CooD,fy,ucu i0to all the horrors Of civil
war; that ,hey dad mol commence this hazard.
0os cnlei p'izc WIS 90 vitSe OF theiis i---thcy
might have accountsd perhaps 'sdiscretion 10
&c the Letter part vi va.sT." 10 aid howev-
- IN the eeno,ai dcsig0, The " state o,ps"
well ciiicercd win iaas OF mellie, and The
seter~a volunteers" alias ,ingboned wa, iiv,s .,
~sss o.genz.a and lava we,e ps, ,sed which
opeia! di,esdy top'eyent The y. States
iioD eotphiiig tsGtuus. tor tastrs setvice.
EStra ssusf5as ,oe~oi tns ies isiutafe were si.
ways al haod ios aoy eme,gency. Meetings
~c'c held ia dlt,i snt PARIS OF this Nation
OF Now-Englsno" 10 which 1t was resolved
tnat INC du,i.s p.yab.s to The gsueral gov
ernIent snoDid DC withheid. Those who
had tbe Charge oi federal newspapers were
hot backward III sowing seeds Of seGitlon, and
tac 4" " ,shlog on Bcnsyoiem Societies" n
Wa, noticed, werc T,mafka6iy busy IN dis
tri0uling tneit aols OF charity. And finally
10 cap the climax, a few ministers OF tho
Gospe, whose ho,s sailing one would tank
cd 10 i idi ditie, eHt course, were ever ready
TN season aud oDl Of season" TO assist In
this pious work. VAIN such means at hand,
aud especially siter tae scattering OF so moch
iI1sDaEie ualier, II j, no wopder that some
werc prepared To set al dc hance the laws OF
tbcir CouDiy. Our UD.y wonder 10, that this
spiItt ui sediuoO was Aueilcd without the
shedding of blood.
Under these tavorabic auspices the dele
goics to the Cenyeatioa asscmbied. Alter
remaining IN seciot coIcla,c about thtcc
weeks, taey conclude their deliberations
out as it sou,ething were necessaryto to SOP
tho uou,hs Of their gapiDg foiIsweis they
published pretended account oi ther pio-
ceedings, IN which however, Was rot 10 be
found single subjec' which they we're OPP
pointed ~ investigate or act npo0. Amongst
the niagveloos doihgs OF thls bory, appears a
recon- arc Ddal,on 10 tho sevefai s.atcsto sp-
poin, anvoys 10 treat with Ptcsidc8t Msdi.
son * ~ pursuance oi this the legislature OF
this state appointed Two, one OF whom Is at
present Judge oil The Superior Cooft, abd
The o;n-i Member OF Congress. Not be-
ing adai,t4d 20 on audience with the Presi-
dent, they soon sci ,acir faces honis~afds
withou, having any opportunity Of disclosing
the important nature oi their mission. Ibe
peace which was promulgated about tbis
Jaoc,ure, fortunately put an end 10 oil iur.
ther schemes Of folly aud turPrude.-Ahd
thus were forever blasted the hopes oil dcs.
'perste faction.
In no puiDi Of view, Cen the conduct oi
ihosc under whose superintcudaoee this ma
chIBery was set ia motion, be jusihed. They
have richly merited' add will doubtless re-
coive, reward proporionsble TO their se'-
vIce,. There are however, known gradatons
Ia their guilt, and We ate not thorefore DIS
posed to place them al upon an equal loot
ing. Some, there undoubtedly were belong
ing 10 the Convention, whose minds were not
,osnished ty the eormp:ions OF the times
and whose patriotism was beyond the ioiio-
once of self sggsandizement. But how sm'il
the weight tina, finally turned tps scales IN
favor of the union ;--how short The st'rde
at one time from subordipb,ion TO rebeilion--'