The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1818-03-25

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|" y snaes rfraia " srsfei1ns az fswsvs ~ sAss
SoYss: 4 an nor .tissid 10 declare nay vssws Of Ms
fsssr. Of sAs 0sssrai ,7ssems!y .Ihe psvsrs r. fAs
House are snGsassed: tAsy beng rsihsu ~rjffsn
Csns'' ufiss are e'Hnp0.e: iAsy aats as r'seh yhs
govern ns cGis IF fhs Stale and ne e'ssrrs. az
sAs sapiems kssc Of he Uinpsrse Aas 10 manage he
ssn aftus
ELt51A Is porrERs speech before the General
Assembly, at 'hsir late session in Providence, on
sne Question hov Tar ihe Legislature were bound,
or limited ~ any State Constitution.
: r .,as, neigneors and t,eemcn--In Wiz
tue Of universal assem-, tho powers, .ao,hori.
iies, rights, and privileges which had been
arsn,ed TO tue Is eisla,ure, iresmen and 10.
habi snis Of this State, onde, The chs,te, dat
ed oa the eigh,h day Of July, inshe 6iiecnth
sea. Of Charles the seco0d. have been con-
sidsrrt AZ valid, sGc c,uaI and secure, since
she Declarasion of knde pendcnee, 90 they
swere before that period. In particular, the
psoyisions Of tkx, chatter for liberty of con
science--Afor ssce r'aiuing the constituent
me mbe, sof the Senate and Of the General
Asse mbly, the proportion Of xepr rssentaiion
in ba b anch, the power of he Legislature
10 sup,ny vacancies in the General Ofice :
Vii the s,x annual election, The place and
time Of ha, yisctioni for granting 20 the
Graaral Assembly the ppwers of egislation-
of creA ,sg courts, Of eiec,iug necessary Off
ee,s, Of limiting tho duration Of their com.
r,is.ioos, and Of psrdOning criminals for as
ccr,aiu,ug before whom the several members
Of IN. iesislssuye shall taho their engage
men,s Of offica, snd for establishing ihs
houodari.s Of The Ssa,e--bsve been Justly
ssasider ed az fundamental and constitutional
laws af the State, aad not under legislative
eontroi. r.4
The right to the Wri, Of Ha6e&s Corhus
~Aso stfiai by Jury Of the vlcinage According
! u. ;s,. ; ,us se * 10 soumon lsw-.,hs ,ieh,
of -as aerussd IN sumsoon wisnrsses FOR his
defcnce--.so perempiosy challenges OF jur
os--ro u,e shield Of q grand iury--snd TO be
.piosected against infof rnauons and general
wa,r ants ia criminal prosecutions, snc the
bene6s Of counsel, with many o,her rights
Asnd privileges secnrcd to Euelishmen by
Magna cAarfc, bills OF tights and ,mme mo
ri-t p,escrip,ion--hav siSo been justly con
sidered as the biryh-rieht Of the people Of
stbis State, secured to them by the fandamsn-
tai snd coas,itutionsl laws OK I'M. State SO
that 90 act Of the General Assembly, pissed
ia yiola,ioa thereof, or Of auy Of them, would
BE- considered by The Supreme Court, other
w,s- han as unconstitutional and void.
Finally, to put this question at rest, the
plt of this State" passed IN January, 1893,
declares, hat the people OF this State at.
enti,led. among o,aes important and essential!
rights, 10 the rights he eafcr enumerated,
and that the same are, and are hereby de-
eiafed TO bs, the Inherent aud unques,ionabe
rights Of ne people inhabi,ing wIthin the
limits and jurisdiction of this Stale ; that the
polincai axiorns and truths hercinaf,e' men
tion 4, and declared, are, and ought to be, Of
psgam0unt obligation in oil legislative, judi
scial and executive proceedings, which shall
be had, 90 done therein, under the su'hori,y
the,eof" These enumerated rights are con.
.nined IN 10 secrons following the foregoing
inteodoe, ,inn See laws Of R1oJe Island,
pages ~ 20. 81
ss ana ifns,sn !--ve hiue none ,--vho
dares q say Mai None Dur a C-isish I'm
fssars. o. a T,aitsc 70 his couuvys are there
ony emsngsl a. 2 Ize language hah eeen
Ara a and Gsd forbid fhaf they should con
sinnrp
Exrsc Fvs nuns Speech IN the case of
Of TFSveu vs.. Wesdeo, Pare IS
ROGER WILLIAMS