The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-04-06

totierfir under him, ard was not strong e.
nough 10 support him. The evils Of an cleo
tion by this House are imaginary rather than
real--as yet we have not witnessed them !;
''corrupton Wins not more than honesty"
Amidst all the anticipated evils, and direful
calamities conjured up by disordered minds,
the resolutions of an honorable gentleman from
| Pennsylvania, (mr. Miner,) resolutions which
embody more good sense than all the others
which have been offered, afford some solace 10
tho mind " the Peopie are rirtuOuS and intetii-
rent, and their Representatives. are ,cOrthy NJ
| confluence" And ifthere be any want of vir-
| tue or intelligence, the best and yurest mode
TO supply il, and maintain purity Of election, is
| the establishment Of free schools for this pur-
pose. giving the new states all they reasonably
require, let pa't of the nations domain be
parcelled out for the support and maintenance
/ Of public schools in the old states.
- ihave endeavored, mr.. Chairman to convince
the committee Of the impropriety of the pro-
| posed alterations, the Importance of that tea-
ture in the federatlve system to the small
States which il is proposedto take from them.
! | have endeayored to answer some of the ar
! guments Of gentlemen in favor of the rCsolu-
! tions what success has attended my efforts,
let others Judge Exhausted as / am, and ex-
hausted as your patience must be, feeling the
weight Of responsibility that has devolvod up
OH me, ] would say more If more would be OF
any avail. The constitution may be consider
! ed us a compact at the time II was formed,
some Difference was thought to be due 10 the
situation and services of the parties to It, 1t
becomes not me TO say much of the services OF
nv native State during our Revolutionary
! struggle, her suferinGs or privatons-but am
warranted in saying, that during that struggle
Rhode Island furnished more men, and lavish
! oJ f,r tho
proportion to her numbers and wealth, than a.
ny State in the Union. She fought the enemy
wherever he was TO be found tee war was
carried to her very frc-sides The island on
which reside. once the EdeE of America, was
for long period the seat Of war--our green
fields were laid waste, our orchards cut down,
houses burnt, and temples dedicated to the
worship of Almighty God, were converted IN
TO barracks and hospitals for British soldiery
My father and grandfather both saw the blaze
of their dwellings, glitter on the darkness OF
midnight The effects of the Revolutionary
War are yet visible in the heart of Rhode-ls
land To fight her battles at home, and to fur.
nsh her quota to fight the battles of the nation
she raised regiments on her own credit and re
spousblity regiments composed of men who
have not vet tasted the bounty of the nation
many ofwhom are now feeding upon individu
al charity, and all ofwhom are left in old age,tC
"Wcep DER their wounds, DER tales of sorrow
done,
f Shoulder their crutch, and show how field:
r were won"
Sir, during the late struggle, RhodeIslant
wasnot behind her sister States ia her cOntrlbu
tions Of blood and treasure. Some ot our in
corporated institutions subscribed their capi
l tails t,- the government loans our private arm
t ed vessels made the enemy, even at Lloyd's
sensible Of the existence of war. AT the Re
t morabc battle Of Bridgewator, when the gal
g iant and intrepid Towson was pouring from
the mouths Of his field pieces sheets offire, ant
: carrying destruction into the ranks of the en-
r emy lac was covered in part by a Rhode lslanC
5 officer. commanding Rhctic-Island men-by al
d officer who went into battle at the head of
) company WIFI rIn mplenasnt nf men
! whose company, when the battle was over
: mustered seventeen mcn, who were not klle,
. or wounded. A son of Rhode-island at tn
5 head of a gallant crew from the same state
$ fought the battle Of the lako--no, sir, in this
0 am mistaken, he had not tis gallant crew witt
: which he started from Newport at Sackett'
?, iIarbOr these men were taken from him. an,
1 he had thrown on his hands the refuse, the a
$ bandoncd Of Gods creation; with such stu!
T the lamcuted Pcrry, with great proportion o
. Rhode-island officers, fought the battle ofEre
!. when, for the first time IN the history Of on
country, feet met fleet, and, for the first time
; feet captured fleet. If in two struggles w
: have presented this burning lamp, are gentle
5 luen now ready to put Oyi this HgH? would
g mr.. Chairman, wer, it necessary on this oc
cdsion, appeal to the feelings, and summon t.
my aid the sympathies of other States Nigor
ous Vermont, though yet in your infancy
your power has been curtailed, and six year
l ago you were reminded of the importance an,
I value of this part of the Constitution. now at
tempted to be taken away Connecticut, th
voice ofyour eloquence has already given as
/ surances of your fidelity. Delaware, you vii
cling to this part of the constitution, as th'
S sheet anchor of yowr hope. Ohio, recollec
/, the sons of Rhode-Island and Connecticut frs
l broke ground upon the banks of Marietta
D., your soil now embo s0ls the ashes of the mos
eloquent advocate that ever graced the Court
of Rhode Island.
Virginia, proud, ard Justly proud, the lant
of heroes patriots statesmen, andphllosophefs
/, are you prepared for this amendment-yo'
have already had some warning of old age an,
decrepinIde the sceptre of your power MAJ
be transferred to other hands the power o
some vaunted state may hereafter write tn,
hic facet of your glory. mr.. Chairman,
have nc-lf the resolutions do pass. shal
be consoled with the reflection of; having
made an effort, feeble as it has been, to pre-
vent their passage
, 81 Pergama dextra,
Defendi posscnt, etiam hac defensl fuissent
: submit the interest of the state repre
, sent. 10 the Justice and maglIar.mity of the