Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-23

uSuiuot tC otneto eHa VI ssAo
county, report, that 1t was not tho intention Of the
Banks, to try the question in the State Courts, but
that it appeared 10 be their determination to remove
them by a mandaInus to the Supreme Court Of the
United States, after letting Judgment. pro forma, pass
against them in the State Courts. Nathaniel Searle
and Benjamin Hazard were associated with the At
torney General as counsel for the State, TO defend
said suits, under the direction Of the following COM
mittee appointed by the House, VIE. Messrs. Durfee,
Waterman Potter, Cranston, Bicknel and Sim
mons.
A. bill instructiug our delegation in Congress to
vote for an increase Of duties on certain imported ar
ticles passed, and was concurred in by the Senate.
Several convicts were liberated; the petitions Of Oba-
diah Gorton and Cornelia Herbert were dismissed.
A charter was granted to the Providence Marine
Dock Company. A bill passed to revive and amend
the Providence and Farnum Turnpike Company. A
bill providing for a special term ofthe Court OF Com
mon Pleas for this county was passed. The commit
tee on the Burrillville Bank was discharged, and the
further attendance Of the Directors dispensed with.
4 bill relative to the powers Of Town Meetings and
the Town Council in Providence, was passed. A
bill from the Senate dcclaratory Of the act protecting
persons in religious freedom, passed with only five
dissenting voices.
This act is in addition to the nc, dcclaratory ofccr-
tain rights, and contains a re-assertion ofthc right OF
every citizen to profess, and by argument to maintain
his opinion upon religious subjects, without subject
ing him to any civil incapacities, without affecting
any ofhis rights or capacity for public Office, and
with the addition that he is not subject to be ques-
toned by any Legislature or judicial body upon the
subject ofhis belief or disbelief with a view to his
competency as a witness.
The Legislature adjourned about eight o'clock on
Saturday, after being in session less than a week and
by diligent attendance dsposing of all the important
business before il. The Free School and lusolvent
acts are decidedly the most important that have occu-
pied the attention of our Legislature. Not having
either of the bills before us, We are compelled to
give nothing but their leading features.
The EnsOipenk Act p,oyides for the trial Of all In
solvent petitions by the Supreme Judicial Court in
the county where the petitioners respectively reside.
Previous to petitioning they must have resided three
years, in the state and a discharge only exempts the
body from arrest, but subjects the subsequent acquire
ments to attachment on original writ or execution.
The Court appoints the a~ssignecs Of the petitioner
and If necessary, may require bonds. The act went
into effect Immediately after the rising Of the Con-
cral Assembly.
The act establishing Public Schools, as passed
by the General Assembly provides that the sum of
ten thousand dollars a year, accruing from lotteries
and auction duties, shall be appropriated and paid out
Of the General Treasury to the several towns, in pro-
portion 70 their population under sixteen years Of age,
for the support Of public schools, and empowers the
towns to raise by themselves a sum not exceeding
double its proportion thereof, to be added thereto
tor the same purposes. Should the revenue accruing
from the said sources in any year fall short Of 5000
dollars, the deficiency is to be supplied from any I'M
appropriated money in the Treasury, and whenever
IL cxceeds thdt sum, the excess is 10 De vested Ior
accumulation in the school fund provided by the
eighth section. The money is to be paid out on and
after the first day o fJunc, in this and every year, and
after the first distribution, the Town Council Of each
town must certify to the General Treasurer that the
money has been faithfully applied to the object, be-
fore such town can receive its next proportion. Each
town, at the annual election of town officers. is to
elect not less than five nor more than twenty ono
suitable persons for a school committee, who arc to
locate the school houses, employ the school masters
ard mistresses, superintend and visit the schools,
audit and certify accounts before they are paid by the
town Treasurer, keep a record Of their proceedings
and rcndcr AT account once a year, or oftencr il re-
| quired, to the town.
BY the eighth section, FIVE thousand dollars are APP
propriated out Of the balance now in the Treasury,
for the promotion and commencement Of a school
fund, TO be invested in productive stock by the Gen.
cral Treasurer with tho advice of the Governor. to
which all excess of annual revenue from the above
sources, all dividends and interest thereon, all ap-
preparations and donations for tho purposes thereof
are to be added, and in like manner invested, from
time to time, land the interest only, or SO much Of the in
tcrest as is necessary to be used to supply adefciency
ifany should happier, in the said annual sum of 10000
dollars -0Jurndk.