Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-01-05
[For the Herald OF the Times
Mr.. EDITOR-

signed "Roger WiIliams," has prompted
me to an expression of my sentiments in
regard to the meeting referred to by the
writer ofthat commune alton.
In the winter of 1929, petitions were
preferred to Congress from various sec
tons Of our happy country, soliciting the
interference Of that body to prohibit the
transportation Of the public mail, and the
opening of Post Offices on the first day
of the week. Other petitions were pre-
ferrcd to the same body, asking for a
continuance Of the transportation of the
mail, and the opening of Post Offices on
the day above alluded to.-Thcsc seve-
raj petitions were fostered by men, hav-
ing, no doubt, the public good in view:
And inasmuch as they submitted their
wishes to the decision of an enlightened
body of Legislators, it was presumed that
whatever that decision might be, all par
ties would be satisfied.
The committee to which these petitions
were referred, proved by the subsequent
report of a majority of its members, to be
eminently qualified for the task assigned
it. That report, so familiary known by
the appellation of "Johnson's Report"
was at its birth, and is now, considered so
pregnant with unanswcrablo arguments
in favor ofthe present mode of transport
ing the mail, that no man of sense sug-
gested doubt ofits being acceptable to
every individual having at heart the gen.
eral good Of his country; or, at any rate,
that it would so operate on the minds of
those dcsirous Of change, rs to put to
rest any future attempt to memorialize
Congress on the subject. This antici-
patton, however, has been attended with
some disappointment--many Of the most
jealous opponents of the present mail ar
rangement having been found renewing
their wishes to Congress. But so great
is the impression made by mr.. Johnson's
report, in favor Of the sound doctrines
which it embodics-an impression which
must strengthen in proportion as we re-
fleet upon the mattcr-that it would be
deemed an absolute absurdity to say that
we have any thing to fear from the infiu-
ence of these petitions AS soon would
/ cherish fear of the success of pro-
position submitted to Congress for sep
aration of these twenty-four states, and
for the consequent abolition of the Con-
stitution. If, then, we know that Con-
gress rill not legislate on the subject of
these petitions; if we know that petition
after petition will be rejected; if we know
too, that the zeal of the supporters Of this
new project has abated to degree al
most imperceptiblc, is it necessary, with
a knowledge of all these facts, that
Rhode-Island should come forward at
this late hour, to express her sentiments
on subject so evidently decided'
As a citizen of Rhode-Isand, am
proud to say that the voice which is about
to break upon the ear Of Congress, is not
her voice, and l will show you, mr. edi-
tor, by and by, that l do not talk without
book.
In the Newport Mercury of the 25th
ultimo, is notice inviting meeting on
the Tuesday evening following, Of the
citizens of Newport, Middletown, and
Portsmouth, for the purpose ofmemorial-
izing Congress on the subject of Sunday
mails. AT the time appointed for the
meeting, attended; the persons present
amounted in number to about one hun
dred; the meeting was called to order by
Ex-Gov. Gibbs, (who thereupon immedi-
ately left the room) and subsequently
Doct. Cotton was called to the chair, and
VIM. G. Hammond, esq (thc son-in-law
of maj. BulD was chosen secretary of
the meeting. Maj. Bull was by this
time ready to state his views relative to
the object Of the meeting; this done, he
turned to his hat and took thercfrom a
newspaper from which he read com
munication, deriding in blasphomous Ian
guage, the intentions Of those who peti-
toned for discontinuaDcs of the trans
portation Of the mail on the sabbath
Following this, vas . suggestion made