Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-04-20
Elisha IL. Potter and
IIemuel IL. Arnold.

i
it should turn out to be a forgery, ! shall
regret having made Mr. Potter RESPONSE
bic for it.-But as there is no time now
to ascertain the fact and as it appeared
in paper devoted to the same cause
with Mr.. Potter, ! must at present sup
pose it to be gcnuine.-yd be a forgery,
repeat; for | should hold the man who
would write such letter to be no better
than him who would forge it.
S. KINGSTON, april l2lh, 1881.
VIM. Sinons, Editor of Rep Herald.
In the American and journal, | have
Observed, it is stated approved and adj
yocatcd the project Of uniting the two
TurnIihcs leading from Providence to
Pawtuckct. feel it duty owe 10 the
public and to myself, 10 state how far
this project was approved by me. The
petition for the mon was presented to
the Assembly, January Session 1880,
and was postponed to the next Session.
AT the June Sc. sion following, when the
subject was called up and an act uniting
said roads was prepared, which was be-
fore the Committee of which was one,
to the best of my recollection, the East
road was represented by L"mud II. .h-
npW and James i. Simmonj---thc town
Of \ olth Providence bv Edward Randall,
and the old road by Thomas Burgess,
Esq They represented to us, they had
been together, and had agreed among
themselves as to the form of AN act
They did not disclose to us any of the
facts IN relation to the old road, and as
| was anxious at that time TO relieve the
State from the claim Oft town of North
Providence for Il grant of money 10 re-
pair the bridge over pawtuchct Falls,
and not Knowing there was an adverse
interest, | merely consented to the act
as it was prepared. But, in Il convcr-
sation with his EycciIcncy Governor
Fcnncr afterwards, and another lcrson
from Providence, together with the facts
stated bv Mr.. Urdikc in the House, !
found had been ovcrrcachcd and de-
ccivcd as to the object Of the petition
and opposed the passage of the act then,
and have ever since opposed it. In the
conversation with Governor Fcun"r and
the other gentleman, | was Informed hv
them that the old road, if it had not al
ready reverted, would soon revert to the
State. and was worth something Ike :, -
or So, 900.
But for this information derived from
Governor Fcnncr and other sources, |
ycilly believe the PROV idcnce and Paw
tuckct Turnpike, would have passed
from the State into the hands of Mcssrs.
Arnold aud Simmons, and their asso-
ciates, without any compensation what
ever. ELISHA r. POTTER.
The purpose for which the above let
ter was written is stamped on its face. 1t
was designed to promote the election of
Gov. Fcnncr by deiaunng the character
of Mr.. Arnold. From the beginning of
the present contest, ihe same ob lCCt had
been necessarily prosecuted by namclcss
libellcrs in the newspapers and IN pa9l-
phets. And now, within four days of
the day Of election, Mr.. Elisha r. Pot
ter, to put the finishing stroke to the work,
comes out before the public in his own
name, and ondcayors to hold up Mr.. Ar
mold as n man who had orcrrcocd,d and
dcccircd a committee Of The House of
Representatives, aMi had aiicmpicd 10 de-
tyaud Mc state oW Of property ~orlh forty
or Uig Thousand dollars.
Ifthis accusation has shadow OF foun-
dation in truth, let the people withdraw
all confidence from Mr.. Arnold forever.
But, if it is false, every shred and pait'-
clio of tt shall have no hard names to
bcs,ow upon Mr.. Potter, | shall leave
him in the hands of his insulicd fellow cit
iZcns.
Mr.. Potter states that the petition, for
uniting the roads, was presented to the
Assembly, January Session 1880, but he
supprcsscs the fact that it was presented
and recommended by himself Mr.. Pot
ter SAYS ''to the best of my recollection
the East road was represented by Lem
ucl Ii. Arnold and James f. Simmons.
The town of North Providence by Ed
ward Randall and the old road by Ihom-
as Burgess, esq. They represented to Us
they had been together and agreed a.
mong themselves as to the form of the
act.-Tacv did not disclose 10 as any ot
The facts IN relation 10 he o'd ro0d. y
Thus he would have it understood that
the committee, of which (hc says) he was
one, was "ovcrrcachcd and deceived '(to
use his own words by combination OF
the persons s. parties above named. The
following letter of Mr. Eurgcss,who holds
the books Of the old Turnpike Company
will show that that company (which alone
at that time, could know what was the
state of its own funds was never repre-
scented by him,or by any one el3c, before