The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-09-04
PROCEEDINGS or THE LATE
QUASI LEGISLATURE, OR THE
FARCE OF THE NEWPORT
TOW.v MEETING.

"Was it patriotic, or republican in
this Jackson leader, to attempt to dis
franchise whole townl Such indeed
was the boasted repubIicanism Of Major
Bull, and the other petitioners"
Journal, August 9Th, 1882.
The above malignant interrogatory
and remark, are the production Of the
editor Of the Journal.-They were made
in regasd to the following petition, TO re-
ject the votes Of the town Of Newport.
presented the last session Of the Assem-
bly,. While their object was to stigma
tiss the whole Republican party. through
Major Bull, they at the same time, treat
the other petitioners with a contumeIy
rarely to be met with, in the writings of
the most Iunprincipled political editors.
II is mere attempted, for the basest pur-
poses Of party. to create nm impression,
that the petitioners were actuated, by
"privafe feelings and party resentmenfs"
towards Mr.. Henry Y. Cranston. the
Moderator of the Newport meeting.
We are at loss, to discover any thing
in the petition, or the proceedings be-
fore the Asse mbly, that could justify the
editor in his ungentIemanly inferences.
The petition contains facts, proved by
the subjoined certificate Of the Town
Clerk. which warranted its presentation,
as The only proper course to preserve the
purity of our election laws, and prevent
the worst consequences from the illegal
and arbitrary measures Of town meet
ing. when governed by political party,
that disregards the rights Of a minority
No principle is better settled, than that
every town meeting must be organized
by ,hc choice of a bona fde freeholder,
for its Moderator. Unless the Modera-
tor be such freeholder, it is equally
clear, that all the acts Of town meeting
SO constituted are void. In case town
meeting SO ursanizcd, proceeds 20 trans
act business, what can the minority do,
who feel themselves aggrieved by its acts,
other than to inemoralize the Legislature
for the correction Of its errorsl There
is no other tribunal competent to inter-
fere, in regard to the votes for General
Officers, except the Legislature. Here
then was case, in which the minority
of the town Of Newport, justly conceived
the election law had been wantonly vio-
lated, by putting a person in Moderator,
whom they deemed to be disqualified for
want of slIfficie nj freehold. What was
their proper remedy 7 Could they do less,
than represent the facts to the Assembly,
In order TO prevent similar occurrence :!
This was their only course, and it was
a righ, and proper one. How then can
the petitioners, with any propriety, be
charged with having gotten up this pc
tition, ITO crafty privatc feelings and
party resentments 2" Much less can it be
tortured Info an attempt to disfranehise
sOhols tos0n." None but political bigots
could possibly arrive at such conclu-
sion. We. rejoice, and the people ofshe
whole State ought to rejoice that this pc
tition, with its facts were presented to
the Assembly. because they show. to
what base tricks and unjustifable prac-
tees the par.isans Of Governor Arnold
will descend, ia order to secure their
ascendency. either in town meetings, or
their Legislative proceedings. -rs' (
Was there no other person, in the an
cient and enlightened town Of Newport.
qualified to discharge the duties Of Mod
orator. except Henry Y. Cranston, Esq.,
Must the sanctity Ct the election law. be
violated, in order 10 have the benefit Of
his legal adjsdieations upon questions on
the diversified rights Of votingi What
ever regard other towns may manifest
for the law, it seems. that in Newport
and the city of Providence, none are
qualified to officiate as Modesators and
Wardens, but National Republicans,
whether qualified as freshoIders, or not
The facts stated in the petition and
proved by the certificate Of the Town
Clerk would certainly have prevented
any decent and moderate man, in a
country town. from scce pting the Office