The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-02-05
MEMOIR OF II. ISLAND.
I647.

The omigra,ions from Europe for a
few years past to these Colonies had bee"
very great, aud principally fihose who
we're dissatisfied with the Government
in England. either of Church, or State,
sr both /; many new sec,s had arisen in
the mother country, each claiming ,o he
more enlightened than their neiglbors
on the All important and engrossing sub
jest of religion, and many of 'hem be-
lieying that they had received divine in
spiralion, and were commissioned by
heaven tn be new lights 10 men--and To
be capable of insirnciing the world as
20 the will of Heaven. The struggle
Ind been long going .op between the
Catholics, the Episcopalians, aud the
ii.sen,ers each in their turn holding
and Welding the advantage 10 others.
No sect had "a sieady and entire pos
session of power, 80 rs 10 compel nn'-
f,rnity. Such state &c things was ex-
,remely favorable TO The various denomi-
nations OF dissenters, who were but little
agreed among themselves. Those who
smirrated 10 New England, were prin-
cipally of Tho Congregational order, or
at least adopted ;hat form after their
arrival; others, however, Introduced
themselves, and finding religious es'
tablishmen, ON their arrival, began to
90, up on their own account, which soon
brought down upon ,hem the pnwer OF
the established order. Out of the vari-
eus independents aud sec,arians who mr.
rived in Massachusetts, the Colony oi
Rhodc-I Island vas principally settled
all agreeing in their dctes'a'ion of
ecclesiastical tyranny, all protesting ~
xainst the Union of Church and State.
u, the same time holding little commun-
ion with one ano,her in matters of re-
ligion. Under such circumstances il is
fully evident that ir they combined ~
civil Government at all, It must be by
excluding from their civil institutions all
legislation upon religious affairs. This
mas f1rseen and provided for, by ths en-
,iqh,ened men who frs, commenced the
settlement Of the Colony nf Rhodc-ls-
land by framing their insli u,ions so as
,o place the civil Government out of The
reach Of religious controversy, or IN
o:her words. 10 erect n Government
having no religion but wholly of a civil
and moral character. Among such a
population, hastily md accidentally
drawn together, it rs no wonder 1t indi-
yiduals, and even sections should enter
tain crude opinions, and form parties,
whose discords were not easily nppeased.
The little State was doomed nbout this
time to experience the severest trial,
discord ran high all over the Colony bLt
more specially in Providence.
Mr.. II. Williams lahored to preserve
order, and ulIay the angry passions OF
the contending parties, nj least So far as
90 preservo the Government and secure
the due execution Of the laws; but for
a number of years his efforts were baflled
and the Colony divided on almost every
other question hut Of Legislation on the
subject Of religion; in that they were
uniform when united under one Govern
ment, or when divided and under two.
The State however seemed fast verging
iuto anarchy aud confusion--r ersonM
animosi,ies and jealousy ahounded, and
many of the first men in the Colony al
most despairsi of its ultimate success,
Among them were seyen ofibe principal
men Of Tho Island, who with MIR. Cod
dington at their head deemed it safer for
those Of the Island To- provide for their
own peace and security, than to en'an-
rle themselves with all the perplexi,ies
in which the rest Of the Colony had in-
volved themselves by their own divisions
and jealousy, which j, is trIe, were ny.
sravsted by the hosiiiiiies of the Massa-
chuseus. Under those circumstances
M. Codding,on aud Mr.. Partridge in
bchnlf Of the pc 1ple of tho Island, APP
piled To the Commissioners ofihe Uuiied
Colonies to receive the Island into their
Confederacy.