The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-10-25

VIC equaHzatioH Of that representa-
t'on! Ii there had been more Of the spir-
It OF the founders Of the State in the
hearts OF their descendants, there would
not now be contest for reform Ii would
nave been accomplished at the period oe
the Revolutions.
But 1t Is said that we are inconsistent ::
that the landed qualification is set forth in
The resolutions as having existed from the
beginning, and that its origin in the Ad-
dress rs dated IN 1874. admit that the
9th resolution might have been better
worded: but does the member from New
port believe that the trainers of fhe Res-
oiution intended to assert in the face Of
the act OF 1924, the first act that fixed am
exclusively landed qualitic alton uvou m.
otate, That there never has existed any
other qualification in Rhode Island3 The
meaning OF the resolution is that admit
ing the landed 10 have been the original
and exclusive requisite for voters, still az
nearly all the inhabitants of the State
were landholders for long period from
the foundation Of the State, il did not then
work the injustice which il does now.
when there are SO many who own no land
and yet haye other property more than
enough to make them freemen. II wa.
the same in this State in early times as Il
now is in the Western States, which vote
by universal suffrage almost every man
Is there farmer and if the ownership
Of land were demanded Of him, he could
still vote. How much would the number
OF votes be diminished in Illinois or Mis-
sour ny requiring land of them, 1t would
once have made as little difference here.
1t is farther objected that having as
sented that the public servants ought not
TO determine the rights of the people. Wa
are now Inconsistent in now asking ,ha
Legislature to alter the rule Of voting
Can 1t be necessary to repeat the distinc-
ton between the alteration by this lep,s-
lature OF its own representation and con-
stancy, and the calling Convention for
the single, special purpose Of framing A
Constitution, based ON principles Of ios-
tice.
1t is also said that the Address in er.
roneous, inasmuch as 1t puts down the
number Of white male citizens of this
State over the age Of twenty -one years at
more than twenty -threo thousand where.
as It is not much over twenty one thou.
sand. The writer of that part Of the "A.
dress relating to tho extension OF sufffsSs
did not examine the last census himsejr
The statement in the Address was fur
nished TO him, at his request, by another
member Of the committee (MI Smith).-
If there be an error it shall be corrected.
But snpposing that there is, and that the
statement by the member iron. Newport
is the true .one, it cannot vary materially
the result. 1t is conjectured in the Al.
dress that an estimate which makes ths
whole number of ffeemen in this St.ta
ten thousand, would be a thousand too
large. The greatest vote Of the Stats
is, believe, never SO high as eight thou
sand and to suppose that in times of
|great party excitement from twelve TO
sixteen hundred freemen stay away from
the polls would be very great allow
ance. But allowing that there are nins
thousand freemen in the State, and there
are probably not SO many, it would be-
hard indeed if among the remaipinv 10
thousand: there could NOS be fonnd hon
est and capable men enough to be added
TO the minority as voters, and thus to
place the majority in the opposite scale.*
The member from Newport complains
Of passage Of the Address which, he
says, was intended to please the mechan-
les. That member has been in the habit
Of applying opprobious language to ths
persons who seek for the admission 10 tbs
polls under IN extension Of suffrage. -
'rha A ddrocs in raCa,ooco - III =
niators Of their fellow citizens, speaks
thus-"Let those who use this language"
(about unwholesomo citizens, the cor
rupt and vicious, intruders, &c. "come
out and say, If they will venture the as
sertion, that the body Of traders and me-
chanics, and professional mel, and sons
Of landholders are the base and corrupt
persons who are aimed at in these sweep.
ing dehunciations. No others can be
meant" This passage is no more ad-
dressed to the mechanics than 10 the 9th
er classcs mentioned in it. The member
from Newport says II is a gross misrepre-
senlation. Let us see if il be SUCH
That member would not be bold enough
to mention the mechanics and o,he clsss-
es by name as the persons he me ans 70
describe. But shall he shelter himself
behind mere verbal evssioh' liza man
charge those who seek certain obiec,
with being base characters, without DE-
signaling them, and the persons who Sc ok
that object are well known and cannet be
and at the same time ss classes
Of men compose d respectable and repu-
Ia BILE portion OF society, is not that man 10
all intents and purposes a defamer, de-
serving to be branded with tho mark vf
his ofence'
l have omitted TO notice earlier the con-
struction put by the member upon the sp-
pointment Of committee, et q meeting Of
the Convention, to draw up some of,he
r,c,i essential artieles nj a Coo.t;,,,,;or