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

the subject, II was proposed that the vol
untary payment Of tax on a blank n
mount Of dollars in property should enti
lie a man to vote although he should O.
not be assessed as the owner of so mucl
property. This suggestion was made I,
meet an objection sometimes raised (it j.
repeated ut the 18th page of the Repor
on suffrage )tirat the assessors might be in
duced ny party feelings to assess their op
Ponets upon u sum 10 wer than that re uu,r
ed ior qualification. 1t was Thought tha
upon the plan Of paying tax on at leas
certain sum might be fixed (and n,
doubt it could beg high enough to max,
Inc tax by no means nominal. But tbi,
was merely proposition, and If il were
liable to objections, they are removed il
the amendment TO the bill now before US
which proposes tbst the voters for the
Convention and the Constitution made
by It shall be assessed on not less than
one hundred and thirty four dollars Of re-
al or personal estate. The member from
Newport has fastened upon this PROPOSE
tion as another proof Of desire ior uni
versal SUFFRAGE!
In passing TO another subject let me
ask II the declarations and acts of a party
mean anything, do you need on this point
any further comment upon the dising emu
Gus imputations Of that member.
10 a Rhode Island man Of proper feel
ing, nothing can be moro offensive than
amy disparu( vnent OF the venerable foun-
ders Of our State. 1t is, therefore, an
object with the member from Newport TO
make you believe, il he can, that the Ad-
dress OF the Constitutional Party is dis
respectful to our ancestors. Nothing can
be more uniounded than this Charge
Allow me to read passage from that
Address, Up. g.. ave desire TO dis
claim, In the outset, any design or desire
Of offering the slightest disrespect to the
memory or to the character Of our prede-
cessors, who first established that scheme
Of government, into which we are now
anxious to carry the work of reformation
II any pride OF ancestry may be INDUCED
in this country, the people Of Rhode lsl
and may honorable exult in those noble
iorefaihers, who abandoned their native
home, and again their adopted land, anc
encountered the dangers OF savage will
|derness, for the sake Of that great exper
iment Of Religious Liberty, in the bless
ings Of which we all participate. As
senbled as we now are, almost within ,
stones cast Of the ashes Of ROGER WILL.
IAMs, that one Of us should utter WORD
Of disparagement Of such man, or of his
illustrious fellow patriots, would feel him
self rebuked by the genius Of the place.
| We revere the names Of those venerable
ancestors. We glory in our inheritance
aud animated, as we trust, (though some
OF us are but the subjects, rather than the
citizens, Of a Republican State) by 9
portion Of their own love Of lleedom, o.
their firm purpose, of their Jealous ant
determined perseverance and resolved
TO carry out still farther into practice the
life and purport Of those principles which
they maintained, ut the foundation of the
State, we would employ our earnest anc
unremitted exertions for the correction O.
defects and errors, which, in the progress
of time and change, are inevitably found
to exits in the best organized system ol
government, and which are at this mo-
ment so visible and palpable in our own.
Ii we bring to our understanding any oi
the ancient, sturdy spirit of Rhode Island
patriotism, we shall deserve, and in the
end, obtain a proportionate success" =
This is the language which we hate US
ed !; and what becomes of the unfair, un-
candid imputation that we have abused
our ancestors.
mir HAzARD-That is not the whole
of il the rest is a trade against our an'
cestors.
Mr. DoRR-Let the member have hi.
own way and say what he pleases. He
feels badly, and is seeking to relieve HIM
self 1t is said TO be sign Of good
preaching that it distresses the sinner
Tho Address, if tried by this rule, must
contain some good doctrine. The MEM
Der from Newport has evidently read it
and studied it carefully, aud it has gone
to the right place. Mr. Speaker, deny
that there is any thing in that Address
disrespectiul to the founders Of this State.
The desire Of the Constitutional Party
Is to do, what their fathers would do if now
conversant with human affairs, and with
the better definition which has been fram-
ed Of a.well regulated government. IL it
any distespect to their memory to express
an opinion that evils which have grown
up in the progress Of time and change
should be redressed, especially TO mark
the injustice Of the deviation from the
early principle that men "meet for the
service Of the body" "of competent es-
tates" (not real estate only " serv'cea-
BILE to serve in town Offices" "deserv-
ing'' of admission, Of which desert the
towns were to Judge, should be admitted
lreemen-and The establishment OF an
exclusively landed requisite for voters =
Was il right to appor,ion representation
in the charter, at the request Of those an
cestors, according to the population ol
A. ,oyns ,nd a. "A ,,ouv ,v,.au IN cock