The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-08-30

great part OF which consists ot natler oI
no sort OF value and totally obsolete, such
as the royal formularies, "of our especial
grace, certain knowledge and mere mo
tlon," the right OF pursuing whale, du-
bertus, or other great fish when struck"
the provisions 10 encourage the making oil
wines, &c. Were the General Assembly
to cause such an instrument TO be sent
out 10 perplex the peoplce with all the
round OF necessary amendments when
The whole was required to be amended
20 ain and again wien ithad been shewn
/ that the essential powers Of government
we're wanted in it. There was one most
important defect, sufficient alone to con-
demn it. 1t lett the judiciary entirely de-
pendent on the legislature. he most
heartily concuried in the remarks of the
gentleman from Bristol, (Mr D'WoM,)
in alusion to the subject OF cur Courts
1t was moriilying to alludc to the Judicia-
ry system of THIS State, which encourages
men to engage in political scramble Tor
judiciary office, knowing Us they do, that
political merit Is the test Of qualification.
We were mortified with the spectacle Of
men who alternate between the manage-
ment of political parties and the exercise
of judicial functions. We ought to pro-
vide for ore independent conrt u: least.
Tho gentleman from Bristol lad antici-
pated him on this subject. Every form
of Government was radically defective
which left the right OF suffrage IN tho
hands of the legislature. The agents Of
the people have thus become greater than
the people in this State. Here then
must be an article defining this inva!ua-
bile right Of the citizen. 1t would seem
that IN nearly all essential points, always
excepting the provision for religious free
dom, the charter was radically defective,
and if the convention would 80 on to pro-
pose amendments, they must make flty
or sixty, and perplex the people OF the
State in deciding upon them separately
as proposed All those members OF the
House who were really In favor OF a con-
stitution would vote for the amendment.
Even those who say that there ought to
be no extension of suffrage would admit
that it was important that the law relating
to voters should cease ~ be a provision
of merely statute law. He did not think
it was necessary to 20 further at present.
He thought it would be best to send out
a full commission, as in 1924, that the
convention, however constituted, or by
whomsoever elected, should be at liberty
to propose such constitution as they
might think best.
Mr. E. Il. POTTER, said he should be
glad to know before he swallowed that n
hat han E,rs
teIs to vote tor members of the Cnnven-
tion, whether they were to be black or
white, male or female. lie hoped the
gentlemen would put hereafter mention
ed into his amendment, SO that the
House might know for whom they were
voting
Mr. DoRR-The gentleman certainly
misapprehends the object Of the amend
ment, for the people subsequently, TO be
inserted as voters may be Just what the
House see fit to insert. They could GER
teainy vote down the basis which they
preferred.
Some further objection being made by
Messrs. b. Hazard and E. r. Potter, 10
these words in the amendment submitted
by Mr. Dorr, viz. ''the persons hercinaf-
ter mentioned as voters"
Mr. Dom said that he merely wished
to take the sense Of the House upon tho
question, whether they would call Con-
vention to amend the Charter, or to form
Constitution. He was perfectly wiling
to alter his amendment so us to exclude
that part to which objection had been ta-
ken.