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

Third Of The freeman Of the State, iagrce
TINT the towns have.leen tor rlany years
very lnnequaIly represented, esPacinily
Newport and Providence. Now II Tins
House have right 10 say how many
repre- natives each town shall have, why
have they 30 long been groaning under this
pressing inequaiity? why have they not
altered il before! II tae General Assem-
bly, had had the power TO alter the rep
resenta.ion they certainly would have
done il before. Tho Charter gives each
|towu certxtn number of representatives.
Now, ever since The Revolution the peo-
pie have considered this Charter part
Of their constitution and that the const'-
tuition could not alter it. do contend
thPt We can make a new constitution as
well as 10 alter the number OF Represen-
tatives. 1t is contcnded by some gentle
men who have spoken in this debate, that
this State has been governed great ma-
my years by n minority. The House It
lis true does not represent equally. But
the Governor and Seaatc are elected by
tho freemen Of the State at lurge, they
have negative upon all the acts oi ti,e
House, and have for forty years con'roli-
ed the appointment ol all the officers of
1.-The State. This branch ol the l.cgisla-
ture bcing chosen by the people al large
and controlling in this manner the pro-
cecdis1 of the General Assembly, ma
iority Of the people have therefore exer-
cised q complete control over the affairs
Of government in this State and It is
now actually moro democratic than any
State in the Union. :.
l thought | never should have heard
from my friend, from Bristol, motion to
have this house determine upon the num-
ber of representstiyes each town shall
have, knowing how strcnuous'y opposed
he has been to any thing likc usurPation
Of power by the Assembly
MIR D'WoLF K cannot see any sacon-
| sstency in this motiOn--we do not pro-
pose TO fix or alter the number Of repre-
senta,ives to tho Legistnre, but to fix
tthe number for n special purpose, that is,
for a Convention for forming a constilu-
tion. see nothing improper in this.
Mr. CRANsToN--H strikes me that
while our present qualification exists 1t
ought not to be altered by the LegLsla-
ture. While the landed qualification
continues, the frecmen ought to have the
choosing OF the Convention, and those
who are not thus qualified must rely upon
the honesty and accountability to tie
people of those who may be 'electej.-l
And the mcn who are sent to that conven-
ton il they are honest, If they arc capa-
BILE, and ii they pay any regard to the
oath that will be upon them, nny be safe
ly entrusted with the discharge OF this du-
ty. hope the gentleman will withdraw
his amendment.
= (To be Continued.
..Mr. Dorr has requested the Reporter to add
the following note to the debates on the bill tor
ca ling q, convention to amend the Charter.
The statement Of Mr. Hazard Of the number
of white males over the age Of twcnty-one was
correct. Mr. Smith, in examining the census at
The District Clerks Office, not finding the Reca-
of the returns, proceeded to examine the
returns ofthe severH counties and in 50 doing OBJ
tanned the incorrect result which has been pub
ishcd. II IN hoped thnt through the columns Of
he Journal the correction will be, to say the least,
Is extensive as the error Itshould also have been
,dded IN the Address that as the enumeration was
md 10, &c the number of those over 2l years :
unnot be exactly stated but result vary ing but
title is presumed, from the true number IN OBJ
aimed by dedncting one tenth from the whole mum
yer betW cen 20 and 80.
Upon further examination il appears that the
Who e number fwhte males in this State in 1880 I
,otween the years Of 20 and 80 was S525 de- n
lucsng S42, one tenth for those between 20 and
,i there remain 1888 all other white males oil
30 and upwarcs are 1868, making in the whole
81 ,23I or foreigners not naturaIized there were
lllO-; say one fifth for males Fl years, 222.
suppose there were 1000 other persons. not per-
nanent inhabitants of the State, but ahving tenn
pory employment here, who were enumerated in
The census "A large allowance ore fifth for males
over ~ would be 500 this number added 10 the
222 above, makes 1922, say 100 deduct this
number from IL 600 non-frecholders aud there re-
main 10000 deduct still farther for paupers, &c.
if,h. allowance orths 900 above be not deein-
cd sufficiently liberal, and there will still remain
n decided majority Of non-trecholders T.
Thegreat opposition 70 the adoption Of Con-
stitution, and to the extension Of the right of suf
frace, n this State. is not to be found among the
sreat body ofthe freeholders but among n few
political leaders in the Assembly. Any thing that
intcrferes with the omnipotencc Of that body -
sure to he not only opposed, but calumnnted by
those who aspire to be its taders.-Thesc nre
the men who oppose every thing that clashe, with
their real oriin,,ginary Interests, how just in
principle. or salutary in practice it may bo. To
promote the best interest and prosperity Of the
State in their political creed is to clothe them in
not lntle) brief amhority TO distribute among