The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-09-13

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!, all their revolutionlz,ng projects. This
accounts for their hostility to the charter
which they endeavor to stigmatize by
raising the cry Of "royal charter -
"King Charles charter" and this mere
puerile rant is addressed even here to
the members Of this Assembly. When
this charter was received, these States
were colonies and necessarily so ; they
could not then have existed without the
aid Of the mother country. They would
have been Immediately subjected by
France But our forefathers did them
selves frame and adopt the provisions of
this charter as their constitution. 1t was
then necessary that it should be put into
the form Of a charter and confirmed by
the King for this purpose they sent it
TO their agent in England DR. John Clarke
one of the foremost men of the day ; who
obtained the confirmation of it from the
King, and this was all King Charles had
to do with it. The very pure minded
gentleman from North Providence has
told US Of the debaucheries Of King
Charles. Pray, what had our ancestors
to do with this? Were they to have no
constitution because King Charles was
wicked man When the revolution
came the declaration Of independence
which was partici pated in, approved Of
and received with acclamatIon by the
people of this State, cut off all the rotten
parts Of the charter, all that had connect
ed us with England. The rest remained
as it had been framed by the people for
their own self governmet. What, sir,
was it necessary for the people to throw
away their own constitution because they
had annulltd their connection with Eng
land and rsnounced allegiance to her 3
The people have not thought so they
were satisfied with their constitutional
charter, and have placed it at the head
of all the digests of the laws. Two at
tempts have been made to substitute a
mother constitution for it, and both at
, Temps have been discountenanced by the
people. They care nothing about the
now unmeanng and obsolete phraseology
of some parts of the instrument so much
of it they know to be dead letter, and
they are above being operated upon by
such puerile considerations. None but
narrow minds can be affected by them.
or expect TO operate upon the minds OF the
people by such means.
The gentleman from Bristol says he is
in favor Of constitution. am very clear
, he would not consent to lose the benefit
secured by this charter. If that gentle
man will reflect, he will find that it will
be serious in its consequences. Tho prol
. | of he, Ia tn cnhyarsIOn
ofthe government. have been Inform
|, cd by one of the gentlemen from Smith
field that at meeting in that town, OF
persons favorable to an extension Of SUI
lrage, it was resolved that they would have
no constitution unless all adult white male
citizens should have a voice in forming It.
The gentleman from North Providence
(Mr. Weeden) was present. They have
not only advanced the doctrine, but have
begun to reduce it to practice. During
the last session Of the legislature in this
town, these genllmen, the same set who
a arc now opposed to having amendments
u made to the charter, held a meeting in
this House at which the following proceed
= ngs took place.
)" A meeting Of the friends of State
D Constitution was held at the State House
in Newport OH Friday evening last lie.
@ vi Halle, Esq. was chosen Chairman, and
y John IL. Weeden, Esq. Secretary. The
e object of the me eeting having been stated
by the Chairman, the following resolution
c was introduced by MIR. Weeden- ReSolr
o ed, that constitution ought to be speed
q ily formed for this State, which shall limi
o and define the powers Of the Legislature
& other departments ofthe government
c equalize represenlation-place the JGdlc
II iary beyond the influence Of party poll
{ tics for the term Of their offices ant
e which shall extend political rights to th'
: tax paying citizens, in such way as to en-
II brace within the body polite majorlt,
If of the physical force ofthe State" Ply
n sicaI force The House will see tha
J. this is the basis ofther project ; but thes'
gentlemen will find that they have not 90
o the physical force in this State /; they viii
X have 10 90 to the 9th Ward in New Yorl
At for it. (Mr Hazard resumed the reading
: Of the resolution "And especially al
Is native born citizens over twenty-one year
II of age, on their paying tax, or submit
IS ting to other equivalent burthens, an
D, that any constitution which does not EN-
l. brace all these objects ought to bo ant
l. will be unacceptable to the people OF ,hi
D State"
l. You see then that they are altogethe
D opposed to the objects Of this bill the.
l. are opposed to having a convention cho
+ sen by the legitimate freemen Of tn
E. State. What they want is n convention
at chosen not by the freemen, but } by tn
l. multitude, the populace, mob. An
n they begin their career by pertiDaciousl
d. insisting that our charter is nnlity, an
d. that we have no written constitntio