Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-05-14
WHOLE NO. 267.
RHODE-ISLAND LEGISLATURE.

| ana niler tne ceftincateS 0f tHe election
of the mombers of the House Of Repre-
seniatives were handed to the Secretary
and he had administered to them tho
oath of Office, Mr.. Allen, of North
King stown, nominated WM. SpRAGUEJr.
for Speaker, and Mr.. D'Wolf, Of Bris-
tol, nominated HENRY Y. CRANsToN.-.
The ballot was taken, and on counting
the votes there were 81 for CranstOn,
and Sd for Sprague, one Jackson mem
Der from New Shoreham, being absent.
Mr.. Cranston, the Wing candidate, was
declared duly elected Speaker, who took
the chair, and thanked the House, in o
peculiarly happy and laconlc manner,
for the honor they had conferred upon
him, and concluded by saying that, cit
should be his sincere endeavor so TO DIS
charge the duties OF the station, that no
one should regret having appointed him" ;"
Elisha X. Potter, Jr., and George w.
Jackson, were appointed Clerks, without
opposition, one from each party.
The Speaker then informed the Gov
ernor and Senate, that the House was
org anized, and ready to join them in
proceeding in the election, when the Sc
cretary called over tho several towns,
and received the proxy votes for Gov
ernor, &c.
Mr.. Hazard presented memorial
from certain freemen OF the town Of
J anne stown, on the subject of illegal
votes, and moved its reference to com
mittee, to whom all others Of similar
nature should he referred. After some
remarks on the subject by Messrs. Allen,
1'illinghast and Titus, il was by general
consent referred to the committee who
should be appointed to count the votes
for General Officers, and that they
should report before counting the votes.
On motion Of MIR. Hazard, it was Or
dercd that a committee of ten, two from
each county, should be appointed to
count the votes for Governor, and other
General Officers.
Messrs. Rugglos and Gray, we're ap-
pointed for the county of Newport
MIR. HoPpin nominated Mr.. Simmons,
and Mr.. Mathewson nominated Messrs.
Titus and Hoppin-the latter declined,
and insisted on the nomination of nj essrs.
Simmons and Titus. Mr.. Mathewson
objected to Mr. Simmons, and upon be-
ing requested TO state his objections,
said, that Mr.. Simmons had taken We
ry active part in the election, and that
he had been in nearly every town in tho
State, canvassing votes at the several
town clerks Offices.
MIR. Simmons acknowledged, that like
many others, he had felt strong inter-
est in the success of the Whig Ticket;
that he had voted for it himself, and per-
suaded others to do the same. This
was no more than others had DONE
Every member of the House had taken
the same interest in the election as him
self--some for one ticket and some for
the other. He denied that he had been
about the State canvassng the votes;
that could not have been done, as the
votes were all scaled up. Besides, ho
had been TO but one town clerks offico
in the State, out of his own town, since
the election, and then at the request Of
another person.
In the course Of the debate, which oc-
cupied more than an hour, Mr.. Mathew
son said, he had no objection to any
other person, and his friends might nom
mate whom they pleased.
MIR. Simmons said, he knew not why
he should be singled out, and he went at
length into vindication Of himself, ard
appealed to the members who had acted
with him on committees and in conven-
tons, and to his Excellency the Cover
nor, with whom he had the honor to sit
and act, If any one of them ever knew
him to be guilty Of dishonorable actor
contend for extreme measures in politics.
The appeal was made in the most for
chile and powerful language, and was
so unanswerable, that the opposition was
finally Withdrawn and Messrs. Sim
mons and Titus were appointed on the
committee for tho county Of Providence;
Messrs. Allen, and Thurston, for Wash
ington county; Mess,s. D'Wolf, and
Halle, for Brstol; Messrs. James, and
ID. Greene, for Kent.
MIR. Potter moved that all memorials
and papers presented to the General As
sembly relating TO the election, be re-
ferred to the committee, and that they be
authorized to send for persons and pa
pers.
Mr.. Simmons wished that the memo
rails might be first read to the Assem-
bly,, and that they should instruct them
into what subjects they should inquire
whether the committee should hear OBJ
ljections 10 votes which were not chal-
lenged in the town meetings, or should
investigate the legality Of every vo'e.-
Before this question was decided, the
Assembly aJj. to d, in the afternoon.
The Assembly met again at 4 o'clock,