The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-01-24
'yHE COM sTITUTIoMALIsT.
Constitution.

have nbOunded, ever since this State be-
came free and independent ;--thess rea-
sons for the adoption Of a Constitution
have been aecumula,iog with the pro-
ceedipgs Of tho government, from that
time to the present mot II political year
has passed, we presume TO say, but what
has cvinced clearly The Importance ofthis
step. Yet these arguments have been
either SO utterly unheeded or regarded as
Of SO little moment. as that they have not
yet induced the good people Of this State,
to franc aud adopt, what every other
State have found it absolutely necessary
to do, for the protection Of their rights
The preservation Of their liberties and the
pcrpetuity of their republican institutions.
But we verify believe, that if arguments
in favor cfa Constitution continue to null
'iply, M they have reco nily, the people,
tREEmen especially, will sensiLly feel&Lo
need Of one whether they choose 10
see its necessity or not. One would hayo
thought that the dilemma into which tho
multiplicity Of political pa,tics recently
threw us, in tho choice Of Governor and
Senators, would have been amply suffic-
lent to oPon tho eyes Of Gvemen. Wo
suppose however, that the fact ortheir be-
ms free imply that they are u privihged
class and can open and close their. eyes
upon whatever they choose, aud so av, id
being charycable with giarisg ineonsis-
tcncy.
The question might at this time be pcr-
'incntly put to the people Of this State
where are your liberties b! Yes, Peo-
pie OF Rhode Island, F'reemea and bond
men where arc your Liberties l-on whom
or what do you depend for their continu.
ancc sure enough
RHoDE-IsLANDERs whcre il all your
bonsted religious liberty Where is all
that ooas.cd lreedom in religious n.utters
which as sons Of Roger Williams yru
have fung through the States of this I'm.
ion,~hich you have tranpeted forth on the
shores Of Europe, which you have so often
published to the world aud have az often
repeated ? Echo answers, ,cherc ?
Ali your boastcd rights a,e secured to
you by bond no stronger than the arLi-
tray will Of an irresponsible Legislature
you hold them by tenure as unstable MS
the nuctualing caprice Of whimsical Leg
islutors can mike it. Yes. to day you
may bo clothed with all the privileges
which were the proud legacy Of your
fathers, purchased by their toll, secured
by their blood, defended by their valor, The
pride and boast Of their descendants, and
tomorrow you may be shorn of them all
to-day, n freeman, tomorrow, u slars
to-day, protected in your rights, to-mor-
row no rights to protect ;-and all this,
because tho Legislature arc supreme in
stead If the people Arc these imss sinary
cases 'would they were, but the Lcgis-
latiye proceedings tell US, but too plainly,
that they are Iearln.lv true. No Constr:
tuition to direct, and no supreme law Of
tho land TO restrain the acts of those who
tho people. Every thing is
floating upon tho ocean Of uncertainty,
driven Upon its ooisterous waves by tho
gales Of party politics. Yes
'orday, tho citizens Of Rhode Island wcro
in the free, full md unmolested enjoy
mcnt ofihat religious liberty, which cost
those sacriices, Of that pioneer in relig-
lou. freedom, Roger Williams, which has
rendered his name dear to every friend Of
ard which had brcone proven
binl Of Rhode Islnn'.; to-day it has depart
ed, t hns tukcn it, a.r.l,, II l,,s been driv-
en- liko its distinguish d rounG.r t. seek a
ref,ige, 70 Gnd nv as, lu.n IL no desert
waste. Thus clenilv iilu,i,n,.s the in,-
poItancc Of Constitutions {. .hicId W.
from the cncronchntcnfs 81 I legislative
acts upon our LIBERTIES. ..ail proIa-
bly in some future COMMUNICATE IN iouk u
little into tLis removal Of that valuable
" dcposite," which was made so many
years since in Our territory. y.