Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-03-10

high and large consideration whenever
il has been presented to the People Of
Rhode e-Island for their sufrages. His
defeat--not by the legal voiers Of Rhode
lsland-last August, is cause Of the
deepest regret, and has excited the
strongest sense Of injury in the minds Of
the freemen of our State. The feeling
is general that great injustice has been
done this distinguished public servant,
and the opinion is very prevalent, and
undoubtedly correct, that Mr.. BURGEs
was reelected to Congress, in August
last, by majority Of the legal voters Of
the State-but was overcome only by
the large number Of fraudulent votes
known to have been deposited in the bal
lot boxes by the Jackson party. 1t is
WELL KNOWN they qualified men
to vote, whom :hey dare not for mo-
ment entrust with the possession Of the
deeds, but from whom orders were taken
at the time of the execution, directed to
the Town Clerk, to re-deliver the deeds,
which were merely placed on file, to the
gran,ors, whenever requested 4! Sew
eral ofthese orders, Certificates Of JfrandD
were lost by the grantors and found by
the Wings. In North-Kingstown alone,
TWENTY-ONE DEEDS were Lodg-
ed by the same party with the Town
Clerk by the GRANToRs, and the Town
Clerk ordered "NOT TO RECORD
THE DEEDS UNTIL FURTHER
ORDERS" sD~This entry was made
by the Town. Clerk ON the back of the
deeds.
The evidence Of fraudulent voting was
presented to the General Assembly at
the last October session, previous TO
the counting Of the returns Of votes for
members of Congress from the different
towns. The friends of MIR. Burgess de-
manded an investigation into the FRAU
DULENT VOTES contained in the
returns. On several different PROPOSE
tons by Mr.. Burgess friends for an ex-
animation into this matter, the vote stood
in Grand Committee 80 to 80, and AT
each time, MIR. FRANCIS, as Execu-
tive Of the State, gave his casting vote
AGAINST any examination into the
alleged FRAUDS Yes, the Execu-
tive Of our State, sworn to see that the
laws are observed, and fully apprised Of
the nature Of the EVIDENCE which
was before the Grand Committee, a por-
tion Of it THE DISPOSITIONS UN-
DER OATH of some Of his own mist
respectable townsmen-(foi a conside-
rabIe number Of those frauds were COM
mitted in has OWn torn, and at the town
meeting where he was present, gave his
casting vote on FOUR different propo-
si,ions, AGAINST any Investigation Of
the FRAUDS upon our Election La'c
and upon the rights cCaH legal roiersHv
Upon Mr.. FRANCIS, then, rests the
fearful responsibility of: having aided in,
and consummated the fraud, by which
Mr.. Burgess has been wRoNoED out of
his re- election TO Congress. His friends
cannot shelter him under the pretence
that the General Assembly had no pow
er to investigate the votes contained in
the returns. The insertion of a DEcLAR-
AToRY clause in the election law passed
ut the late session Of the General As
sembly, and which his friends strenuous
ly resisted, while it DECLARES the power
and makes it imperative upon the Grand
Committee to investigate and throw out
all fraudulent votes, is at the same time
a most DECISIVE VOTE DIsArPIOviNG OF,
Gov. FRANCIS VOTE at the last October
session. The new law contains a mere
DEcLARAroRY clause Of a POWER which
the Assembly previously possessed, for
it will not be contended that the Assem-
bly, could confer any NEW power upon
themselves, and they certainly have de-
rived none from the People since that
time.
We now ask every freeman who vot-
cd for Mr.. BUReEs, in August last, to
come forward, and deposit his vote at
the ensuing election, for him as Cover
nor, and in this way he will repair the
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