Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-01-28
CFor the Herald OF the Times. I

tho measures Of the Anti Slavery Society in
general, and their bearing upon this town n
Ia'icular; the whirI' il is hoped you will give
place in the columns "f your paper.
II has been objected by some, that the An
ti-Slavery Society, being mere fraction of
our citizens, will soon fall to the ground of its
own weakness, and therefore all opposition to
it is uncalled for and unnecessary. Admit
ting these to be facts, still is it not equally as
true, they are by no means of ofsufIicient weight
to ovrrrule the propricty Of expressing the
public sentiment upon this question?
We are certainly less reprehensible in qui-
etly enduring incurablc evils, than in suffer
ing those that are easily remedied, and it is
no less our duty TO suppress any attempt at
the violation Of our institutions, however fi-
tile it may appear, than 10 discountenance the
actual execution Of such aggression.
But who that has Witnessed the painful con-
flict. between the Nor,l, and the South; that
have go oton threatened the dissolution Of
the Union; that have so many times brought
us to the verge of civil cominoton; il not con-
vinced there IL n lamentnbe want Of commu-
nifty of feeling and interest to strengthen with
their influence the ties which scarcely bind
us together?
This being the case, will not every lover
of his country, be he of the North or OF the
South, when opportunities occur, the improve
Inent of which may tend to give strength to
those ties, cheertully extend his MD in avail
ing them?
Does not the present jnncture present to
us of the North, al occasion to add bond to
the security of the Union of greater efficacy
than any, or even of more than the aggregate
strength of all that ye, remain?
Have we not now an opportunity Of giving
assurance to the South of our determination
to abide by the Constitutions; to not only re-
spect it's provisions, butto defend them TO the
utmost cxsremity? To Danish the fear they
have entertained land who can now say they
arc groundless.) of the disposition to en-
croachment on the part Of a part of the North
at least? To convince them Of our sympathy
and of the nnaniinity of sentiment which re-
ally exists in regard to this important sub
ject?
Will not public demonstration of the dis
apDroba,ion Of Rhode Island be consistent
with the feeling she entcrtnins respecting this
oucstion-nnd can she do less with justice to
that spirit of opposition to every thing having
a tendency to unwarranted interposi,ion, fer
which she has been long so justly and so
proudly celebrated?
1t has been upon these views of the case,
those who have been chiefly instrumental in
this protest have procecded:-But since the
appearance of that in1ammatory appeal to the
passions of the. ignorant, under the specions
title of "Purc Testimony, a hungry
yulture with stolen olive branch-who that
were before wavcring can now remain unde-
cidcd? Who can longer doubt the design OF
those who framed that instrument, fraught, as
it il, with any thing but such arguments as
are used by tbose, who, having confidence in
the righteousness of their cause, address to
the intelligence of the community? Who that
will not say now is the time come, when I'M
pcrious duty demands the general voice in
disapprobatlon of such full hedged licentious-
ness?
We here humbly offer our protest against
it, not 40 mucl, with the expectation that the
path we have troddcn will be the one pursued
by others, as with the hope it will be instru-
mental in the suggestion of some better and
more effectual mode of manifesting the public
mind, aud which will be more generally adopt
ed.
We. the undersigned, citizens of South.
Kinpstown, in the State of Rhode-lSand, nn-
der a sense of the deep stigma which we con-
ceivc must attach To us, ~ citizens OF SAID
town. should It become notorious ns n "strong
holdr in this State, of the advocates tor the
immediate abolition of Slavery in the United
States; and believing that such Is the impress
aim likely TO he spread abroad through the
publication of the notice Of the Antl-Slavery
Society in the s-Rhode-I I-land Country jour
noln of the 18th inst. the which heing IN part
signed by a number OF the inhabitants OF this
town.-we conceive il duty we owe 20 our
selves. To our Southern brethren, and to the
announcement of good citizenship IN gene
raj. TO declare, that notwithstanding some ol
our citizens have been las W" believe olina-
ly,) induced to give their names to the nid'
nnce Of the measures Of said society; YET 's
our full and firm persuasion, that snch IL NO,
the sense of the MINORITY of our citizens, and
by no means tha, of the more enlightened
portion of our community in general. But
on the contrary, thnt it is the belief OF such
norton of our citizens, their measures have
no foundation in a wise and just policy, or !
perscvcred in arc likely I" "ev,n'nntc IN results