The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-08-23
Pearce as n candidate for Congress.
TaE PnoTEsT.


This document the wings have exulted
: in as the political death warrant of Mr.
Pearce. The influence of Gov. Fenner
and one or two others, whose names were
subscribed to it, was to produce division IN
the party fatal to the election of our South
ern candidate. This protest as is generally
known, was prepared by men in the North
, ern part of the state, who had been them
selves disappointed in applications for Off
zee, or whose friends had failed in similar
pursuits. Their want Of success they were
. pleased to altribate-whether justly or not
is of little conseqnence-to the inactlon or
adverse Influence Of Mr.. Pearce, and their
Jealousy and eninity were thus excited n
gainst him. 1t was not because as the rep
resentaliyc of the state he had ever failed in
his duty, or that he had jeopardized or a
bandoned the interests of those, by whose
suffrages he had been placed in the councils
of the nation, that he was to be thus a.sail-
ed. Interest lhwarted and vanity mortified
bcgot the protest; persuasions, mlsrepre-
sentations and personal influence combined.
obtained for it some seventy signatures. Az
ter immense exerlions to swell the number
of the names, these were all that could be
procured. This document, so originating
and prepared, was thrown into the conven-
ton, like iire-brand among friends.
Knowing that an effort would be made to
SOW distrust and to weaken the energetic
action Of the convention, the delegates de-
iermned 10 close their doors, that they
might hear and deliberate by themselves,
aud reconcile, if possible, existing difficult
ties. That protest, on being read, was found
to contain wholesale accusation against
Mr.. Pearce, without any alleged specific
offence, and unsupported by any proof
whatever. No member of the convention
lifted up his voice to sustain it--not one of
those, whose names were on it, appeared as
he might have done, to make his charges
true. 1t was therefore laid upon the table
without n dissenting voice. Some of those
who subscribed it had never voted for Mr..
Pearce, or acted with the party to which
he belonged and we have good reason to
believe that many of them, whose names
were upon it, will support the nomination
made by the convention.
Gov. FENNrR's LETTER TO CAPT. Potter
,,L
marks, has been industrionsly circulated IL
= handbills through tho state. Capt. Potte
$ is therein represented us warm and effic
$ lent friend Of the administration, and boil
he and the Governor are exhibited as stanncl
republicans, true to their party and acting
, for its best interests and welfare. However
entitled these gentlemen may have been tc
the confidence of the democracy in time:
past, their course of late has exhibited them
as not more hostile to Mr.. Pearce, than to
\ the party in Rhode Island and to the M
I tional Executive. The cause of Capt. Pot.
iers hostility to Mr.. Pearce is generally
known in this community, to be wholly ano
unques,ionabIy personal. He endcavor'
to cloak this feeling under the pretence o
being solely actuated by change of views
in relation to national bank; but it is g
herculean task for one, who from the tim,
of the removal of the deposites to the 0p'
pointment Of the present Surgeon ofthe Ma
rinc Hospital IN this place, was not more
eloquent in his invectives against the bank
+ than in his praises of Mr.. Pearce, to per.
suade the freemen that his opinions have
so completely changed. So wonderful q
conversion could only be accounted for by
some miraculous intervention, like tha
which arrested the progress of Saul. l
might, however, have possibly been effected
. 10y those potent agents, interest and revenge
But let it pass-from the opposition o
Capt. Potter we have no cause for fear.
With regard 10 the opposition of Cover
nor Fenner to the election of Mr.. Pearce
that would, a, first glimpse, be deemed to b'
a matter of more serious import. Bn
Wnen III is TeIneinDsTeu tiat Dut TWO year.
ago, Gov. Fenner presided at meeting j,
Providence, at which it was unsnimousl,
resolved that all personal jeaiousies shoulC
he laid aside, in order to promote the sue
cess of the democratic party, and that now
, in the very teeth of n nomination made u
unanimously by the convention, he is in
. ,dulgiug his hostility, with entire iudii;
/ ference to the fate Of that party, wha
, are we to think of hint and what in
huencc ought he to be able to exer
adverse to the election Of Mr.. Pearce
$ What friends has he 50 devoted to him, a