Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-01-26

| Mr.. Hughes rose and made the following
remurks:
wish to occupy the attention ofthe House
for few moments.
In taking the question last evening Frldoy]
on the passage of the resolution, to instruct
oui Senators und Representatives. in Con.
gress, to use their exertons Ia abolish save-
ry in The District Of Columbia,I gave my vote
against so Instruciing them. ! did SO sir, be-
cause | had doubts Of the expcdcncy and
lconstitutionality Of the measure. | am op-
posed to slavery and on the abstract question,
am, suppose, in unison with the great body
of tie people Of this country. | could have
wished to have been excused from voting on
the resolution, but felt a delicacy in asking
to be excused. When a man is called upon
to vote, he should look beyond cxpediency,
and act in accordance with his principles.
! desire, Mr. Speaker, to discharge my dn-
! ty to my conscience, and in doing so ! shall
most assurcdIy discharge it to my country.
| am sir on the side Of liberty, humanity
and justice. That the spot on which our M
tional Legislature is convened, IA spot coDse-
Grated to liberty and to the equal rights OF
man, should be violated by slavery, and by
common traffic in human flesh, is abhorrCnt
to all the better feelings Of our nature.
| feel sir, that the manner in which my vote
unfrendly to the slave. ] wish to change
the position in which that vote would seem
to be placed, and | wish TO stand in the true
position before the slave aud beinre the pub
llic, in the one consonant to my feelings and
my principles. ! therefore desire tat my
name may be placed with the minority ON
that qucs ton.
The request was granted.
An act from the committee was present.
ed, for the prosecution Of the work on the
State Prison, and Elisha O. Angel, elected
Acting Superintendent under the act.
+ Mr.. Do,r then called up his resolutions for
political Reform, and offered few remarks
in support of them.
These resolutions set forth the inequality
of the Representation in the Legislature, stat
ing that, by the present SYSTEM, freeman in
one town exercises two or three times the
power of freeman in another town; that n
minority OF the people governs the majority,
and leaves the latter without any participu-
ton in political concerns. The way pointed
out, is, "a truly Republican constitution
and the resolutions conclude by recommend
ing the subject to the people for their consid-
eraton.
Mr.. Simmons thought the subject import.
ant, and worthy Of serious consideration. lie
did not claim to be free suffrage man, nor
to 60 to the opposite extreme; but he was in
favor Ofa written constitution. The last con-
vention called tor the purpose, he thought
would hnve succeeded in framing good and
acceptable constitution, could they have been
kept together-but nobody was to pay them,
and they had dispersed. lie pressed the CON-
sideration Of the subject on the House.
Mr.. .Hlen said, the reason the late conven-
ton had failed, was. that they had attempted
to break down the influence Of the farmers.
The people had no confidence in the majori.
ty of that body.
FinaIly,the question was taken by yeas and
nays, MS follows:
Yeas Messrs. Cranston, Curtis, jill. Clarke,
Church, Cook, Dorr, Hughes, Hathaway, G.,
G. King, Luther. Il. Potter, Randall Saunders,
Salisbury, Ii NJ Sisson, Simmons, Whipple-
II.
Nays--AIcssrs. Allen, Austin, Aldrich,
Browning, Bowen, G. Brown, Ihayton. Childs,
Cross, Durfee, Drown, Eddy ,Fcnncr, Greene,
i. j. Hazard, II. J. Hazard, Hopkins, James,
{. Kenyon, II. King. Kinnicut, Manchester,
Mowry, A. +. Potter, Remington. Rogers,
Spencer, Sheffield, Sbippec, j. 6. Sssou,
Sprague, Thomas, Taylor, Tins, Thurslon.
Warner, Wilkinson, Winsor, Walling-D
So the resolutions were rj"ctcd.
The act on petition of Gamalc Gay came
up from the Senate, concurred.--AlSo,
The act to amend the charter of the Prov-
dence and Pawtuckct Fast Turnpike Co.wiih
an amendment, To reserve To the State the
right to lay rails in the West turnpike. The
House concurred in the amendment.
.ur. Dor then called up the att submitted
Dy MN, to empower one third part of the
stockholders in INTEREST," in banks, to call
meetings.
This act passed, mem. con- without dvis-
ion.
Nh. I. I. Hazard offered the following re-
solution:
Resolced, That the people of this State are,
nave been, and always will be, OPP osed to do
mestc slavery.
the table.
.Hr Simmons moved to refer it, together
WIN the memorial yesterday before the House
TO special committee.
Mr. Hazard Withdrew his resolution. and
after considerable sparring OH the subject, it
was dismissed.
The Act relative TO assignments came up
as amended by the committee, and, ,aIler some
explanations bp the chairman, passed.
The objects of this bill arc to secure to
creditors the property assigned and to vest
,hancery powers in the Supreme Court re-
'pecting it.
The resolution relative to the Tariff. as a.
iopted by the House, came from the Senate,
;oncurred
The House adjourned to 5 o'clock, pm.
hfTERNoON.-An act to repeal nm act re-
gnlating the weight Of busiel of neal
Discussed and rejected.
'ur Dor,for the Bank Commissioners, made
report on the subject Of loans from banks in
he cl'y Of Providence. The subiec, of iuqui.