The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-09-11
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.

! RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
The following petition we have copied from
the columns Of the New York Evening Post
We know not its origin, but the causes which
gave il birth, are stated in the petition ITSELF
Ii presents some important constitutional ques
tions, on which we offer no opinion. OF them,
and Of the expedency Of the object prayed for,
every one will of course judge for himself We
will only add that the people of Rhode Island
will be very apt to think this an affair Of their
own, and to believe that they can best manage
their own case in their own way.-Pror. Herald.
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED
STATES,
IN SENATE AND HOUSE or REPREsESTATIvEs
ASSEMBLED
Your memorialists, citizens Of the United
! States residing 10 the State of New York, res
pectfuy address your honorable body in be-
half Of their fellow citizens the uniranchsed
white men of Rhode Island who are ALIENS
IN that state under the operation of a charter,
granted by King Charles II. of England.
The fourth section of the fourth article Of
the Constitution Of the United States, guaran-
tees Republican, form of Government to every
State 10 the Union. In order to ascertain the
American acceptaton of the phrase, your me
morlalists recur to the highest declarative and
and confrmative documents Of the nation--the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitu-
ton of the United States, and both of these in
struments clearly indicate that Republican Gov
erDment 10 the American Constitutional mean
ing Of the phrase, is a government created by
the people on the basis Of the equal inaliensbc
rights of mao.
But the government of Rhode Island is, in
fact, a corporate Of stockholders incorporated
by the charter of an English King long before
our Revolution. 1t is not the creation. nor the
adoption Of the majority of the free white citi-
zens of the United States, in that State, nor
does it recognize the equal inalienable rights of
man as its basis inasmuch as over two-thirds
of the free white male adult population have no
vote in the election Of Members Of Congress,
while the chartered stock holders Of the govern
ment possess monopoly Of the elective fran.
chiSe; CrcLuSiuciy as regards the rest of the
people Of the State, and comparatively as re-
CARDS the other States of the Union. Her
whole vote at the last presidential election was
1914 which divided by , gives 1887 for each
Representative IN Congress. The whole vote
of New York at the same election. was 305, ,35S.
which divided by 80 gives 1864 for each of her
members, being nearly 5000 votes MORE for
each SINGLE representative than Rhode Island
casts Tor both of her members, and showing
clearly. as her census when compared with her
election returns shews, that over two thirds Of
her Tree white people are TO all intents and pur-
poses Aliens, and that the term, " Citizen of the
United States, Is to them a mere empty sound
of no significance.
! In the Senate OF the United States She is on
a footing OF equality with the largest of the
States, and has equal rights and equal sover-
elgn powers over the desinies Of the nation, in
"hlch your memoralists are included Yet
her aristocratic minority. the stockholders of
het government are opposed TO equality as re-
spects the rights of man. for they virtually denv
that he is endowed with any natural RIGHTS by
his creator,-they virtually declare that the e.
quail inallenabe rights of man are only inherent
IN and derived. from the possession of real es-
tate Under those circumstances. her four
members in the Congress of the United States
are the representatives of the LANDED PROPER
TT, and not of the PEOPLE Of Rhode Island.
our memorlalists finds nothing in the Con-
stitution, as respects the qualifications of voters
for electors of President and Vice President of
the United States. TO conflict with the passage
OF an act by your honorable BODY, whereby cit
lzens Of the United States residing therein.
shall be allowed TO vote for the presidential e.
lectors They therefore pray the passage of
such an act. to the end that the designation
" Citj;er Of The United States" shall be of some
import; at least, that it shall not be synonymous
/ icih alien in any State Of the Union. They
also pray your honorable BODY 10 propose 10
the several States, such amendments of the
. Constitution OF the United States as will admit
all free white citizens of the United States.
similarly clrcuns,snced as the unfranchised
white people Of Rhode Island to vote for mem.
! bers OF Congress from the States wherein they
reside, so that the voice Of the majority of the
inhabitants Of Rhode Island. instead Of a char.
tered minority, shall be heard with the rest OF
their fellow citizens, in the councils of the ma.
ton IN which your memorisli.ts. as we'll as the
people Of all the States, are equally concerned
and have a common interest