Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-05-16

| poltancC.
/ On Sunday last, the 10Th instant, an
swering to the lst day of May, Old
Style, HENRY BULL, Esq. and the Hon
ROBERT b. CRANsToN, the Committee
appointed by this town, some time since,
to erect Stone with Il suitable inscrp-
ton at the Grave of WILLIAM CoDDING-
TON, the first Governor of Rhode Island
and one of the purchasers of the Island
from the Native Indians, who lies buried
in the ancient Burial place in Farewell
street, attended to the duties assigned
them, ut about half past o'clock in
the morning.
The Committee judiciously deferred
the completion Of their duty until that
day, which being the 2O0th anniversary
of the settlement of the town of New
port, seemed to be a suitable time for
carrying into effect the wishes Of the
frccmcn, and that hour of the morning
was chosen as being about the time Of
day that Gov. Coddington and his as
sociatcs landed, 900 years ago, for the
purpose of commencing the settlement
of the town, after having spent the pre-
vious night on Coasters Harbor (Which
they then named, on their way from
the north end of tho Island, where, n
little over year before, they had com
menccd a settlement-but as Mr.. Cal
lender remarks "many of their friends
following them that summer, their num-
Der was so considerably increased that
the next Spring some Of the heads, with
others, came to the Southern or West
crn end of the Island, and a memo
randum in the hand writing of Peter
Easton, which has been preserved shews
the exact time of their landing here.
After the setting of the Stone, (thc
inscription on which will be found be-
low, the Committee with the numerous
asse'nblagc of citizens present, pro-
ccedcd to the new Public School House
across the street, where Mr.. Bull after
some prcfaratory remarks, mostly for
the benefit Of the youthful part of the
audience, as to the former beginning
of the year which in those days was
March, the change Of style &c.-he
read the above mentioned memorandum
ofPctcr Easton the compact or agree
mcnt entered into by the first settlers
of the lslan1 the Original Deed of
the Isand-and exhibited il TO the au-
dicnce; ; and then gave biographical
account of Gov. Coddington, after
which he rccitcd poem, (Which will
be found below, composed by himself,
showing the past and present state Of
the country, from the time when the
"fral bark" which bore to our shore
the gem of our civil and religious free
dom, to the present exalted condition
OF our happy country.-Ilc then deliv-
cred brief address, rcplcte with the
early history of our Island, and with
judicious remarks on the views and
feelings of our ancestors, who fled from
the prosecutions Of the prosecuted, here
to enjoy freedom of conscience, showed
how carefully they guarded against the
interference by the civil magistrate
with the worship of God.
After the address, the Rev. Mr.. How
ArD, Pastor of the I'd Baptist Church,
returned thanks to Almighty God for
his protecting care and guidance of our
iorclathcrs, and invoked the continuance
of the same protection and guidance
for their descendants to tho latest gen
Grafton.
The services were deeply interesting,
and calculated To remind us ol the tolls.
,i,, 1 n,,ui,,c. ..,l ,l.,,.,,.,. a, LII 800.