The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-01-30
From ihe Providence Herald.
CHARLESTOWN ELECTION.

The contest on this question, was brough,
to u close in the House Of Representatives,
on Tuesday afternoon. The result was as
( nigh, have been expected by every one
who knew That II. Y. Cranston, j. +. Sim
mons, aud J. II. Clarke, constituted The
majority Of the committee, and that their
rep0r, was mnde To n federal House. That
very great man, Doc,. Dan King, was The
cats paw of the federslists on the occasion,
and, like any other auiomaton, danced
most admirably to the tune played by the
wire puilers. The issue of the contest is.
that by hook or by crook, the federalisis
succeeded in casiing cut six democratic
votes, aud adding three federal ones, there
by giving their own candidates majority
of ONE vote. II must be remembered,
l,oweser, that some of the votes for the
democratic candidates, were rejected for
mere informsl,y, and will be forth coming,
in due form, in April ; together with enough
others To prevent another con,es:.-Our
Charlestown friends have votes enough,
and 10 spare, TO do The work up neatly.
They will not be caught mapping again.
Mr. Cranston, during the debate respect
ing one vote, dropped an expression suffi-
cienlly indicative of The feelings and in,en.
tions of the majority of the committee and
the House. In a taunling manner, very
common 10 that genllemsn, he remarked
~ am not particular about this rOte-,re
hare enough for onr purpose withOut it,"
Yes, enough for oua purpose" Mr..
Cranston wus chairman of the Committee.
q
pose," II appears by his remark, was, to
make out II majority for the f.dcral candi-
dates. The vote he opposed, was finally
counted. Its rejection would have been
such barefaced act of arbitrary power,
that the federalists were ashamed of it..
But the chairman of the investigating CON-
mittee did not care much about it, righ: or
wrong, seeing he and has coudjutcrs had an
swered their purpose without it; which
purpose" was, to eject the democratic
members, and tn install the federal candi-
dates in their seats. What a confession for
the Chairman Of a Committee ofinvrs,iga-
tion Nevertheless, it was doubtless true,
though 1t did not speak much for either the
honesty, modesty, or good sense, of him
who made il.
Mr.. Simmons, poor man, was horrlhed
at the bare thoueht of fraudulent deeds. or
the idea of men being admitted rs freemen
or permitted to vote, unless their deeds were
actually spread upon the records. liz
thought the laws ought to be strictly en-
forced, and that decd left in the clerk
office should avail nothing, unless actually
recorded. This lcnacity for law called uT
= smile on the faces Of some who happened
70 recolec, the recent practice in Johnston
The gentleman himself also appeared n
have some n,isgvings too. lest, in profess
ing too much honesty, his hesrers should
give him credit for none; and, finally, f"I
the probable purpose Of white washing GER
tain affairs in his own town, he came m
with sort of lame modification of his
views and seemed to think thai, though
) the recording Of deed should he deemed
necessary to the admission of man as
freeman. it was proper to permit him IL
vote, afterwards, on deed not on record
Mr.. Cranston fully agreed with him on thi:
subject, rs il was verv natural to suppose ht
} should have done for there are more sucf
: cases than are In be found merely IN John
sion-as the chairman himself well knows
On the whole, however, we give the feder'
alisis Joy of their success in procuring mer
of their own stamp to represent demo
: cratic town for four days, at an expense
i. which the chairmau Of the Committee tolt
the House he did not dar. to estimate Il
them, and which "when it should come Il
: the bottom line, would make some gentle
I men stare !"
e O. Will the Newport Herald Of tn
r Times expunge from the foot Of the Fed