The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1841-01-06
FROM the Providence Herald.
OUR ROYAL CHARTER.
(Ccacluded. !


principle there. No emansiioD ,f no... -,
j. The people IS acknowledged in that in,,,n,nar,
n NO formation of a voluntary social eomn,n, a.,
me people, is there sanclioned-No rigb, ~
,e IAnie government Tor The good of the " hol.--
no recognition Of the existence OF "natur,I
essential and unallenable righIs'-No author.
y ny IN ihs people to reform the old soyernn.n,
= or 10 create ne" oBe-No right in the bod y
}. poIlilc. 10 say, on tn adoption OF government
we NE people ordd'n IT," No-rejecting ali
'hese recognitions OF popular rights, as Of an
origin 100 low and vulgar for republican Rhode
iSidnu the charter Of the State, in all its oripi
, Nal perfection OF aristocraiic glory, is hsrslded
f, TO- not with the pleban announcement of. NJ
me people,. but with flourish Of royal trun.
Pe's' ana me voice Of drunkard king, pro
y claiming, " Charles The Sec0nd bv the Grac- or
God DC. 10 all tohom these presents shall comS
, greetng.' How admirably this corresponds
with rspublicansln What a striking simi.
iarlty between this language, and I'VE THE
PEOPLE! Yet this constitutes bu, an exceed
Ingly minute portion OF the beauties which
ddorn our ROYAL CHARTER
The proud boast Of American freeman il as
seen IN The language quoted above from seyerai
constitutions. the power and authority, of their
own VIII and pleasure, TO assemble and deliber-
ATE as sovereign and indepe ndent BODY: and
without the slightest responsibility 10 any other
earthly power than themselves to make. alter
amend aud abrogate their government and their
laws But tho cnARrER OF Rhode Island
""o"s nothins Of all this. Instead, when We
Pe'uss 'i"t instrument. we find our frame OF
government the Elf Of royal Hbertine. made
OF ms oirn especial grace &" 10 encourao, he
hopetm undertaking Of oar [hs] LorAL AND
LOVING sUsJEcTs,' IN c"ndrscension TO :. their
humOle address" So far is the freeman from
having any thing 10 do in this business, or from
having his voice heard. or his vote seen. in The
entIre Transaction, that his ROYAL MASTER
'hough oil his especial grace" he conferred
upon them the privilege Of electing their own
oihcer'. and holding their own assemblies. ,et
OF ms I" "ot0n wiH and pleasure" did establish
ana orda'n," for his ",loring and loyal subjects"
me precise days on which these things should
De done, and all the details Of the mode and
manner Thus, King Charles saved to his
" toring and loyal subjects" Of Rhode Island
oy ms especial grace" and of his "oun ,cM
and ptedsure," all the troubls Of making a roy
eminent for themselves and their poseri,y.-
Even were this frame of government a good
one, and nothing Is farther from The truth. il i.
oesrsd'ns TO the last degree. TO retain il in its
present language, which is as strongly express.
I've OF homage and allegiance 10, and dependence
on the British crown, AS language well can be-
ana disgrace aud insult to the people Of the
American Republic. But this is not all.
All controversies 10 which Rhode Island NAV
be party, are. by the CHARTER, to be referred
to the King and we are forbidden by il, TO en-.
act any laws repugnant to tho laws Of the British
realm. All the requistions, provisions, DC to
winch we have alluded, were well enough
when applied TO an English Colony, or as the
body polite was appropriately termed, y
" company" acting under an act Of incorpora
ton granted by British monarch; and in fact,
considering the circumstances, we're extremely
i'oerSi. Still, the charter was Il royal mandate:
and It's character has NOT been changed. yt
still retains the royal ammunition, ,Se yov,I
sanction, and the royal signatnre. II still re- =
'ains the unequivocal proofs that il claimed TO
confer tdvors on vassas Of crown as an act of
- eSpectdt grace from a monarch, in condes-
snsion to their humble address," or prayer.
, direct acknowledgement that they possessed
no political rights as tolontstS, but such as their
'orere'gn tord was pleased to grant them. The
;harter 'tseii IN all its paris, and in all its as
unptions, and grants of privileges. instead OF
traces Of the bold deliberations of
Independent freemen, in the formation of 4
government intended to operate for the benefit
md security OF the whole, and asserting jraI
enable. natural. and essential rights speaks
'niy OF master and slaves, and of that which
he former could give or withhold al pleasure
ut which the latter had not the liberty either
o assume OF themselves, or to reject when ten
erred.
If ever Rhode Island became an independent
state, the authority OF the British crown over
, was by that event annulled and with il the
aliGiiy OF the Royal Charter. Then reverted
, the State, the authority denied it as colony
I The King. AS a duty the people owed lu
ne emssIveS, that charter should have bcea per-
iitied TO slumber among the things Iha, were
nd assuming The rights OF fIeemen, with
roud CONSCIOUSNESS OF what they owed TO the
lgnIty oil that character, and TO the genius and
DrIt OF civil liberty, they should have spurned
he thought OF spreading II on the pages Of their
atute book, and informing ling il with the con
ItulIons OF government Of their sister States.
reemen--who feel that they are such, despise
lie assumptions of royal prerogarire. and the
umIIlaiIng vassalase, OF which that charter
'eathes and there is not genuine son Of
hode Island, noi one that claims citizenship
4 her soil, but feels mortified and chagrined
hen he pctuses it. and who does rot blush to
hho"ledse this deed Of royal cLemency. as the
institutional basis of the government under
hich he lives. Sill ii is retained, however,
nh all the tenaciiy and fond devotion Of per-
ms who would seem 10 think that none but
royal tyrant could frame system OF govern
ent. under which free and independt ut repub-
aus could live. But why is this Why are
c treeinen Of Rhode Island. made such under
E provisions OF that charter, So reluctsut to
Iinquish il p! But for Que simple solitary
lson, 1t would have been rcpud,at.J by them
II a century ago. II contains in itself the
st great principle OF despotism, and secures
3 political power in the hands OF those who
ssess il. Ths, is the grand secret
The only item in the RerAL CHARTER OF
node Island, for which those who are ITS most
voted friends would give a mill. is couched
the following words. And accordingly our
/ aud pleasure is, and OF our special grace.
tain knowled aud mere motion. We have
laned, constituted, aud declared, and BY
se presents. for US, our h.ns aud successors,
o,d,,n ropstitute and declare that ,hey