Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-08
ICONCLUDED.I |

oI calling % ConDeniton 10 form Con-
stiiaiion jor his State.
CoNcLUDED.l
But why talk OF The present slsiem of
government! We have no fixed system
Every system, Of government or any
thing else, Is made up oi certain Gundw-
mcnial rules aud principles, from which,
those who act upon IT, are not nj liberty
to depart. Every scIunce aud AIT, has
III fixed rules aud principles, aud these
constitute their system. Our naiional
government has its ~ stem-ihe consiitu-
llon--the work Of the people of the gov
eined- fixing metes and bounds 10 the
pow or and authority oi the several depart
mcnls, prescribing definite principles Of
action, anC circuinscrhIma The le2lsla-
tive, executive, and judicial servants oi
the nation, by limits they dare not over
step. Such Is the case with all the states
except our own. These are the only
legal barriers against usurpallon, misrulr,
and d,spo,lsm. When these are violated
ui the expense of official perjury, The
people have their remedy under ist,se
sysiems Of government, but, without
them. the minority, and even tho DIS
iiancblsed majority, have no other scclT-
rly for their dearest rights Than lorcu
and arms always preca'ious, aud fre-
qucntly resulting IN VIOLENCE and blood
The only guaranty of Fights TO the peo-
pie OF Rhode Island, Is The Consl,iutiop
of the Ufted States. We have no Com
sliulion--no sy stem Of Government. -
Even the right of franchise, the "basIs oe
every free elective government" aud
the most valuable privilege Of The Zee
citizen, is in the hands Of The g'sfarIvo
body, ungaarded by any pcpu!a, harr'er,
10 be modified TO any form the majority
Of the legislature may think proper, to-
grally their own ambition, or TO promote
party objects. Thus the light of suffrage
is the subject Of continual Auciuat,op
aud change al the hand Of parties, as onv
or the other may obtain the power, an's
us may appear best calculated to perpes-
uate lis hold on power, & to battle the ell
fonts ol opponents. Ii Is solemn facts.
one that admits Of no denial; that the
General Assembly may, IL u majority 1
that body choose, AT lis very next ses-
sion aud without IA moments warming In
the people OF the state, repeal every
syllable Of law relative TO the elective
franchise, and enact another law as en-
tircly different from ii as possible, and
indeed effect one entire change in the
poli,y of the state; aud there rs neither
constitution, law, nor precedent, To the
contrary. And should such abuses ec-
cur, where is the remedy OF the people
No constitutional principles are violated,
because we have none to violate. Pre-
cedcnt could not be appealed 10, because
all precedent in Rhode Island, is but "
continual exhibition Of The exercise OF
unqualified and unlimited legislative pow
ers Laws could not be resorted 10, be-
cause all former ones having been repeal
ed, new ones would be enacted to suit
the occasion. An appeal ioihe Lsgisla-
ture would Of course be iruitless, as iliat
body would not sit as Judges to condemn
themselves. Resort h courts OF law
would be useless, as they have no con
slltutional principles TO guide them, -
Their criterion, is the legislative action.
And, except where provisions Of the Con-
stitu,on of the United States are iRyov-
ed, or questions Of common law, me
Courts OF Rhode Island, the creatures of
legislative power, exist, sit, and act, only
TO carry ont the legislative viii: Whereas
in other states, the people can always APP
peal from that will, through the courts
themselves, 10 the constitution which
they have enacted; thus, by means OF
the action Of their own original powers,
compelling both courts and lrgislative
bodies Ia act within the limits the people
themselves have marked out.
But we repeat it, the people of Rhode
guards From the Town Constable. To-
the Chief Justice OF the highest Cour,,
from the waiter in the House Of Repre-
scnla,vcs, TO the governor who presAles
at the Senate board, all are free from
constitutional resiraint-all free from
popular restraint. The sole power ccn-
tres in the General Assembly, aad ihHt
power il independent, and politically
omnipoteni. To what resort, then, can
the people flee for redrcss, when that
power shall have been grossly abused 2
There are but two modes left ihem-l,
The ballot box-2, The resumpli"m
and exercise Of their original natural
rights aud powers. First, then TO the
ballot box; and now let usturn our ascrs-
tion TO this subject for q moment, and see
how far that resort would be available.
Suppose then the advocates Of righs
and justice, or the iiiends oi the present,
government and laws, should come for
ward with sullic lent strength at the polls,
To elcc, Gom The seat Of power men who
had rendered themselves obnoSions by
acts Of u'urpation aud miSohIe; wbas
stronger gra.ant would you receive ens
their succcssors, thai they would reiorus
abuses. than the individual pledges ~
pe,haps ambitious aud Interested pohiIens
par,,.ans F; And even should pledges bo
redeemed, What assurance cosld y0w
have. that anolhcr body IN another yeaS,
would not revisit you with greater evils
Than those which had been remo,edS-
Each General Assembly, the siaie be-
Inf destitute Of constitutional prssiS'ons,
i, an independem hody, acting solely
on ils own responsibility, guidrd only by