Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-08-19

u !. ~, Wheeler, c,,tisu
Jesse Calder, ~'9'
Enos Goss,
Samucl Alien,
\ Edwin Field,
/ To the Editor al the Providence Journsl;
=. Sr,-Bciore proceeding to notice the
matter IN the Report itself, Justice seems 10
demand that we bcstOw passing notice OIL
lie introductory remmks OF "A PHov'DtscE
MAN"
Il AS to the remark that "Mr. Hazards re-
port Is well reasoned" and We shall let that
pass at present, II beng our intention, N The
sequel " test us soundness and its stone OF
modcraliGu." But TO what follows we would
direct the attention al the reader. The wrl-
1 ter says -
! u know not how il srikos o.her people
but, TO NE, II seeps hardly dccorous 20 s,ig-
pauae the ireehodCrs Of this State, as 'ars'
tocrais, or 10 threaten a 'Heyoiu,lOn,' It, ~ u
matter OF grave EXPEDIENtr, they should
think proper not to alter the existing institu.
tions Of Rhode Island. II also seems 10 me
more like an appeal to prejudice than to !ca-
SON. 10 attempt TO cxasperate popular feeling
agninet Dur CharteT, ,hecagse itproccedst iEom
King
We had not learned that it was indecOroms
I TO call men 'aIiStocrais," nor that, by bestow-
ing that appeIlation, men to whom 1t Is APP
piled are "siignlqiised." This Is nm idea per
4 iccty new t0 us and we fancy that the no
| blemen OF Great Britain wonld hardly con-
slider the sppallato stigma. In Rome, IN
| Greece, in Great Britain, aud elsewhcEe,
those who have claimed the hereditary right
to govern, have ever, and justly, been con
s:dered as on aristovfacy oi birth. SO those
who have founded their claims on the pos
session OF property, have been called the
arlsincfacy Of wealth. The appelution Is
legitimate and true.-hnd however recent
tho elevation Of a mans ancestors 10 title
and rank, or however small lis share OF
wealth, as long AS lie claims one ar the other
To elevate him IN point OF privilege, ever
another, he is, politically speaking, an arts
tocrat. The term ls proper one aud ihe
title most ossuredly belongs to HIM who
claims and exercises its priv llegcs.
\ We do not know that any very alarming
threats have been uttered against llie 'irce-
holders Of dis state" unless Il be alarming
w them 10 know that non freehoIders take
lne Liberty to discuss the question OF their
own rights, aud 10 resolve, 1t they find there
. are any that belong to them, To effect by
. legal and constitutional means their rescue
Q aud preservation, through the medium Qpbn
,
/, Of the nation. And az 10 any lttempi Il
/, create popular feeling against the cl'arte'
merely because il is lie gift Of a King, we
are not aware Of it. The objections agrins
that instrument are, that the people hays
never adopted it that it is unequal aud ar.
bltrary in it's provisions-that it aHufHs ~
barrier against arbinry lGgislation--that il
sanctions violence to natural, political, civil,
social, and legal rights--and that it excludes
from the full benefits and protection Of The
laws, large number who, by the sct Of
God hoYe been PLACED within the jurisdiction
OF the Slate, These are our compleinls
and We ehalepgp tho world ~ ngs'da'e
them.
Il We have no more faith in educated dem.
agogues" than your correspondent has; and
dlsclam oil such connexions and lnAucnces
But he exclaltns, "whcncc did we derive the
institution Of Jury tra?" We reply, not
from The present race ol BRUSH Kings, OF
British Mobiles. Not from the dissoluic, IN.
Iprlnclplcd, and despo,lc Charles II. II was
NOT established by the voluntary consent %
sovereign power. The Norman conquest
displaced the liberties of the british people
and their liberal institutions; wrcstcd from
| them their property, aud reduced them 10 u
state of slavery under ieudal laws. The
barons were despots over their vassals and
the king, oyer tho whole, was a d"spollc
Lord Paramount. IN the reign OF Henry ".
the ancient right Of Trial by jury was re.
established. And why? Because the usur.
per dared not resist the demands OF the pco-
pie. SO, If we take British examples for
precedcns, we shall find that evcry aIHeio-
ration and Improvement IN the government,
has been achieved by the force of the popu-
Ia.
Tor in England the doctrine OF popular resis
lance has always been sustained aud carried
ont when OCCASION required and To ii Eng.
lIshmcn owe Magma Chand, the trial by jury
The popular Representation IN the House o
EOiGmons the extensive powers Of tha
House. the independence of their Judiciary
the limits To the royal preroga,ivcs, aud crerJ
thing else Of liberty which they enjoy. Eng
)ishmen have done precisely as the disirau
chlscd citizens Of Rhode Island have done
aud are doing. They peiitIpned aud rcmon-
, slrated against the cncroachments Oi arbI-
trary power, I'LL they found petition and re-
mous,rancc vain. They then rose IN their
IHlght and demanded their rights. Aud 10
no instance have they failed to obtain conccs.
SONS. The result has becn, that, at tbis mo-
ment, there is more of political equality ~
Great Britain. or rather in England and Scot.
land, than in Rhode Island, and. tn our shame
be IT spoken. the mcanest subjcc, OF. that
, Monarchy ENJOYS more perfect protection ol
n law. than is enjoyed by non.Irecholdcrs o
Rhode Island But the people Of Eugland
have made this difference have achieved nl
, TINT they cuiny-by that very resistance tc
proscrptivc powers and principles so feeling.
ly and palheticnly deprecated here. irt We
will say ~ more on tbs sublcri a, present
ns we shall have ofcaslon to refer To il hcyo.
uiicr
VI In speaking 0f AR Hazards Report, We
have de!lcgte task 10 perform, and one we
woulh gladly have ovoldrd did not justice 10
opr common cause require ~ TO act differ
emily. We would tread lightly on The grave,
snd render 10 Mr. Hazard oil due respect.
Ilu was n man Of sterling talents aud lHirg.
~ md ulnA-A. o. .Du Ll. 10. d. n1 IL ...