The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1841-02-17

O. Mr.. J. y. Barber was in favor Of Mr.. A
o wells motion.
Il Mr.. Simmons said, the motion Of Mr.. A
well was lodging the whole question. and r,
: ferrpg it to the people. There was no doul
the people were 10 favor Of Constitution, an
this is the place TO call 1.-THE proposition
, Mr. Atwell was an unheard Of mode of callin
! IT, lie was in favor OF acting on the memoria
/ and calling a Convention.
Mr.. 5. II. Greene cared not how the appl
cation was made; he wished the opinion Of III
whole people expressed.
Mr.. Atwell said he could not be charge
with wish 10 dodge the question. ile wa
willing 10 act at once and give TO Smiihfeld al
additional representative.
Mr.. Simmons feared tha, sending out thi
proposition To the people to vote 10 new mod,
would create jealousy. He would have the
memorial the basis Of the action OF The House
and call Convention in the old mode.
/ Mr.. Aiwell said there were other evils be.
sides this inequality Of representation there
was the question Of Suffrage and some Others
He wished the expression Of opinion on those
subjects.
Mr. Jackson said he believed in every free
government power exists TO change that gov
ernment. Some have written and some un e.
written constitutions In our charter there
is no definite mode of alteration. and the pow.
er must exist somewhere. He thought the
power existed in the government and in the
people. Fit exists only in the people il is rev.
0lutionary. The people are the people AT large,
or the numerical force of the State. There is
no power in this State which says there shall
be no change in representation. The charter
says how many the towns shall have. but it does
not say they shall have no more. We can
grant any town more. There is no garan,ee
that no town shall not have its representation
increased. We have the power to increase it.
There is no wish expressed here to change
the whole organization of the Sate-but one
portion asked for an increase Of representation
and that power has not been denied TO the
House by the charter and we are compe-
tent TO do it-there is no other town asks it
and there is no request for any other change
let us meet this memorial and grant what is
asked and If any other town should come with
the same request let US grant that.
Nh. Simmons said that 90 one can tell what
would have been the provision for au altered
representation, but from analogy should con-
clude that no town should be deprived Of any
His objection 10 the proposi-
ton IN this resolution was that il was reyolu- .
tIonary-it was not the act Of the government
that was contemplated complains
Of the inequality OF representation and asks a
change should be made by The
government aud no one proposes that any but
he freemen should act. The freemcn of one
own cannot instruct tho frccmen Of another.
md he did not wish TO go out Of the usual
node and would not act on the instruction Of
my town but his own.
Mr.. Robbins said if this House could alter I
he representation, they could do any ACT Z
bep l. (, 81. IL.
'ay themselves such salaries as they please: /
ontnue the Governor for life. with veto on y
II laws They could convert this governmen, y
,to despotsm if they possess this concurrent q
over. There cannot in the nature of things
e This sovereign power in two bodies. This Y
Iousc has merely delegated powers. and can
"t assume the sovereign power. We have u '
'ritten constitution on this SUBJECT. II there /
! ms alteration made any where, it must be u
lade by the sovereign power. Ii We break Il
own the bound between these powers, we en-
anger our liberties. ltl
Mr.. Jackson said that in all free governments. ST
Iere must exist somewhere the power To alter ii
nd amend the government. The very idea of
free government made this absolutely neccs- n
ry. Most free governments had written con. -
ituloDs, which provide. IN express terms. the !,
odes in which such alterations should be
y, lr.
ID OF the several states, were instances Of ths an
iher free governments had imprescriptivc con NJ
u'ons, consisting partly of written laws. and a.,
flly OF forms and usagcs which had long been en-
'abshed by the universal consent of the peo- a.,
;. The government OF Eng land was an ex- ~,
lple OF tins, and the government of Rhode
ana the government consists in the people d
/, ,b, ,conI: ,nJ 60, W n'',' 30
reseniIng the people, and constituting the ~
'nlnized recognized government. In this vi
e, the power Of amendment is concurrent. - -"
iempordneous with the people and The Gen - V
ASSemhIy-primary with the General As ~ ~.
'b'y. secondary with the people; and the as '"
lblv must bow 10 the will of the people
IN II Is made known. 1.-THE power of change
only IN the people, and without the cop- h'I
renee of The organized government then il nNc
evolutionary. aud are gentlemen prepared 40
ay ihat there Is no mode IN which our con- -
itlou can be altered other than by rcyolu.
and
When by our primary mower we make chan. day
IN the constitution, It ~ for tho secondary '~-
er to sly II they will abide by II. If we
e changes, II is for the people to refuse to
uon them at the next election, BY electing
nbers who will amend our acts OF to assert ST
I power in convention or Otherwise Tn.
VIC admit that there is this concurrent pow. ,,
eiween the House and the people, then We
il adnlt that there IS reyolutI onary power y =
wished changes to be made through the
Tven'ion of the government. We can on II
''on oi the people. make changes. or II we n
evils IN our form OF government, We can 5
nse ,he form OF government, and the people spe
he election OF members, or IN convention. er q
approve or dsapprov. our acts hon
lr. Aiwell said rs the charter had been ~. hou
ed TO as our written constitution an the stro
ect he wonld refer To II. sha
he charter says" That they, the said VII. ere
Brenton. &c.. and all such others as nov kec
o' heteaiter shall ne made Tree of the com coo
&C. s'al' be nom time TO time, aud for. and
hereafter body corporate and poliIic. said