Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-01

huu sduCtton VI OUT IOIiutf seNe'''e", w
his SUCCESSORS. On what then does The
claim rest? Firs, on the ownership OF
the soil. Did our landholders still con
tinue simply body corporaie, permitted
10 regulate their company aifairs under II
icreign jurisdiction, that ground would
be valid But circumstances have
changed. The body corporate has
merged in sovereign and independent
state. The very acts by which that
sovereignty and Independence were de-
elared aud established, created Ireehol-
ders aud non lretholdcrs II body Of po-
liical equals. IL recognized tho org
inai righis, and not the acquired p11r'teSe
OF the "goperntd," without dlscrimlna-
ton, TO exercise powers inherent IN them,
and 'mdrteds,bIe,' as well as 'unafn"Gblc,
to be consulted and heard, and also To
act, on The question how they should or
would be governed. The ireemen, or
lindholders Of Rhode-lsland consent ed
To this act, and 10 these principles. On
that condition, the state was incorporate ed
into the American Union. From that
moment she placed herself under new
lurIsdiciion--the government ol the peo-
pie. And, from that moment also, the
people whom the American revolution
ury and constitutional principles Iecog-
Dlzcd as The original source, and right
iul posse ssnrs OF all poIiical power, re-
sumed, aud might haye exercised, the
iight 10 erect u government lor them
selves.
But in the second place, il IS confident
ly asserted that, the people, having
quietly submitted Ia the government as
II Is, that government. has become p'e-
scrpiivc; and that thus the non-lrcehold-
crs have lost the right 10 demand or ci-
feet u change, ever If they ever posses
sed it. We do mol thus view the subject
aud wo believe those who assert this
principle, are altogether IN error. That
uur government Is prescllp,ive, wo admit
but wo do not admit that II can lnvali-
date an original right. "A government by
prescription, or by custom, cerlalnly can-
not claim tho force of one lha, has rc.
c,,ved the formal sanction OF the people
aud n II could, We AS republicans, assert
without fear OF niiadictIon, that u ma
Jolny of the gouerncd," have, ut any
time, and on any occasion, n right Il
change their gOvernmout---a III l,t whicl
boIng inherent, inalienablc, ,and indeleasi
bic, not even they can part with by then
free and voluntary act, much less can Il
be taken from them by prescription, or by
precedent, or by any act Of their predc.
Ccssors. We declare IL therefore as oul
solemn conviction strengthened and con-
Grmed by the principles and acts of the
most eminent statesmcn-that II major
NY Oi tho citizens OF this, or Oi any other
state, have tho iDcOntrovcriIblo right, al
auy time they may choose, TO assemble
by their delegates, 10 alter, amend, an
nul, ar reform their government, at plens-
mre; always controlled by The Dictates Of
natural law, that the legitimate end OF
government is The good Of the whole III
general, and Of each individual in par
,icular. 10 suppose that, undcr such a
political system ds that Of the American
Union, the fundamental basis Of which
Is, the sovereignty ofthe people, one gen
GRAFTON can bind those which succeed it.,
10 any principles or form Of government,
or that prescription or custom should di-
vest them of the wight of change, is pre-
lOsterOus. Ii Is moreover the doctrine
OF tyranny; and once established, the
sovereignty Of the people is destroyed.
Without fear of contradiction therefore
wo aver, that, even had the present lorn
al government been formally sanctioned
by the people OF Rhode Island, which il
never was, they could Eo bound to is
provisions no longer than during their
own pleasure. The original power ard
sovereignty of the people arc never re-
llnquIshed they cannot bc-for they
arc unalienabie and mdctcosiJle. They
tc merely delegated to be exercised for
certain purposes; and whenever those
who delegated them become satisfied
that the contemplated object has no,
been, and will not be gained by then
exercise, they have the right to resume
them, and 10 use them, and To use them
as they please. Such is the doctrine o
natural law--and such also is the doc.
irlDe ot rho declaration of American In.
dependence, which has been cngraIied
Oh the American Constitution.
II is III vain that the portion OF Rhode
Island cllizcns called ircemcn, or a paIt
oi them, assert that n change in the form
ant principles OF our government is IN
cxpedieni, iuasmuch as Is asserted by
them, that ii change would not benefit
the state. This IL assertion only, aud
rests on mere speculative conjecture. -
Right claims precedence OF expedicncy.
1t Is enough for VS. To know aud on this
point we are ceruin, that u majority Of
The chllens Of the state arc deprived 10y
the existing government, of tho rights
which their Creator bestowed on thnm,
aud which, tho principles that constitute
the very basis OF The national government,
sanction and guarantee. A participation
~ the government oi the state, they have
the ughi 10 demand, and To assume. 1t
~ nnl II question whether the minority
40 willing 10 entrust The oNcrcisc of the
political power ~ the hands OF the ma
I"tuy, ~ that they prefer To retain il
themselves The question IS not, will
tho state bV better ~ worse governed IN
tonsc p'cnco ol II change. LISA sim
rle question oi individual rpht, aud the