Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-06-02


MIR. SIMMONS said, he must make
his acknowledgements to Senators for
having interpossd by their remarks, and
prevented an immediate reply from him
10 the remarks OF the Senator from Ohio.
They were of a character to excite in
: the bosom Of every Rhode Islander
feelings of the strongest Indignation, and
most difficult to restrain. But little
time for reflection (he continued To say
had left no other feeling with him than
that OF rcgret-eXceptlpS, indeed, as
tonshmcnt that such sentiments should
be uttered by an American Senator
4 In the few remarks am thus sudden
u ly called upon to make to the Senate, |
will not forget the suggestion Of the
/ honorable Senator from Alabama, (Mr.
/ KING that the whole discussion is out
! OF order nor the kindness ofthat Scna-
tor and olthc whole Senate in proposing
. TO inIulge me with an opportunity to
reply toa few otthe extraordinary posi-
tlons assumed by the Senator from Ohio,
4 The whole groundwork of the dcnun-
Citations of the Senator from Ohio Il
gaInst Rhode Island and her Institutions
/ seems to be, that the whole Constitu-
| itlon OF that State Is not in writing. He
reasons rs if the Constitution of the
! United States required that every State
! should have II wriHcn COnsiiiuiion.-
! Where does he find any such provision? I?
/ 1t Is not IN the general Constitution
! which the People Of Rhode Island and
Of all the other STATES comprising this
Ipalion adopted. That Instrument guar
antlcd to each State Republican form
lof Governncnt-nat n written Constitu-
! Ition, much less one founded in agrarian
! principles, and to be carried Into effect
IIby revolution and rebellion---like the
one referred to by the Senator as pre-
sented here by pretended Governor
of Rhode Island, Mr.. Dorr.
/ No such thing is recognised or con-
templated by the Constitution under
! which VIC meet here. Does the Sena-
| tor intend to assert that there can be no
constitutional provision, no iundamen-
tai law III Il State Of society, unless il is
in writing, and i'll the form of modern
! Constitutions lie certainly cannot
derive such an opinion from our Con-
stitution. Does he pretend he eau do
so from the institutions of the parent
country from which we sprang, and from
which we drew our sentiments ot pollti-
cal rights and political and persona! lib
erty
! Sir, the institutions Of Rhode Island
rest upon as sound, organic, and iunda-
| mental laws, both written and unwrltten,
as those of any free State under Heaven
laws as well understood and apprc-
ciated by the People Of that State ; aud,
| let me say to honorable Senators, laws
and institutions which are as deep sea-
/ ted in the affections of that people, aud
as much beyond the reach Of the arts of
designing demagogucs who assall them,
as il they were written on parchment.
/, This is not the time, nor is there now
any occasion, for defence oithe Con-
stituton Of Rhode Island it is only ne
cessarv To say there is such Il consitu-
ton and that it is Il good cne and that
there are no such radical defects or OBJ
leclions to 1t as has been here pretended.
Under the institutions of that state there
is as much personal freedom enjoyed as
by any people in chrlstendom f; and
there is an established mode too for the
alteration of the old or for the adoption
of Il new form of Government. The
authority is controlled only by that
provision of tho National Constitution
which guarantees that the form of Gov
crnment ofthe State shall be republican,
And IN accordance with that mode leg
Islalve provisions have repeatedly been
made, and conventions called under
them for altering our Constitution IN
Rhode Island.
The mode established by long usage
and invariable practice (iustly regarded
there rs fundamental law is for the
Legislature 10 request or authorize tho
iroemcn to elect delegates To Il couven-
ton for the purpose of preparing Con-
stitulion, and submitting 1t to the pco-
pie for their adoption or rejection. -
W hat better provision has any other
State than this Another position re-
lied upon by the Senator, and one on
which he dwclt with an air of great
cxutation and triumph, was that rela-
ting to the qualification required for 10
Itcrs under our Institutions, saying that
the right of suffrage was there limited
to small minority Of the whole people
of the State
What does he mean by the whole
people II he means all persons, adj
init he is correct ; aud the same OBJ &c
ton will apply To all cirii States where
the right of suffrage is exercised in the
known world. IL IS noirherc enjoyed or
exercised by majority Of the whole
people f; and believe there is evidence,
at any rate the fact exists, that the right
oi suffrage Is now and has been enjoyed
10y majority of the people of Rhode
Island | mean ot such people as arc
permitted to exercise II IN any free state
IN this OF any other country. VIII II
be pretended that the Government of
Rhode Island has not tho right to pre-
scribe the qualification for voters Is
there civil State which does not do
this in some form or otheri II It be
done ~ substantially by all free States
the form OF doing II IS unimportant.