The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-12-30

We'll, IN that hodv, for committee to examine the
faInfhs winch was negaiiycd nv large majority.
~ the charter Assembly refused 10 inquire whelh-
or or not thr people had adopted constitution.
~ The opinion Of the nulorsIIncI, this conSli.u-
non, 50 tanned and pd0p,cd, became, was, udh is
iho "wiuI constitution Of the State Of Rhode Is
Ihd 1t II be objected 10 i;4 validity, that il was
formed aud adopted without lccnSc Of the chatter
assembly, wo answer, that such consent had been
repeatedly asked, running through period Of City
years, aud ms repeatedly refused; that Rhode Is
'and. up to this time, WAS without any constitu-
ton; that there existed no fundamental law in
which was pointed out the mode of liz own amend
meat; Tint The minority of the people were in no
WISE parties 10, ar members Of that government,
winch claimed the right to rule them; and further
that lis results necessarily prove the idea Of the
peopa's sovereignty ;ihal, being bound by com
Pac 10 The contrary, elrinlpOsed,or scIiassumed,
with them it lawfully rests to say WHEN and in
WArf maREcr they will create or alter govern
ment for themselves, The constitution of oar own
state declares 'Ihal the community bath an iadn-
bilab!c, nilienabIc and iadcleasb,c right 10 re-
form or alter government in such manner as shall
be by that community Judged mos, conducive To
the public veal" The constitution o! PennSyl-
wanna declares that 'ihe people al all times have
an ndnhI,nblc and indcltnsibe right 10 alter, re-
form or c6oiiSh their government in such mHRner
~ thnv think proper " The constitution Of Viz
ginin declares that "a ngajori.v Of the community
hath m indubi,ahc, nalicnahie and indelcasib!e
right to reform, alter or abOiih government in such
manner us shall be Judged most conducive TO the
pub!ic veal Every constitution of Government
in the American Union, except the rejected Land
holders constitution in Rhode Island, contains the
assertion of like principle. Judge wilson, Of
Pennsl lvania, one of the Trainers Of the L s. Con
Stnon, says ''lhe people may change The consi-
tuition, whenever and howerer they please. This
is right Of which no positive Institutions can de-
P''ve 'hem, ~ Mr. Madison speaking OF "r"gu'
"r'''es ~ me proposal OF constitution, SAYS ~,
must DC oorne IN NINA, maj as me pan 'a'hec
""' P'olo'cu Is ~ NC suo'h",eo % '"e Pc'i' 'i'n-
su'es' ,,o o'''PP,"o"''on W 'h'' supreme ""'no'
u! "ou'u oes'foy lis power hs appreciation oof
o"' az ""'e'e1c"' errors on" uIeS"m u'S'
Inc ABOVE are out lew o' Niu''''uie VI lNe an"
Goh'uFrlng aN'hoiH'es' upon me S"'lcc' VI loPn'
N"f sovereignty, treasured IN the "f'''hs' OF 'he
s'I"' 'a"'''S VI ,ne r'Punnc, c,,.,
!" "tP, 'hics ''e people OF inc 'erF'ory OF A'ch'
s"'', """ou' '"c Sa"ct'"h o, rNPt'S ''w' ny
spontaneous movement WIN less regard 10 Tue
form ana accuracy vi lhcr Pi"ccenns' ana 'eS'
"nt"lm''v lhan characterized the I'lhg' OF me
peefe o. hhode lslnhu' penhed an" aooWeu Tor
the'iSfNes " constitution o' government anu uh-
&c, were No'i''eu mo me ch'on US" zee @"lt'
''u''o, " seems 10 inc Undersigned 10 ne P'"r"
cary an utter 'e"iai o. Tue uon'f'he 81 popular
sovereignty 70 c!aih HAT WIN Tue cAE',"s gov
""Heh' ana MOI III" people, TESTS 'h' ''s''' i" say
Wh,re' or IN w'rt manner r'cl may he changed
II ''e people are hUN"h 10 ASK Tue a,''"! o' Tue
c"''s government 10 any cinhS' 'cFf"i' '''"''
!" '. iSon me government hus' nave me f'an. I"
re.UF' 2s'HH'' anu So inca 10 'ha"'""' "s''' IL
s''I'' w consent ol me P'ohc ny power VI "uS'
II
H"'''rrpnb'I'nn, h!resy IN American po''''cs anu
d'fps'M'
On The fist Monday III Nov. 1911, the nndhol- |
a4r's convention assembled in accordance with the !
previous vote Of the charter Assembly, for the |
purpose Of drafting II constitution. On the ques- !
lion Of the extension Of III" suffrage, it wa. "tocd
10 cxclude the eldest son Of l4rniCn, and 10 admit
such white male adul citizens rs possessed taxa
bic prnprrry, to the amount Of five hundred dol |
hrs.' Tho convention adjourned to meet again
the 18th dry Of Feb. 1912. Thus matters stood
when, on the eth, 2Slh and oath days Of Dee,
1871, the people ns before stated adopted for
themselves, by large majority, n consli,u'ion.- !
If it we've necessary for The people Of Rhode Is .
land to make "cycuse" for - DONG II seems 10 !
the Undersigned ,Ilt such "cScusr' may he found !
in the character of The vote before specified where
hy The nndho.ler's proclaimed 10 the people, ~
they had eyer done, that property aud not nNman
~ WAS 10 be tho basis 81 their government; that
Acknowledgement aud exclusion. ms unreasonable
aud cruel as hid ever existed under the old char
ter, was To be heir policy. 1t i, trnc, that at the
udiouraad session Of The landhDldcr's convcn-
''on' holden on mo ian day oil REP isi2' ANA
h'ier lh' noop''oh Oh inc people constitution
some mou'!c'''oh' i'r 'h' oe,'e', were niue ny
the convention IN the proposed suffrage hn, Irl
~ .''e constitution mere pf"p''r"' tnc'e rNS'c"
ieu.nres 80 aoonnaoe rs 10 fcnnnr u "''cf'! "h-
NJ Tor Tue organic III" "' fee Ps'pe' ~ con-
then 10 recognition OF me sovereignty OF Tue pro-
f'' VI 'he" r,sn 70 or'h or a"rt 'hn'r government
~ Peasu'e. u d'd NOT PROVIDE 'or 'he Voe ny "a''
'o'' wi'ho"' me name o. ,.'e yo,Hr written up""
s,,,,,al na,,i;,r r.;,;r,,a a, H., r.o'I',l",,
N'""s" P"'"'''' VIZ Nv ''"'''.' = :