Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-29
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tFoa Re rer.i'a s. NJ *; A. r. a2' r. THE FOR
MVTioX OF M; rGofLE's CONSTITUTION IN II
The attention of OH! f'ilowcz ms in This and Other
States is respectfully invited to the following exp"sl
ton al the facts Hv"ved IL the controversy now pend
ing Rhodc aud:
An oullin. al the rrcsen: system of Government Of
th. Stat, Of Rhode .llad contained the charter
granted by Charles IT,, k'n@ at EaglaHd, IN lb'3-
THIS instrument creates CERTAIN o HE hn1 ''fu>'y
and we!l-he!og.d subj cs therein Hamed "a body cor
norate and i,c, and cours an them the usual cor
no,ate movers ,o-.iler * ii extensive legislative al.
ihorlty 1t fixes number o, representatives, to the
General Assembly winch each town IN iil- Colony
sh.ll he emitted /, stnd accord ~ to their population
3, tina; ,ir Sach have been tie changes since IN the
relative norrl7;ion OF the towns, that majority OF the
II use oil Representatives, IS nos elected ~ number
OF towns couta rln. an les :haG third OF te po-
pnilioa OF e atr. In s9ae Instances ti'S neGull-
" Is extreme The tp"n al Portsmouth with J 'tC
inh45ilgnssrrds the sane number ct Representatives.
as the CITY Of Providence witt! 35,71 inhabitants
Three agricultural tpwns, whose united popnlai'oh
amounts Ia but &c. sead the sam: number o: Repre-
sen;aiives as three other agricultural towns, whose
united population amounts t. l>-iS.
The Charter au,lio-.z.s the oGsa;u'e $50 admit
such persons as they shall .hrk it,, 10 be the on!
voters No kmd or atnarn; Of estate was repaired by
law Is u necessary qaa catca for voting until 112i
In that year enacted that person should be
permitted to unless he possessed real estate al
least Of ircgh II Of the value Il ltJ pounds 1he re
cI..d a!a1unt vas 4ftrr,,4 AIDS rse! 10 90 pounds
nfte,uarGs !, i0j pounds la .J2 II reduced 10
30 pounds: aGd !, h,s ever remained al that
sun, coses?oaaia. ~ cur rTcsen, currency, 10 III
dollars.
Ia former times, when almost every man was land
holder TINS rca e.to,e qualification not IN lis pFac
teal ope-ai,on aa ARBITRARY aad uujVst restriction upon
t,e r;rat u suiiA,c but has now become so, 'n con-
recurrence oF az Increase of popui lon, and gradual
ahla.c The circumstances and pQrsn Is OF our c't'-
ens; especially Tie larger portion OF them are com
peeled by law II taxes, o7 do military duty, and are
vet denied III equivalent :gh, 10 vote.
This i'm Gaa iiv of REPRESENTATION and tbis res,rc
,an upaa tn r l Of sutifase have hser the principal
Subjects o! Dissatisfaction and compliant n tbs State
Tor the Inst At,y ye yeats: and are tie causes OF The
;ase&e:rG COLLISION al Tie Two parties MO which the
STATE is nV@ DIVIDED.
In ISL, adl t. extend suffrage 20 those who pad
taxes or performed ntary duty, was carried through
the Seaa,c but lost III tie House OF Representa-
tves.
In IS20 the INGENUITY Of representation in this State
was much discussed. ln i-.i ;.e General Assembly
recommended the adoption of Constitution 10 their
Constituents: the andhalGers, e the right 10 adept
Constitution were confined IL Them exclusively
Their constituents, by their delegates, framed an IN
sifumeni u ca ayldod fr reP7es. NATION some"h
less unequal au II II; ou; they did nottouch lie
suhisc; ol soiiteTa.
lhis Consi,u';an vas submitted 70 the !andioders
and b. them = c'cd.
In 49,, nu"a"T G; PeuuoHs ''r '''e '"'e"s"n "
Fnuf"sr :" "i "'''' No. ''''-'. ~ . ,ard
80, - ~. - ..,I,.. d,tr' ,-. ,-,seu,ed 10
who pay ~ ~ "' ny, ir - ~, ,r,sts 81
.e ..s.a' ,.", ',,..b'5c,, The Commfltee 10
- ,. ,9d y, ,ennr, AGAINST Grant
.'' ,, e.as ,;a na. ,don.rJ h. HE Assembly a.
,,7s, ,,o',",,n.psl-
TIC clviny T., the first paragraph OF this report
,Tbo Con,n,-,ee lind roi.ing IN these ,acmor,als
either nf fc;s Of rcaso:iar which requires the a;ten
49,, - ,Lo H.. If iirre Is cay hing noticcah.,
- ". :; :, ,a l.ile sens. 81; proar,e,y manifested i:
,I,a,,, =. Inch ,hc, were drawn M Tie Commit
i.+ aa,.t,'-f, :, ,,ac,s.ary 1, enou;r, particular
10 Row nam, 81. ;, .lrutrs nfe NATIVE citizens of thu
,nc bn, they are sufficiently informed b. sutscc
,ha, vr,y ,,n, n.rIIo. of i,,o,u are not 50 ana II
- IN cai,na,1i Il, ;-.,ea favorable, opinion OF ,hs
oaai,frat,qrs, OF :,asc e t.e.n ra,hs, who knew
VIVA; they we're sjso'n. who, such occasions. az,
very cyH) t!at prs wao have adsenurrd, aod ar.
every dav aGyen,nroc among as, from other States
countries, l. better tier cnne!an WHO eoi ~ III coal
mon with oGrselrcs ali ;hc pr'ect'an and benefits o.
equal laws and aron whose dspsr;a:e there Is NJ
restraint, shn"id s "e fcS's* ana dissatisfied, un s.
they ia,rodocc here TIE political systems of thc
States they .ave len ai'd IA recommending those ss
tens should ;Hmk taeHasi'sS al i''f'y !" oeno"net
me """'e i4G' :. "' @'a 70 W
- - rse,I,o, md F.p,i,ca:i,oi ard - hav,nn
mes ~ -.J i-,',r, !, sefr.ness, VA,
sa.'i1sn ,L, ., ,t: a,, t,,r.:r ,e,,;o, :"
a, ,,'i ~, {, u,g.r,o -rco,,,rerl ina, ,bf
'"'se 49, ia. low, =, ,,,ill,.,, .;,,, =
In jns''ce 10 me S'!"''' "a 'eSe ""''"a'S' u ous
10 be stated mat ,'se "0S '"'' III t'r'f iia'ier o