New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-18
Rhode IsIand.

The new legally formed Constitution of this
State viii be voted on by the People on Monday
Tuesday ard Wednesday, and adopted, for the
Dorrites avow their deter mnaton not to vote upon
it either way. If they had done this last April
instead of rayng all their forces and uniting with
the stubborn, uncompromsing Landholders to vote
down the former Constitution, all would have beer
settled before this time and that frightful King
Charles's Charter, which they hold in such abhor
renee, would have been consigned to oblivion
But they pulled out their last man to vote dow
the legally formed Constitution, and thereby clearly
Though Fundamentally, admitted that their ow1
Constitution was the merest waste paper; for j
that had been valid, the other, having teen formed
otter it, must have been utterly null and void ane
they might as well have been voting upon new
Charter proposed by Queen Victoria. We reioic.
that time for reflection has induced the Dorr mer
20 take q wider and juster course at the time
The adoption of the new Constitution next week
will make three-fourths of them Legal Voters il
they choose to be SUCH and then they can peace
fully, constitutionay set to work to modify this
Constitution, if they desire it.
But what shall we say Of those who continue t.
peryert and misstate the whole subject in dispute,
in order to subserve the cause of -Focoism BY
stirring up the bitterest and most incendiary pas
sions? Just look at the following passage from,
The New- York Sun of Wednesday last-long af
ter the Landholders,' as they are termed, had fo
a second time formed Constitution admitting
Non-Freeholders to the Right of Suffrage, and
while those same Landholders were Doing thei
best to secure its adoption. In the face of these
efforts, knewn of all intelligent men, The San
says:
"sovsREIGNTYIn the State of Rhode Island the srug
FL. for sovereignty between the soil and the people goes
holly The soil has the minority and the old ieuda form
its side; the Pc pie have the intelligence aority,
and right theirs We mus, confess predictions
with the people," etc.
1nthis strain The Sun goes on canting through
half column, as it has done twenty times before
in the face of repeated exposures of its fraud and
doubtless one-haf ofits readers believe to this day
that the ferecious Algerines Of Rhode Island are
fully determined that but Freebooter
shall there exercise the Right of Suffrage Is
not this cheat too nischievous, too monstrous -
Must not the mot:ue be bad which induces such
per,inncious cenceamept and Justification
The new legally formed Constitution of Rhode
Island extends to all white natives of the United
States who train or pay taxes to the amount of one
dollar per annum (Which any man may do who
chooses) the Right Of Suffrage, after brief resi-
dencc in the State. Natives of other countries
with colored natives of this country if the People
shall SO decide) are required to own $134 worth OF
Real Property in the State. just as colored men
here required to own $50 worth, free and clear,
in order that they may vote. We are opposed to
all such distinctions. whether in New-York OF
Rhode Island, but know of no way of abolshing
them other than by peaceful and constitutional Re
form. This way will be open to the Non-Free-
holders of Rhode Island as soon as the new Con-
stitutlon shall have been adopted; for they will
then have the power legally in their own hands.
Whether those who are SO averse to the represent
alton Of dirt and gravel Tn Rhode Island will be
equally Jealous to abolish such representation in
Neg- York, remains to be seen.