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

|
Legislature was, without any fundamental law,
adopted and sanctioned by the assent Of the peo-
pie, who acquired The right TO the territory and
the political power, by virtue of the treaty of eigh-
ty-llrce with Great Britain, it could pass any law
or system Of laws which could not be anulled hy
any authority except that body whose whole pow
er had nothing 10 sanction il but usurpa,ion If
the proposition be conceded, as the undersigned
apprrhend it must he, upon all hands, that the
people are the real source Of power, i is difficult
for Us 10 conceive how they are to be deprived Of
That power without their consent.
BY an act Of the Legislature, it is provided that
emo person who is not Freebooter shall have out
OF he clerks office any writ &c , or unless some
sufficient freebooter shall enclose his christian and
snrnnmc on The bnck OF The same - None but
ireemen can he empannced or sit as jurors-a
fact which adds terror 10 the frceholder's Assem-
bly,, which makes it high treason in the people to
! oppose The ireehoder's government Such cannot
be tried by their peers
BY another law the Town council are authorised
TO give notice to any person coming within their
limits, he not being freemen, 10 depart out of
their town within cetain period, on penalty if no
fail to go, of heing bound for one year into servi-
Jude 10 any ciii=Gn Of the URiied States. Another
section, same act, renders i, imperative on all who
entertain strangers, to report them within seven
days 10 the President Of the town council. Nor
has this act remained an entire dead letters
but official town dignliaries and others have, under
lie shelter, ever and anon ANNOYED and insulted
with threat of Punishment, the stranger whose re-
ligous, OF moral, or political teachings chance not
TO suit them and have even proceeded TO carry such
threats into execution.
1t would have been most strange If true ,iha, the
people of Rhode Island should have been "sa,is-
fed with The existing form of government" that
we should have "heard no complaints Of misgov-
eminent nor OF the suffering of any portion of her
people" II we may Suppose that Two thirds
Of the people of Rhode Islnnd were content to be
regarded ~ the ouicastS Of the State, without Sc
curly for their righs, itself right inherent, with
out voice or influence in the government which
claims to rule hem;,aNed without being represented,
10 whom every office of honor or emolument was
hopcless!y closed; without the power to maintain n
suit at law, save under the patronage Of n moro
noble cast; wihou, the right Of trial by n lury
Of their peers, and liable 10 Punishment or binding
into scvitude in ease ola change Of residence ;thcn
indeed might we regard them so far lacking in Gin
'ell'gcncc, activity and energy us that possibly
we might say, for them "politira sef.government
would be tho wost form Of which we have any
knowledge' did not such an expression involve
The absurdl'y OF comparing The merits of self gov
eminent wih dcspo,lsm, when self government
alone can be iigluful. But it is not true that the
people OF Rhode Island have born oppression so
amely. Seven distinct struggles for liberty in Il.
Island may be noted in the space Of the last half
century, before we come 10 this last, wherein tho
people made for themselves constitution. These
several efforts and a others had pro, ed unayail-
Ing. The power Of "public opinion" had been
tried. bat what WAS the "opinon" of the two
binds without tho ballot whereby TO give empha-
sii to that "oplnion' to The remaining third who
governed by their acres. That Sampson was
shorn Of his locks. What sane mind could hone.
that the opin,n Of the DISTINGUISHED would be
armed with such potency as TO compel, or clothed
with such persuasive eoqnercc as to charm tho
possessors Of power to yield up those usurpalions
which made them higher in authority, nlu, e or
consideration than The common herd The re-
nca'ed petitions Of the peop'e for an extension Of
the suffrage had been repeatedly spurned, and
The petitioners were characterized in reporls Of
committees as a degraded portion of the commu
niiv, and were reminded that, if they were rot
satisfied with the institutions Of the state, thew
could miIIaic 10 some other portion Of the earth.
In 1884, The Assembly called n convention. not
Of the whole people, but Of the land holders md
their oldest sons, 10 form constitution A motion
therein 10 extend lie suffrage received bat three
votes The proposed constitution was rejected BY
the andhoders. IN 1885, another convention Of
the like character assembled, wherein the PROPOSE
ton 10 extend the suffrage received bat serrn
voics and the members dropping Off one after an
other, the body dispersed for want of quorum.
Once moro, in january, 1871. petitions were sent
to The Assembly PRAYING for the redress Of the peo-
pies ic,nncas They were irsu,innly pussed
hy vllhou, any notice or action. But pe,i,ion
was mr. scented in favor ola more equal -eprescn,n-
lion among frccmcr. and this WAS acted uoon bv
the adoption Of resolution Feb. DISH .rcoucsi-
inc the freeman 10 choose delegates 10 n con,cn.
ton 10 he held in November. 1871.
The dsCanchiscl non.(rcebolder. knoy,r, ,ho,
the contemplated convention of Crecmea was mr.
intended 10 do ANYTHING ciicctual for Them. nvaJ
a mass convention of The people nt Providence,
April I7lh, 1871, ",o consider their rights prey.
nnc,s and remedies " A second mnss conven,;.,,