Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-02-03
Werdld Of the Ttm { q,
N y w p o e HNo
thursday MORNING, FEB. 3
TOWN MEETINGS.

in this place on Tuesday last, to hoa
the report of the Towns Committee il
relation to the Asylum Keeper. ID. C.
Denham. Esq. was chosen Moderator.
The report Of the Committee being
called for, it was read the purport o
which was that they had, in consc
quence of not boing able to obtain the
desired information from the Commits
sioners, visited the Asylum, and there
ascertained from the inmates that tn,
present Keeper was the man Of Mei
choice, and that they hoped there woul'
be no change.
A question arose as TO the adoption
OF the report, and several frccmcn ex.
pressed their views, when after a mo.
tion to indefinitely postpone was los,
by Il vote Of 60 to l33, it was adopted.
During the speeches on both sides great
confusion and more disorder prevailed
than usual in our town meetings.
This business being thus disposed OF
for the morning,
"A vote passed authorising the Town
Treasurer TO hire a sufficient sum OF
money to complete the alteration of the
Theatre into Town Hall, at not en-
ceeding per cent intcrest--and that
the committee be authorised to draw for
the amount appropriated for that specific
purpose.
A bill was allowed to the Miss
Browns for damage done to their prop
erty in Thames-street, at the last fire,
which was deemed necessary to arrest
the progress Of the fire.
A vote passed authorising the Town
Council to instruct the Street Commits
sioner to take gravel at the west side Of
the Stake Oh the beach for the use of the
town.
A vote passed authorizing the Town
Hall Committee to procure Bell for
said House. This was considered u
desirable thing, as it might in case of
fire in the night, be of great service to
alarm the town-the watch House be-
ing in the same building.
IN THE AFTERNooN-thc irccmen a.
gain met, in pursuance Of notice pre-
viously given, 4, 2 O'Clock. Capt. Gil
bert Chase was chosen Moderator.
This meeting was for the purpose of
considering the expodiency Of adopting
some other mode of governing tho Asy-
lum-or in other words, Of taking from
the Commissioners the power of choos-
ing Keeper and exercising that right
by the town in ITS corporate capacity.
We have full notes Of all that was
said and done, at this meeting, but
want of room compels us to be rs brief
as possible at present. A resolution
was offered by Mr.. Henry Oman, chang
ing the appointing power Of Keeper as
above mentioned, and after long and
stormy debate, it was passed by vote
of lJl to lO7.
After the passage Of this resolution,
Mr.. Oman moved that the Town pro-
ccCd to the election Of Keeper for the
Asylum for one year from the 2j,h of
March next, and nominated Stephen
StedInan, the present Keeper.
An inquiry was made by several gen
tIemen, it a Keeper was not already
chosen by the commissioners, acting
under the authority of the Town, when,
it being answered in the affirmative,
Col Richard Shaw said that there
were two ways to obey a king,-com-
ply with the law, or pay the penalty,
and he for one was ready to pay the
Place could sue the Town
for damages, if he thought proper, SC.
Sc He was ready for the vote to ap-
poirt Mr.. Stcdman.
A paper vote was called for by n,
number of lrecmcn in different parts Of
the House. This was objected To by
Messrs. Shaw, Oman and others, on the
ground that there was no opposition to
Mr.. Stcdman. The calls however for
a vote by ballot being disregardcd by
the Moderator,
A vote was then taken by hand, and
Mr.. Stephen Strdman was chosen
Keeper, snd the meeting then broke up. .