Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-01-27

ihIs very reason, he commended, the Leg
Islaiure had no legal authority to call a
Convention that The people alone had
the right to act IN the premises, in their
primary sovereign capacity. lie wish.
ed TO inquire il they had done so-and il
It were found they had done so, he con
sidered himself, and every other member
of the Assembly solemnly bound to carry
out their viii.
Il MIR. Gavut sustained the position oil
MIR. AI~ell, and appealed to the practice
OF the revolutionary times and Mr.
Spencer spoke with some warmth against
the motion.
/ MIR. Randolph said, that he regretted
that IT had not been provision in the
law calling the Convention; that all who
would be qualified to vote under the
Constitution which should be framed,
should vote for its adoption. lfthat pro-
vision had been inserted in the act, and
the frcemen had elected delegates under
it, then i, would be valiJ law. For the
legislature had no power TO extend the
suffrage 10 this way Of itself alone, but
by ratification by The people, it would
obinia the effect Of law. The above
course had been taken in Virginia.
Il Tho question now was simply in the
| reference OF these matters to commit
tee. The ground taken in its favor, " as
! that minority Of the constituents of this
| Assembly, had sanctioned the measure
now before the House. His ground OF
! opposition was, that it was of no sort OF
importance, whether a majority arprov-
! ed it or not, as all the proceedings were
illegal, and therefore could not be re-
cognizcd by this Assembly.
/ Some explanation took place between
|, Mr.. Atweli and Mr.. Randolph, about
the facts with regard to the votes for the
Constitution Of Virginia.
\ When Mr.. Atwell concluded, on mo-
ton Of MIR. Randall, the House adj.
Il AFTERNOON. The House met at 3
O'clock.
/ Mr.. Atwcll called for the considera-
! ton oi his motion OF the morning.
I MIR. Cransio said that he would give
few reasons for voting against the mo-
ton.
/ lie understood that it had been the
general opinion that he was and had been
III favor OF the movement, and that he
had made ii speech in favor Of il in his
place.
/ We hsd lived happily under our pres
ent ~ stcm for two hundred years, and
become great people. But The tine
had come Tor change, aud he was IN
favor oi 1t, but wished that il should come
IA the lolms OF law. We had weather.
ed 'nany tempest, and he trusted IN
God, We should weather this
\ lie understood Mr. Atwell to withdraw
the issue as first placed before the House.
lie eycsterday understood Mr.. A. To give
notice, that he should call up the bill
this morning, and move It's passage.--
Now the question was only on the refer
ence.
Mr. a. said that he only gave notice
that he wo,ld call for the consideration
OF the bill merely-he might yet move
It's passage.
MIR. G.. said he had misunderstood him
then, but now he would consider the
question as 1t was now presented. lie
opposed this reference, because the
House had no power 10 refer 1t, aud be"
cause II was useless TO do so. No com
mlttee could ever agIce in counting
the votes and qualifications OF the cleo
tors. They might waste the whole po-
lItlcal year in lrutless debate, examIna-
tons and discussions, if they should per-
form their duties faithfully.
The bill claimed that The Constitution
had been adopted, and was The paramount
law Of The land. Their party had The
Kindness still to suffer us to exist, though
our days were numbered, and our funeral
bid.
The principle on which these move
men's were founded, might lead US to
continued revolution. Ii would make it
the continual duty OF citizens, 10 be at
tempting tn procure an alteration IN the
system, If it bore hard upon any class
The two great evils felt in our gov
ernment are the unequal representation
and the restricted suffrage. These the
ireemen Of the South, for whom he spoke
are ready and willing to remove, feeling
that now the time had come for so doing
But the claim Of these gentlemen does
not cOniine itself to these. They say in
effect, that we have been in power too
long, that we now can have no mercy. 4
We must close up our affairs, yield up
our power to those who demand it, pull |
the cap over our eyes and die. This is /
what they demand, aud what they say |
must happen.
lie alluded to the history Of the past |
attempts to extend suffrage. The fail
ure OF those attempts, and Of the efforts
to form Constitution, was enough for
these gentlemen TO watch us closely, Il
but not TO give them cause for their pro-
ceedings. They should have waited
until the result of the called Convention
had been made known. There was no
cause Tor them to pursue u parallel at
tempt without the sanction of law.
Mr.. King said he understood the
question before the House To be, To as
certain whether the constitution has been
adopted by the legal ireemen Of this
State. The reasons which had been
given by his colleague, were conclusive
TO his mind and he should be spared con
sIdering that question.
He WAS oI oDpion Tint n better nov VI