Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-04-21

ISLAND.
We gave, Ia our last week i paper, d
synopsis IL L penal act which tie Legs
lature Of Rhode Island passed, almost III
unanimously, against those persons at
tempting to hold office under the speo-
pies Constitution. There appears,
koweyer, 70 be some difficulty Ia tie exc
cuiivn Of this law. 10 far as we can
learn, the majority Of The fire companies.
and other bodies, which the State looked
70 fer support 10 the execution Of the
law. has proved to be opposed 70 the
Government. and consequently cannot
BE trusted. A candidate for Sheriff, un .
der the speople's' Constitution, openly
walked the streets of Providence, almost
tlefyiGg the authorities 10 arrest him un-
der this law. The government, howev-
er, does not as yet finch; but is making
preparations to put the law in execution.
T A guard is kept at The State Arsenal;
munitions Of war are being prepared; and
a requlsition has been made on the Pres
idell E: f,s ail to put down the opposition
to the government. It is understood
however, that the Executive, with the
concurrence Of the Cabinet, has declar-
ed that the present circumstances of
! Rhode Island do not warrant his inter-
ference.
The adherents of the old government
have put forward ticket for Governor.
and other officers, combining the strong
est men Of both political parties who adj
q ~ ca - 10
Peoples Constitution have nominated
#. w. Dorr. for Governor. 1t is UNDER
stood that he will decline the nomination,
but that if elected by heavy vote, he
will throw himself on the people, and de-
fly the old Government.
This is, to all intents and purposes. a
revolution. SVhetherit will be peace
able one remains to be seen. The friends
Of the Peoples Constitution assert that
the old government is onerous, and that
no remedy against it exists except in
their present course. The other party
contends that such remedy does exist.
and that it can be pursued in legal
way. Both parties are, at present, too
excited; and in their mutual recrImina-
ton, they throw such obscurity around
their dispute, that few persons ont Of the
State understand the real question at is
sue.
We still think the difficulty might be
adjusted in a peaceable way. If the
Legislature shall call Convention for
the purpose of framing Constitution,
and allow every free male white citizen
of the United States to vote for delegates,
an instrument might reasonably be ex-
pected to be adopted which should meet
with general concurrence. The Difficult
ty seems to be, however, with respect to
whether natura1ized citizens shall vote Or
not. The only material difference be-
tvixt the Peoples Constitution, and the
one just rejected by the people, was on
this point; for while the former gave for
eigners vote on the same footing as
other citizens, the latter required in
their case, but in their case only. prop
erty qualification. If this difficulty
could be adjusted, we are sure that a
clear majority, even of the fseelolders
of Rhode Island, would be in fovor of
an extension of The suffrage.
It is very evident that if majority Of
the Rhode Islanders are hostile to the
present government, that Government
cannot be sustained. There can be no
debate on this point. If it comes to arms
numbers will decide. A minority new
er can. in this country, rule a majority
by form of government of which they
dsapprove. The present legal rulers of
Rhode island should have informed them
selves on this point, and then acted Wig
orously, for they would have. known that
the majority Of the citizens would back
them. The extensive disaffection among
the people augurs that this is not so. Yet
we may ourselves be mistaken. But the
coming election will settle this beyond
doubt.
Since penning the above, and on the
eve Of going to press, we have received
the Providence journal, which, in a
leading article on this subject, denies
that the chartered companies have refus-
ed to enforce the late penal law. 1t says
that in the counties of Newport, Washing
ton. Bristol, and the greater part Of
Kent, the best spirit, according to the
Journal, is manifested. The Journal
thinks that, in the event OF an appeal to
arms, the present authorizes would con-
euer. The Journal fayors the legal gov
ernment. 1t is very probable that the
statement Of both parties may be, uncon-
sciously to themselves, colorel by their
wishes. Certainly they present the
most conflicting facts.-Phiz. Post.
LORD AsHBURTON.
The occasional correspondent Of the