Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-05-12
For the Herald Of tho Times.
Mn. ArKiSsoS-

| 10 DIihu 'hc P'op'c, anu W 'Huuec NV" " P''
severe in their rebellious course, is tho follow
H ing: "The government Of Rhode Island is not
republican in form, and that by the Constitution
of the United States, such form is guaran-
,eod to all The States" So far as the guaranty
is concerned, it is true, but that the govern
! mcnt of Rhode Island is aot republican both in
form and reality, most emphaically deny
and will endcavor to prove to the full satisiac.
ton of all candid and reasonable persons.
/ What is republican form Of government
Il Republic, sis state in which the sovereign
power is lodged in rcprese natives elected by
rmE rEorLE. Webster.
H 1.-THE present freemon in Rhode Island are
not peopie, what arc they The definition Of
4 "peopIe,' by Madison, in relation TO this sub
II ject, aud the Constitution of the United States,
ought to be satisfactory, az he undoubtedly
knew, as well ms any man, its true meaning, in
that instrument lie says, "Onc branch Of the
new government is to be appointed by these
Legislatures; aud under the confederation the
delegates TO Congress may all be appointed i'm
mediatcly by the peopie-nnd in two States,
1 Connecticut and Rhode Island, are actually so
/ appointed" This definition ought certainly to
be satisfactory.
II Perhaps if we look at the qualifications Of
Electors in few Of the "Od Thirteen" when
they uJopted the Constitution of the L.. States.
further proof of and full and complete answer.
to the qucs,ion--who were he people At that
time, and consequently who are, in the sense
of the Constitution of the United States, at the
present time?
We will begin with Massachusetts. :.Evcry
male person being twenty .one years Of age and
resident Of any particular town in this Cons
monwealih for the space of one year next pre-
cedins having a.frsehoid estate within the same
town OF AN annual income of three pounds, or
any est"fe OF the value of sixty. pounds, shall
have right TO vote for the choice of repre-.
sentative or representatives. for the said town"
| Who were he pcopte Of Massachusetts then
Were they or were they not, the same as in
Rhode Island today
| To be II senator in Massachusetts at tha,
time, required Il freehold of three hundred
pounds yaluc--or other estate six hundred
pounds value, together with five wears resi-.
dcnce, &c.
To be n Representative required freehold
Of fl0O, or other estate COCO, and one year
residence.
/ Look AT the following States:
.N,m Jcrwy-Fity pounds estate and one
year residence.
.Maryord--fity acres Of land, or thirty
pounds personal estate and one year residence
NORTH Caroiina-Filly acres Of land, and re-.
sdcncc in the county one year, to vote for
Senators aud one year residence and pay mcnl
taxes, to vote for Representatives.
So"M C"ro'i"o-To be legally seized and
posse Of freehold of fifty acres of land, .iA
months before voting or payment of a tax oi
three shilIingS sterling the yuar preceding tho
offer TO vote, (adopted 1790)
But 1t is useless 10 multiply examples. Th,
government OF Rhode Island is either fully aud
entirely, both in form and in spirit, republican,
nor at the time ofthe adoption of the Fedora
Constitution neither Of the States above nam, d
were republics, nor is il believed that there wa.
ono IN the whole Union.
Ii is believed that the present number oi
!reemcn in Rhode Island is not less than 600
and that by system of suffrage as liberal ~
could be desired (say that Of the "pcoplcs'
cons'itutlon,) would not raise the number above
10000, or 20 per cent. Oft white male in
habtants above Il years age. The whole
vote for and against The legal Constitution was
I6,|O2, or % per cent, and at no time were
ever greater cxertions made To bring every man
to the polls. Further, by the census of 1910,
there were in Newport 1870 white males above
II years ofagc, and by close and careful reg.
lister of votes, according to the provisions Of the
law in relation to voters for the legal constitu-
lion, made by II committee Of five persons IN
each ward, assisted by the person who took
the census in this town, and his records, onl, |
1900 persons could be found belonging here
having II right TO vote, or 60 per cent. Of the
whole, and of this number only 1891 voted.
BY list made in the samo way in 1910, III,
number of frccmcn in this town was GIG, or 81 |
per cent, OF the whole Of this number $50 only
voted; although very great exer,ions were
made to bring out a full vote. At that time |
there were s,G62 votes cast in the State, or less
than "a per cent. Of The whole. The country
,o,yns have , ,,,,L II