Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-04-07
state Of Rhode Island, &c.
In General Assembly, March, 1912.

The Committee to whom was referred the
joint resolution requiring them to rcpor, ,c
this Assembly q statement Of all the import.
ant facts connected with the formation and
rejection OF the Constitution lately submitted
to the People Of this State for approval OF
rejection, and also to report their opinion
whether any legislation on said subject il
now necessary, aud if any, what, beg leave
to report:
Il That those who have set themselves ia
opposition TO The government Of this State
have pretended tlia: It was an arist0crac
aud not republican in its form on the con
| trary, your committee have no hesitation IN
II asserting that this State, from its settleme Mt
has possessed democratic form Of govern.
| ment.
/ The first charter, obtained under the an.
thority Of the Parliament in Enga in l64;
and 44, and The last charter, Obtained in I6G;
from Charles secured 10 the people of,hl.
Stale the right OF self government. Under
that form vi government, which has descend
cd TO Us from The patriaTchs Of the colony
the people have enjoyed degree Of civil
and relfssSus freedom which hns never beer
Lexcreded, and seldom cqualled in any Other
State.
\ rhs fSfh ~ government has been found
sufficient in peace aud in war, in times whcr
our people acknowledged allegiance to ,he
crown Of England, aud since the declaration
Of Independence. Under this form Of GO
vernmeni, the people Of this State became
II parties to the Declaration Of Independence
to the Union Of the States under the Con
federation, and 10 the Constitution Of the
II United States, under which we have enjoyed
SO much prosperity and happiness.
/ The Charter OF 1863 having fixed the rep.
! reseniation of the towns, without reference
to their subsequent population, the altered
circumstances OF the State has produced III
inequality Of representation from the towns
IN the House of Representatives, which has
created some dissatisfaction in that portion
Of the State which has most increased III
population.
II Within the last eighteen years, three at.
trmpis have been made to form a conslitu
| ton OF governnent tor this State, under the
| sanction OF acts ot this General Assembly,
H These attempts have failed, in two instances
by the vote of the people, in 1924 and in lS42
aud by the failure OF the convention in 1884
to form D constitution.
H THIS General Assembly has thus mani.
Tested disposition to afford every facility to
the people of Tins State which was necessary
to enable them to repeal. or reform, or re-
model, at their pleasure, their fundamc nta
laws. The unequal representation Of the
towns has not, therefore, Influenced this
General Assembly so as to prevent the action
OF the treemen at large on this subject. And
as further instance of the libcraily OF this
General Assembly. III the last attempt that
was made 10 fUrm u constitution, the basis oi
representation IN the convention was altered
by an act OF The Assembly, so as to render
the people more equally represented in tina,
body which was To form the constitution.
/ In the attempts To torn a constitution in
1924 and 1894, but very few were desirous
Of changing the freehold qualification for the
rgh, Of suffrage. In the convention of 1894,
Mr.. PSarce nude motion TO extend The
right at suffrage 10 persons who did not pos
sess treehola, which was almost unanimous
ly rejected, three only voting in its favor.
At the January session OF the Assembly in
1871, q memorial from the town uf Sm,,h-
6cit was'rekNrrd To select committee of
the House Of Representatives, Of which the
Hon. Asher Robbins was chairman, who, in
behalf Of said committee, reported as fol-
lows:
"The select committee, to whom was re-
!crrrd the memorial of the town Of Smith
ield, praying Ihis General Assembly to take
the subject Of the extreme inequality of The
present representation from the several towns
under consideration, and in such manner as
seems most practicable and just, to correct,
the evil complained of have had the same un.
der consideration, and the committee be-
licving that The regular and righttul way Of
obtaining The object prayed for, is by con
ventlon OF the freeincn Of the State acting in
their sovereign capacity on the subject, re-
port the following resolution for adoption
"Resolved by this General Assembly, (thc
Senate concurring with the House Of Repre-.
scnia,lvcs thcrein.) that it be recommended
to the ireemcn of The State, at the several
town meetings IN April, To instruct their rep.
rescntatvcs AS 10 their wishes for State
convention TO frame new constitution for
this State, in whole or in part, with full pow.
ers for that purpose"
| After some remarks from several mem
bers, on motion of Mr.. Robbins, on the 9th
of February, 1871, tins resolution was re-
committed, 10 report ~ The morning, and the
report was made the orGer o! the day for to-
morrow. On the next day, the memorial of
the town of Snithfcld was taken up. and the
resolution as amended by the committee, and
after Il considerable debate on the question,
whether the ireemen should be called upon
first to instruct their representatives on the
subject OF calling convention. or whether
the General Assembly should pass bill as
heretofore, immediately calling a convention,
the latter course was adopted. Resolutions
we've then passed by this General Assembly,
requesting the freemen "to choose, in An.
gust, delegates to attend convention to be
holden at Providence on the first Monday OF
November, I84l, to frame n new constitution
for this State, either in whole or in part, with
fall powers for this purpose and If only for
a constitution in part, that said convention
have under their especial consideration, the
exped,ency Of equalIzing the represen entalion
of the to,:nssHa ihc House Of Representa-
tlves"
At this January session, printed petitions
were prcseoted, signed by about six hundred
persons IN oil, us follows:
To The Hon the General assembly ofhe Stale
of Rhode Island;
The undersigned, inhabitants and citizens
of the State OF Rhode Island, would respect.
fully represent To your honorable body thai