Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-02-10
RHODE ISLAND AFFAIRS.
REPORT OF THE MAJORITY OF THE
COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE


proceedings of the suffrage party in Rhode Island r
fully agreeing with the views of his Exceency n
upon the subject report the following resolutions {
RESOLVED That the late attempts of that portion :
of the people of Rhode Island, called the suffrage |
party, to overturn the existing government of that
state, were rebeous and revolutionary, and that !
some of the doctrines by which such proceedings /,
sought to be justified, are dangerous to civil lib
erty. II
Your Committee deem it proper to submit some
of the reasons, which have led them to the concu-
sion, set forth in the foregoing resolution In doing
80, the committee lay down the following PROPOSE
tons, which it is believed cannot be controverted.
LIST. A formal written constitution is not neces
sarily essential to the foundation and establishment
Of free government.
I'd. If such written constitution be thus essen
tial the Government of Rhode Island has that pre-
requisite
Sd. A constitution, or fundamental law, once es-
tablished, only be changed in pursuance of its
own provisions, except when actual oppression JUS
titles revolution.
The first proposition appears to your committee
too evident to require extended demonstration.
The political compact the constitution ola state,
is nothing more than the agreement of a people,
upon the general rules which shall constitute their
form and plan of government and show its charac
ter by declaring the principles upon which tits bas-
ed.
Reducing this argument to writing is but mode
of preserving and perpeuating the evidence Of its
existence 1T is DuI the dress III WHICH lDe HpTee-
ment is clothed, mere incidental. IL does not give
to the agreement its binding force, increase or
diminish the obligations Of the citizen to perform
it. The power of the political compact lies deep
err in the very nature Of the compact ITSELF in the
absolute and moral necessity of strict adherance
to its provisions, for the safety Of the body polite,
and in the mutual confidence of all the citizens in
, each other at the time of its adoption.
-. A recurrence to the history of free governments
shows the proposition to be true, not in theory only
but in fact Indeed, the principle that the people
are sovereign excludes the idea that formal, writ
ten constitution is the only one, by which they can
4. bind themselves
r The second proposition your committee believe
e to be fully sustained by facts.
d 1t is indeed true, that according to the present
if common acceptaton of the term constitution, that
o is, one adopted by Convention of the delegates
of the people assembled for that purpose, in the
manner that our own originally made and adop-
ted. the people of Rhode Island did not adopt a
written Constitution. But it is equally true that
they did adopt iDritten Constitution in form unlike
our own yet republican in its character, and in a
manner which they judged most conducive to their
own interests; in other words, as they fit
IN In 1860, Charles ii. granted charter to the col
le onsts giving them the right to elect all their Off
ID GERS, executive, Legislative and judicial and EN-.
es towering their legislature, among other things, &c
n, make, ordain, constitute, or repeal, such laws
r. statutes and ordinances, forms and ceremonies o.
k, government and magstracy, as to them should
he seem meet &c. with the provso that they be mo-
repugnant to the laws of England. This charter
4 was accepted by them, and thus established
free government within monarchy; whether witt
nicely and equally balanced powers is not now thu
DIS question: but with full power in the people and thei
representatives, to mould and change it at thei
?" pleasure.
be Under this charter, the people of Rhode Islam,
have exercised all the powers Of sel-governmen
lar to the present day. and since the adoption Of tn
declaration of Independence, all the powers OF al
Independent and sovereign state, except such ms
RE by the adoption Of the Constitution of the Unite
zee States, were surrendered to the General Govern
IN ment
on The admission of Rhode Island into the UnoI
gs was a recognition on the part of the General Gov
nd, ernment not only that her Constitution thus tacit
- adopted was legally binding and operative upo
Try her citizens, but also that it sufficient
* free and republican in its character to entite ht
he to become of the members of the confederac
ah AS such she acted, by eecting under this sam
ed Constitution, her representatives and senators
i'll, Congress- and as such she has been received an
he treated by permitting them to take part in the dc
ote liberations Of the National Council, and by ever
5g- of that body Of general and national chara,
zee ter.
Of All the states in the Union, in their individu
IN capacity, have severay, through their Legislature
iri- by resolutions, through their Executives by
ct municang such resolutions to the existing autho
Mr. tiles of Rhode lsand-through their judiciary II
not bunals by giving 'u faith and credit" Jas provide
ar by the Constitution of the United Sates "to all h
var public acts, records and judicial proceedings
oil made the same recognition.
one But this is not all the Supreme Court of the
10 nited States, the highest judicial tribunal in the
ton, have in the case Of Leland VS.. Wilkinson e
'hn pressly recognized the charter of Charles H.
lost the fundamental law of Rhode Island, except
lrs. far as it has been modified, to meet the eXige
cies of the revolution.
In view of all this, it be said that Rhot
our Island has had no constitution, no written const
hls tuition, and that the charter of Charles IL. W
ler rendered null and void by adopting the Declar
"l'l ton of independence? If so, sovereign people,
OF u simple declaration can destroy constitution, b
me sovereign people by their acts cannot adopt one,
ers cannot by exercising all the powers of governme
ier for iity-siX years, perpetuate form and plan
by government, of binding and legal force, becau
it was originally granted by the charter Of Br
ish King A strange commentary, upon the pOu
nay of the sovereign people.
anu 1t is said however, and by those too, whose OF
All cia stations claim for their opinions Tespe
rem that such was the effect of adopting the decla
llch ton of independence. The absurdity and falls
INC of this proposition appear us the committee
lieve, from what has already been said. 1t may
a.. WELL however, to inquire what would be some
'.'o the consequences of this doctrine, if true.
u Many of our towns chartered by COVE
mus appointed by British kings, land the agent p
sesses more power than his principally W.
these charters rendered null and void by the dec
one w. % X ,;,Ios 70 onr f,rms ,yhoso nr;
ket- 80 he saoa 80 tho cbarters2 Arc tba,, lin ,oi
wa wa Such is the case if this doctrine be true We
men mere "squatters upon the soil. Our farms belle
to the government, and nothing short of Legislat
our II -, 81 a. 7norIo oe pLolo TIorJ ,b
any we're MOI the Vows ~ ,be f,Iers ~ ths Rennb
II of Mil, 80 800 ;o,1aJ h', 10 Jacaration
", at iSnosl H., 50 ort IL r;nb, Of seIf g
eminent in the people, break the tie of alleglaI
rted which bound the coonists to the mother eouit
ush- and make known to the world, te causes "Ii0n
was to, and justified the separation, leaving each co
made ny, within Its chartered mlts atnougn ena
in by "Brltlsh King TO establish suIi Pc" !.