Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-02-17
GOV. PAINE AND THE i,dCtE lsLhND-
Fra

The locofoco editors in vermont 't shock
ngly to heart the civilities rendered TO Gov. Paine
recently by the members Of the General Assem-.
bly, Of Rhode Island, aud by the people of Prov.
dence. Their columns TEEN with denunciations !;
aud could one hear from the editorial sanclums of
the locofoco printing offices, no doubt he would
expect to he greeted with most dolelhl sounds
But why all this pother2 Did Gov. Paine in bis
message do any discredh to the people of Yer
mont or to their principles; or did lie at u in
fringe upon any of the rights OF tic people Of
Rhode Island Neither ofthese. In seeking os.
tensibly for The adoption of constitution, aud dn
extension of the right oil suffrage things which
were right in themselves, and no man is more
ready to admit This than Gov Paine. IA portion
oil the people of Rhode Island chose TO adopt
slcdns repugnant TO every principle Of law and
order, and which threatened ultimately 20 end
in all The horrors OF civil war. The people Of
Rhode Island mark it, the people Of tia, state
ns D0rr himself has admitted, refused to counlc.
nance these revolutionary movements and 81
overwhelmingly strong was the power OF tho gov
urnmcnt, sustained rs It was Ivy tho people, that
Dorr fed from the state, aud is to This lime in The
condition of an outlaw. lie snlW not even The
candidate OF his own party for Governor Mt tic
c0ming election. Alter The peopfe of Rhode ISL
and had thus dccisively given h ir verdict, The
chief magistrates of New Hampshire Gnd Con-
uectcut saw iii 10 endorse the doctrines uf the
Dorr party and to recognize Dorr huselr us the
iighlfu Governor of people who had practlchl-
ly bnnahGd him. Their dOclrine vas aud is
tina, governments may he changed 10y the people
s--or rather 10y any rurIy claiming 10 be the people
without regard 10 existing constitutions or laws
and he changed 10y force Is this good ducrine
for Vermont! Have the weak acquired no rights
10y the constitutional compact into Whrh they
have entered; Must, for instnuce, the smaller
towns surrender their right OF representation, al
any time when The majority in II popular vote
shall demand it Aud it Tiny will lot consent
ineni OF tie constitute IA legally made--may they
I've rightfuliy forced TO do il, AT the point OF the
iayonet? Or take stronger case suppose that
in 1910, Il state convention bad been called und
had drafted II new constitution, IN which every
Inan WIS stripped of the right Of suffrage uu'ess
he was u Wing, and this lad been adopted by The
overwhelming vote which the Wings gave 10
1her state ticket that year would such n consti
sution, backed even by lS,0C0 majority in tho
popular vote, bu binding upon our locGfOco
trends, und would it's enforcement upon them, 10y
the sword, bo right ? II Ibis lie indeed so, then
are there no rights, save in the majority lhrn is
there security for the stability Of any c0nstilu
ton, however good may he. Ii was This novel,
revolutionary, bloody doctrine, which Gov. Paine
condemned and in doing ii lie was faithful 10
Fermon,-faihiu TO the cnuse OF Liberty, of
Law, OF Order and Of Peace, every where. For
this, he has received the respect OF Rhode Island
ers; aud we doubt no, that for this, too, hc will
be respected by every intelligent patriotic man in
his own state. We are aware that ihe locofocu
presses hold him up, aud the Wing party with
him. most per,inaciously, IS hostile 10 extee
sion of the right of suffrage This is utterly un-
warranted by The facts in the Case He has taken
no such ground; nor has the Wig party. In
Rhude Island itself, the friends of law and order
lave extended the right of suffrage; they have
legally and peacefully adopted constitution,
quite as good OH the WHOLE and in sons uoinIs
better Than that proposed by the Dorr faction.