Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-04-11

| such measure may be aGlIcipnied from that
body. They have not yet reachcG The point
| 1T caring to interfere win or set aside The
| government Ui sovereign Stale vi tins re
| pnblc. We know very welt, SIT, for wha
| his m"morla has bccn got np, and what
mas been entertained by the House of Repre-
| ,rulalIves. l. is intended 10 create poliica
| 'npltal. But the unlimited power which haS
been gwen by tha, body TO IA COMMITTEE o
rs members 10 send Tor persons and papers
! without restriction, Is enough Ia arouse the
feelings oi every Rhode Island man-lcal
4 ms a. they are aud always have brGn ui any
II"ncrnachment on the rights reserved 10 the
~t't"s. am not, SIR, going into the discus
: son ot The principles iEyuIved ~ the Khod"
I Island question:. had suppos"d that qncs
lon To Oc settled among Us. had supposed
hat at least II was no longer subject oi
/ controversy or denial with any parly-iha'
! he rXlslIng government was now the legal
| government of tins State. or that those who
mad taken an oath under 1t and sworn To sup
port It, recognised It's legal aud constitutional
! l"XiSicucc.
| The senator from North Providence tMr.
| Eatonl suhScrbes 20 this doctrine. lie nc
| know ledges that the existing constitution Is
| the lcgal government of this Stat: ,ha, It Is
nc law Of The land, aud he says he is sworn
20 md considers himself bound 10 support 1t.
! cannot doubt The declaration ofthe senator,
expressed upon the floor OF this house. But
he senator thinks that the memorial does
not necessarily rcqntrc any construction
II which would Involve the destruction Oi the
present government Now | must express
my astoulshmcnt that gentleman OF his tai
"nls and legal aCumcn could have any doubts
/ i The meaning Oi this memorial meaning
- liam. so marked. that there Is no avoiding
Il--lhat II could no. escape the most ordinary
Comprehension. The memorial SETS forth
/ ~ the first place, thar a Constitution was
ldoprod in December, ISL, by the people of
! lhls State that that constitution was put
DOWN by military force that "ano'hcr con
"tltntlnn, uulgst restrictive, aud anti r"pnb'I-
can" was adopted by less than onc.llird oi
The people of this State that It was "lmpos
ID on the people while under dnrrs>": that
- by tuTcc and violence. Now, what is the
conclusion Ia which these statements are
meant To lcnGs what - the natural and obvi
aus inference meant 10 be drawn from them.
II is also stated that the people Of tins
State were under martial law aud n,Inary
restraint at the time OF the adoption of The
prcscn, constitution. What is the Object Of
Tins statement. putting aside the question OF
rs truth : For need not, sir, IN this room
or IN The State of Rhode Island 90 into any
Argument TO prove the tuschuud Of these
statements There is not man here who
does not know them o.bc uniUundcd. VINO
dare stand up here and assert their truth
When was any man ~ tins State constrained
by military force TO vote for or against this
constltuIon-or for the friends oi the govern
ment organised under it Has the Senator
from North Providence, or have hls cons,itu
rntS been thus constrained ?-have The ScDa.
tors from Cumberlond, BurrllIvllle, johnston
and SnIlhficld, or their constituents. been
,hus constrained II so, how happens 1t |
hat these gcntIcmcp, the very slgncrs ol
this memorial, are now filling seats III TIN.
House ? Sir, these charges, # made any
where else than in public document Of
this grave character, aud 0y men appearing
in the public eye III stations OF honor aud DIS
linc'on, would not be entitled to notice i
and am aStonlshcd that members of tins
body could be found willing TO ailiX their
names and give their sanction TO n paper
containing statements SO gross aud uniounG-
cd
Bnt was looking at these assertions OF
The memorialIsts with reference To the con.
illusions To whIc! they point. THIS mcm"tl-
al complains that persons were not permitted
10 vote for the members of Compress from
his State who were entitled 10 vote by the |
provisions Of another constitution than the |
existing one; and that the EXISTING one was
adopted by force and violence, aud it asks for
hat rason that the right of Gur members to
heir seats may be inquired INTO. The con.
CIusion, then, TO which every man Of com
mon sense must come from these statements,
and this request based upon them, is, that
these mcmorIaIls,s wish Congress to examine |.
whether IN August, 1913, when these mem.
bers were elected, the peoples constitution
Dr the existing constitution, was the para
mount law Of this State. Can there be any
ioubt as To this poln,? Can sensible me n
lIfer as to the import ot the words? /? Is IT |
not so plain that he who rLns may read?
The memorial then goes on to ask the ex.
ccu,ion of the guaranty Of . republican form
If government given ~ the cnnstltutiun.--
What is tho republican government which
they wish guaranteed to tins State They
do not ask for Congress to inquire whether
he present form of government - republican
or not. or which of lhe two is the more re
publlcnn form of government but they wish
the form OF government guaranteed 10 them
Which they declare 10 have been adopted by .
he people Of tins State, VIZ; the peoples
constitution,
Now, up 10 this last point, t,-and wish this
to be especially noticed ~ the construction
Of the meaning of this mcmora, tor 1t was
framed, If mistake not. by one who is well
acquainted with the powers of the different
branches of the National LcgisIatnre,-upI
to this poin, You will observe that The me.
mortal has been concerned with subjects
which fall appropriately within the province
II the House OF Representatives. II has
been thus far directed to the House Of Rep. |
rcscnlallvcs in It's request for an examination
Jf the Corduct Of the President aud hls Off
ccrs, and an investigation Into the rights of
It's members TO their seats These matters
lhc Trainer of this memorial well knew were
within the province OF the House.
Bu, now the language - changed, and
'We undcrSigHed Gipihr request he Congress
Jf the United states TO execute To ihlS state "
nh'y seek now the action uf Congress, To-
Gxccrlc WHAT Why the guaranty of the
constitution oi tho United States IN lavor of
the poopi,'S s co,!SiiHijOa ~ this state. Wha,
Then ducs the Senator from Norh Provl
iencc, and what do The other signers Of this
memorial ask Congress 10 do2 Why. PLAIN.
~. ro set aside. 10 overthrow the EXISTING
constitution Of this state. and TO set up The
peoples constitution upon Us RUNS. l. there /.
any escape from this Could language de. /