Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-10-31
POLITICAL.
From the Boston Mercantile JoYrnal.
ID @ X X is vi


Quarterly Review, is an article on th
"Sufiragc Party Of Rhode Island,
which is OF a nature to attract considera
Bile attention, coming from such quar-
! ter-lor Brownson has ever been al
answering champion of Democracy
ln this article, Mr. BrownsoD, thus re
Dukes the mobocratic spirit which CAV,
rise TO the attempt at reyolution IL
Rhode Island, and which subsequently
led TO the dreadful riots in Phladel.
phia (:
"The laws have, with us, their chieI
support in public opinion. Let that
opinion become unsound or corrupt, and
the laws lose their force, and we arc
without protection. If the doctrine
once obtain among us, that legal au-
lhority may be set aside for the purpose
Of making the government conform to
our abstract theories Of human rights,
there is no forcseeing the lawlessness
and anarchy which will ensue. The
symptoms are already threatening and
recent riots and mobs, and worse than
all, the delay aud hesiiancy Of authority
in using force for their suppression, aud
the very extensive doubts which obtain
as to the rightlulness Of regorting to
force at all are to Us really not little
alarming. We are, we own, sensitive
on this subject when we reflect that
we havo recently come TO entertain n
faith extremely odious to the great ma
Jority Of our countrymeh, and when we
see associations formed expressly for its
suppression, lis Gdhcrenis shot down
by an armed mob in the streets, and
it's consecrated churches in flames,
while the rabblc, not composed alto
gether of those commonly meant by the
lower classes, look on and shout, we feel
more and more the nee essity Of rebuk
ing the mobocratic spirit, in whatever
form it may manifest itself, and more
and more the necessity of intoxicating &
reverence for law, and strict obedience
to the lawful magistrate in the discharge
oi MS idWluI uutIto' w Edluot uIOI u
in this country, to insist on "the sacrcc
right of instruction." for VIC shall, i
we DO, have bands Of insurgents ere
long in every town, village and hamlet
in the land. Whatever we may think
Of Mr.. Dorr and his friends personally
we cannot approve their measures, or
defend their doctrines, without n terri
bic hazard to the country, to all securi-
ty Of peace, life, property, aud con-
science"
| With regard to the proceedings OF
/ Mr.. Dorr himself, the nature Of his
crimes and the punishment thereof,
which he is now suffering, Mr. Brown
son discourses with much candor, and
places the whole matter in a clear, and
We believe, just light, before the public.
lie says
! "Wc have been assured that the au-
! thoritics Of Rhode Island are ready To
/ liberato Mr.. Dorr the moment he tcsii-
/ fes his willingness to the existing gov
ernment, and to take the oath Of ale
glance. That he should be reluctant
to do this is noi strange. He holds tha,
/ he has committed no offence tha, the
acts for which he is punished were done
by him as the rightlul governor Of thC
State, in the conscientious discharge oI
lis constitutional functions. His fail
ure to maintain his authority before SUI
perior force did not and could not Vii.
ate his title, or render his acts criminal
Shall he now yield, acknowledge him.
self guilty, and sue for pardon +! No
better die on the scafiold, or rot in the
dungeon. This is the view which he
takes
We hope we arc able to reverence
the martyr spirit Whenever we see il
displayed and we frank y own that, il
we took Mr.. DORIS own view of his
case, we should look upon him as Il
sublime example of moral hcroism. But
/ he himself mast be aware that there Is
something to be said on the other side.
/ Even his acceptance of the Office oil
governor under the Peoples constilu-
ton was treason by the law ol'thc State
OF this he cannot doubt. Then he was
not the rigLtlul governor Of the State ;
aud if not the righllul governor of the
state, there can be no question that the
acts he performed rendered him guilty
Of treason. The Act of the General
Assembly, April 6, 1912, entitled 'Au
/ Act in relation to offences against the
sovereign power ofthe State declared
Il his attempt To exercise the office o.
governor 10 be treason and that law
was valid, because the General Assem-
bly, was still IN the full exercise of al
its legislative functions; had been su.
Ipcrsedcd by no law paramount to Us owr
aud was, IN fact, The only known lcgis
lativo authority IN Rhode Island. 1t /,
Idle to pretend, that, on the 9Th ol
April, 1912, the General Assembly ha,
ceased to exist, or ~ any sense bccr
suppressed An association, unrcCog-
nized by any public Jaw or any public
authority. had, It Is truc. framed an IN
strumcnt which was called conslltu.
ton, had sent it out, and number o
persons in Rhode Island, said To be q
majority of all the adult males ~ Tho
state, recorded their names ~ its Ia
vor. and certain individuals, equally un'
known ~ all existing public authority
declared n ID be tho rAtainount aw 81