The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-08-16

restrictions imposed in connection with its adoptio
and finally, at an adjourned convention in Februa
ry, 1912, upon more enlarged basis Of suffrage
submitted their constitution to those authorized I
uofe Under it. to be voted for March after whicl
was voted down; and in September after, in pur
suance Of the call Of the charter legislature, and un
der the constraint of martial law held another con
venton to frame another constitution; the vote il
favor of which, as appears by the election in No
vember after, was Z 7,024-being So votes less thar
one-half ofthe number polled for the "people'
constitutions" and about one-third Of the voting
population Of the Sate--the residue refusing under
the circumstances, to vote at all.
"The existing government of Rhode Island il
the same which was organized under this consti
tuition. Itis government founded in nsmpation
aad supported byforef; and although, in some re-
spects, more liberal than the old charter government
is yet liable to many strong objections. 1t is OBJ
jectionabe, among other things because it regards
the elective franchise as an incident of property
and not the right of man-because it sets the land.
holder over the chatte holder, and both these
over the naturalized citizen"
This, SO far as our knowledge extends, contains
true statement OF the Rhode Island case. The
following extract from Mr.. Clay's Raleigh North
Carolina speech, written out by himself since his
nomination Tor the presidency, shows which side Of
the question Mr.. Clay takes. He says, "The
wings everywhere, believe, to a man, have disap-
prored and condemned the movement of Dorr. 1t
has been TAR otheytoise with our opponents -
Without meaning to assert that the whole of them
countenanced and supported Dorr, every body
knows that ALL the sympathy and encourage
ment achich he has received haze been among
Mem" For one, we are willing to lay under this
charge of Mr.. Clay, of sympathizing with Mr..
Dorr We feel that his cause is the cause of
the oppressed. There is one other statement
in the remarks of Mr.. Clay, with which we
must find fault. He says, "Without consulting
the established government and the public author
tiles, he Dorr undertook to bent up for recruits,
10 hold irregular elections, at which persons quail
ifed and unqualified, dead and living, were pre-
tended to have voted; and thus securing hetero-
geneous majority, he proceeded to form new
constitution and to set up new government"
Now it is well known by all acquainted with the
affairs OF Rhode Island, and Mr. Clay cam OF be
presumed to be ignorant of it, that after the adop
ton of the "people's constitution" Mr.. Atwell
of the Rhode Island legislature, moved to have
committee appointed to investigate the polls, and
to ascertain if majority of the electors of the
State had not voted for the peoples constitution
The vote upon this motion stood-ayes IL, noes
81; thereby branding false the charge that ssdead
men and unqualified" voters "were pretended to
have voted" as Mr.. Clay says If dead men and
unqualified uoters Uere pretended to have uotcd,
why did not the legislature appoint the committee
as Mr.. Atwell and the friends Of Mr.. Dorr wished,
and purge the polls' No, they knew too well
what would be the result. They knew that the
result of the investigation would show, that no
nan voted, who if he had lived in the State Of
Ohio, would not have been entitled to vote under
our laws The investigation would have been
Easy, for the votes given in favor Of the peoples
constitution had written upon the back Of each
he name of the voter who gave it; and they were
offered TO the legislature for inspection, Every
hing was done by the people, to show that in all
his matter they had acted openly and honorably |
But they were met with scorn and vituperation.
Such is the state of that transaction which Henry
Clay has so falsified. But it comes'well from him;
t il perfectly consonant with the rest of his life
The following is the extract from Mr.. Clay's speech
eierred to:
''In intimate connection with this case [Michi-
.an easel the subject of Dorrism may be noticed.
Rhode Island had an existing government of long
uration, under which her population had lived
apply and prosperously. It had carried her tri-
mphanty through the war OF the revolution. and
orne her into the Union as one of the original
hirteen independent sovereign States. Under 1t
he people of no State in the Union in proportion
her population had displayed more valor, patriot
i'm, and enterprise. Dou did not find his ambi-
ous aspirations sufficiently gratiied under this
enerable government and he undertook to subvert
/. Asserting the principle that every people have
right to alter, modify, and change their govern
lent whenever they think proper-an abstract
rinciple, which, with cautious limitations, may
e true-without consulting the established gov
Of t /
'nment and the public authorities, he under
ok to beat up for recruits, to hold irregular cleo
ons, at which persons qualified and unqualified,
cad and living, were pretended to have voted; and
us securing heterogeneous majority, he pro-
,eded to form a new constitution, and to set up a
sw government. In the mean time, the legiti-
ate and regular government proceeded in opera
On, and prepared to sustain itself, and put down
e insurectionary proceeding. &
"Dorr flew to arms and collected military force q
irregular and heterogeneous as his civil maiori-
had been. But on the first approach of military c
rec, on thepart Of the legitimate and regular gov
nment, Dorr took to his heels and lgnominous-
fled, leaving his motley coniederates to fare as t
ey might. Now, feIlow-ciizens, what has been c
conduct Of the two parties in respect to this in
uhtch ~ ono t;n,o L.