Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-08-22
Letter from Mr. Barnard to his
Constituents.

.HOdHy'
n Fellow CiriZgSs ia with unfc igned
reluctance and grei that feel myself CON
ipped to declare. as my deliberate and well
considered opinios that the House of Repre-
seniativrs ni The 25,h Congress, at lis late
session, in The conduct ot The strong party
which reiynpd 10 II, exhibited 8u andncious
spirit Of insubnrdnstlon and defiance to law
and order, such us no legislative body which
H has been convened in his country since w"
have been a nation has ever exhibited be
fore. The luslances ~ which tins spirit was
shown were numerous and Bigrant. hav"
II laid before You two remarkable cases OF the
| sort. Aud have now another example ~
! The came line, To which ! wish to attract
n yupr serious attention.
II You arc aware Of the Infamous at,emp,
that was made not long ago, by despera,"
faction in Rhode Leland. TO suhvcrt III" es-
tabllsh.d government Of that State, and w.
sci up a new government ~ It's place, by al
actual appeal To arms. There have bcen IN
our history three pretty formidable insurrec
tons against the established governments Of
The country. One Of these was in Massn
chusetls. one IN Pennsylvania, and the last
~ Rhode Island. And the last has been BY
far the most formidable and dangerous Of
the whole, and infinitely the least cxcnsablc.
Ii assumed an appearance at imposing regu-
lari,y. The actual outbreak was appronc hcd
gradually, and through forms Of proceeding
which wore the aspect ot regular and Legal
popular organization. Cunning aud false
prerences were hdrolty employed 10 i've III"
revolt. 10 the first instance the sembance ol
an Ordinary and not Illegal movement OF the
people, or at u formidable party, for constltu-
,iona reform. Many well meaning and
pcaceable culzens, boih ~ and out ui Rhod"
Island. were brought 10 sympathlze with ih's
movement. in IT'S earlier stages, and thus 10
give il strength and character. Those wh"
led IN il sacrllegiously seized on the language
81 a sacred principle announced IN the Deca-
ration of Independence, concerning "lhr
right Of the people to alter or abolish" then
forms oi Government, snd attempted I"
wres, aud apply 1t TO their own unhallowed
purposes. MANY were deceived by their
wrcichcd and dishonest sophlstrics and pau.
|. sibnles. who helped 10 swell the ranks nj
me dsatIectcd, aud who were only awakened
! to The grrylous error they had committed
| when they found themselves standing, on
| The side of r. beIlion, in the lmme date pres
ence Of raging civil war.
\ And il tins revolt was the most Formidable
! and dangerous that The county had ever
| known. so, as compared with preceding cases
| II had less, nay. II had literally nothing. "a
! Justify or excuse the attempt. Complaints
were made that the right of voting at the
! eie tlous was not sufficiently extended, and
| that representation ~ the Legislature from
| the towns, was unequal. These were pclltl-
| cal defects in the esta blished order otihngs
which, IN the opinion OF many, called for re
form. and which reform was as sure 10 come
tfwnh time and patience. as the broad light OF
/ the risen sun II TO follow the dawning oi day
4 They were political grievances which could
not stand before the preventing public senlI-
menl ot The time. They were certain /"
have bot very brief existence when The
suhect should once come 10 be sincerely
agltated. In the mean time, however II was
not pretended that they had wrought any
! great practical injury to the interests of the
people Of Rhode Island. "Lie, liberty, and
the pursuit nf happiness" were never more
perfectly enjoyed ~ any community. Both
the people and government Of Rhode Island
were essentially Democratic in character
and had been So, nearly without in,errnpllon,
tor almost two centuries. Rhode Island nnd
II Connecticut were distinguished from The 9th
er colonies from the earliest tunes down L.
the Revolu'on, hy The possession OF Roya
l Charters which expressly authorized them 10
elect nH htT opn officers. md enact all THU
o,cn idms. BRUSH writer's spoke OF them a.
she two Republics" and described then
charters "a establishing - mere democracle,
or rule the people" The King sent them
no royal governors, or other officers. The
K,ng could not negative their laws, nor
could The Kings courts review the judgments
of their tribunals.
The people of Rhode Island, by formal
and most Interesting ceremony, accepted
and adopted, originally, the Free charter
which they had obtained, IA their constitution
of government. Under that constirnrion
they lived for good deal more than centn
rV, with n mere nominal dependence on Tn
\ Euglt-h crown. Ind9r 1t the General A.
,ernbly sent delegates to the first American
J ContlneHrsl Congress, IN VA. Under u
the Gnn"ra Assembly, Two months befur'
IA. Declaration oflndopendencc of by Congress
bv solemn Legislative act. made Rhode l.
land free and dependent State. Under H.,
Rhode island became a party to the Cnnirde
ration, aud finally cane into thc Federal
! Union az one of the Old Thirteen. Dnwu
| To the year lci2. she had nat ren"unccd thu
venerable constitution of tr"e gogornnen'.
Wnh II, aud under II Rhode Island "xhorted,
for one handrrd and eighty years, the near
es, approach To ~ mere democracy, or rnl'
OF the people," which has bceR known, tot
the same length of time. ~ The modern hl,
tory Of the world; add the history oi the
world caEnot show, tor the same length Of
tune, govnment mOre benign more who'll,
conlrolicd by sound aud enlightened cur
rent public opinion, or more exclusively snr
purely DEVOTED io the security of the right
aud Interests of the entire body Of the people.
Elections were held every Xix months. Th'
/ strcieSt economy prevailed ~ public ex-
pcndtares. The salaries of office were liltl
more ihan nominal The tone at manner
cycry where tended to simplicity and 'qnall.
~. The laws we're equal, anG ministry al
liustrcs was diffised aud impartial, like tb'
gentle ram and dew.
II was smong such people, ana und"'
such = government. that the rebellion hrok
out. A combination at restless splrits brgHr
by establishing Suffrage A-socIHii"ns -
These were true jacobins The proiessed
object was To obtain on enlargement oi ih
Suffrage. " was rxetcis"d NJ The TINE onli
by those who pusaesscd estates wor'' seven
dollars year This was pr"claIreh mon
strous evil IN Rhode Island. though VI" nni-
ted voice nj modern Democracy ls wont h
hal Virginia rs model IN oil Democratic
principle and usage. while her CONSTITUTION
rrunires a freehold qualification tor hei|
vniers. Bnt. tho evil admitted, there was y
rcacenble and leru mode Of obtaining 70
drcss. Thoy nigh, have pet'lion"d TN
II.cg,sln,urc. which had express and 'nli
powo- Nv tho Charter Constitution, Hs'D t"'
irx,and tho right of voting NJ u pleased, o.
iby "sisinie., orders. and ordinances TO pro
yldc for amending or re framing 'hs Cons''-
,r,,,.o or he state. The Suffrage party, a.
''''u - '"N -. ,iat,ned IN mum