Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-05-04

er HsRe petition, viz. tina, the committee
did not make their report on il until the
third week of the (latey Jasuary session.
Our friend ofthe Star - very probably
correc, in his statement Of she time Of
making the report, though we do not
see what bearing it has on the con-
troversy, or the conduct Of the COM
mittee, unless it be to impute to them
some unnecessary delay in presenting it.
The truth is, we believe, that, though
several days had been agreed upon, in
the earlier part Of the session, for the
hearing Of the parties, and the committee
was prepared to attend to them, such was
the difficulty Of bringing the counsel on
both sides together, at the times designa-
ted, it was finally arranged, after some
delay, that the committee take the papers
without argument Of counsel, and make
forthwith the best report they were able.
This was the cause, and this only, as we
understand, why the report Of the COM
mittee was delayed until the week in
January last mentioned. "
The writer then proceeds to suggest,
that, after the prayer Of the petition was
granted, 1.-TWO or three days elapsed before
the committee reported bill, and two
or three days more before the bill was ta-
ken up" 1t might be inferred from these
remarks, that the delay in reporting the bill
above stated was imputable to the COM
mi,tee which reported upon the merits
of the petition. This was not the fact,
however, a new committee having been
raised, after the prayer Of the petition
was granted, to bring in bill to effect
its objects, composed, as we are inform
ed, for the most part, if not wholly, OF
those who had voted in favor Of the peti-
ton, of which committee Mr.. John II.
Clarke of Providence was one. Wha,
may have occurred to delay their report,
or its immediate consideration, we are
unable to state, though We doubt not,
that every thing was done by those gen.
tlemen to accelerate action upon it which
was right and proper.-Onr friend is also
of opinion, that the bill was first rejected,
and then the motion to reconsider the
granting the prayer Of the petition was
made and carried. This may possibly
be correct but whether his statement
or ours be the true one can only be as
certained by reference to the journals Of
the House, and cannot, as we see, be ma
terial in any view Of the question.
1t is then stated by the Star, that the
voters of Warren, as he understood them,
never charged Mr.. Cranston with being
Influenced by Mr.. Bullock or MIR. Blake,
in the appointment Of the committee. or
in his action on the petition, or that he
used any improper influence with the
Newport delegation to oppose it," but
they do accuse him." it adds, "of mani
Testing an improper bias and Partially in
favor Of Bristol )" and this accusation is
rested on the three following assumptions,
which we will consider in their ORDER
First, that in appointing the committee
Mr.. Cranston deviated from the usual
parliamentary practice of naming as a
member Of it, the person who moved the
reference ofthe petition. We have stated
in our article Of the 22d, the motives
which governed Mr.. c. as we understood,
in making this appointment, viz. that the
members selected stood uncommitted by
any previous action in the House OH the
subject. and were also so situated as to
the territory in question as to make it
convenient for them to inspect it. These,
we are again assured by Mr.. c. were his
sole reasons for the selection then made,
and that he intended no disrespect by it
to the member for Coventry, who moved
the reference, hut was differently situated,
and could not, with the same convenience,
attend to the duties, which the vote of
the House exacted. That nothing wrong
or unfair could have been meant by Mr..
c. in this proceeding is now manifest
from the admission Of the Editor Of the
Star himself that "the petitioners and
people of Warren were satisfied with the
committee"
Secondly -"That the voters Of War
rem entertain the belief. that the bill, af-
ter IL was reported, was kept back by the
Speaker. .;a- order that it might be taken
up, ,ohen there was thin House, or that
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