Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-05-31
Uburs6ap, nlap 81.


best thing that could be done for Now Dor,
would bs to build a large ship, sufficiently
caPacious to hold all the inhabitants, and tax
them out TO sea, abou, ten miles, and the,
sink the ship,-and all who possessed any
energy or enterprise, or were worth saving
would swim to the shore then the pac,
would soon become populated by that class o
persons who would improve the Rrea, ant
rare advantages which nature has endowed
US with. We are sometimes mcro than hal
inclined to acknowledge ,ha, there 10 more
truth than poetry in this suggestion.
Business has no, been 80 completely a, a
stand still for the last twenty-five years, as i,
is at the present time, in Newport and when
the question is asked by a stranger, how do
you live Lere, and what supports all your peo.
pie I've hardly know what to say, and gen.
orally reply that they are sustained by faith,
and not by good works. We have written
and talked, but we accomplish nothing we
scold for two or three days in succession, and
then people begin to talk little, and admit
that something ought to be done,-but that
is the end Of it. The difficulty 10 not that
there is no business suited to the facilities of
the place, or that there 10 not sufficient capi.
tai here. or within the command OF m en- who
could use it, if they would f; if this was the
case, there would be some excuse for our
present inactivity, 1t is not, and this only
renders the matter the more provoking, be.
cause we can throw of our lethargic stupor if
we will. There is 10 kind of business which
is carried on in other places, and which has
built up and is now sustaining large and -four
ishing clties all around US, which might not be
as advanlageously pursued hcre,-and even
more so, because nature has done vastly more
for US than she has for any Of our sister
towns or cities.
If we could only see one enterprise started
here, and We care not what it is, we should
begin to hope that we were not doomed
place but, alas, there is no ray to cheer Us,
and no bow of promise above US. The owners
Of the Factories pay about one hundred ,hous-
and dollars year for their help, and his is
all the business, Of any account, that is tran
ssc'ed in Newport. 1t is true there are few
vessels owned here, but they add but little to
the monetary welfare of the place. Now,
close these Factories, and We ask, in all sin.
ccrity, what would become of US, We can.
not live on each other forever, and there
mus, be an end to matters somewh here, and
at some time.
Strange, most strange it is, that a lifo.giv.
ing, expanding energy canno, be brcathed in.
to the citizens Of Newport, srousing them
from their long inactivity, and creating in
them higher ambition than to have their
beautiful and paradisisca homestead removed
only as fashionable watering place. We
have prouder aims and nobler objects in view
we would see Newport rising in commercial
greatness and manufacturing majesty we
would SEQ her canvass whitening tho ocean,
and bringing home the products of every
clims ; we would see the results Of her indus
try spread all over the land, and her fame
tho bright particular joy of every true son OF
her SOIL IL we had the power, and could
yield the wan Of progress, We would shske
her from her Rip Van Winkle dream, if il re.
quired an earthquakes giant force, and thus
place her on the hiehcs. pinnacle of CONNER
cial and manufacturing importance. And
why not, what is there to prevent Nothing
under heaven. God has done everything, and
even more than all for US, but we will no,
now do for ourselves. If every man here
would only resolve 10 make one single effort
this day to take even but one step before
another sun sinks down to rest we know
that an impetus would be given to the whole
community, which would be seriously felt,
and its advantages appreciated by all Shall
this be done We pause for reply BY sc.
tions and not by words.