Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-03-20

ueterninlll0il III ceIfuiH qUHtTS W re-
fuse a legal residence in Rhode Island
TO this gentleman. is Of most extraor-
dnary aud unjusiifable Character
The proper as we'll as the more civil
course, under the circumstances, Would
be to presume that there is no founda-
ton for the assumption some put l0rth
against his residence until such assunp
ton shall be proved. His name is on
the .otng list and the Board Of Can
vasscrs knowing their duty better than
certain too ofliclous Intermediates that
have attempted to raise IA hue and cry
against him. have decided we under
stand to retain il there. And there Is
not the least reason TO apprehend tina,
the final canvass will reject him any
sooner than II would any other actual
resident. Nevertheless the course pur-
sued by the Providence Journal and
Newport Ners We have no doubt Will
operate in favor Of his election more
especially in his own town, where iiihe
citlz ms do act upon party principles IN
party affairs, they know as well as any
others what is due 10 themselves and
to the rites OF hospitality. We have
no doubt that Mr.. Lawrence is a resi-
dent in accordance with the law, and
will be elected to the office for which he
has been nominated. A circumstance
we hope that will give to Election week
in Newport an extraordinary interest,"
PROF.. HerdH.
We are not surprised that Judge
Josl'n feels very indignant about this
matter, and thinks that Mr.. Lawrence,
as a matter of courtesy, "under the cir
cumstances' ought to be allowed to
vote in this town. The Judge enter
tans very peculiar views in regard to
Constitutional Law and all such mat
ters and he expounds them with Il pro-
fundity which is very amusing. The
Judge was General Treasurer under
DORIS Constitution, although he never
was able to persuade Stephen Cahoonc,
Esq. TO surrender to him the key of the
strong chest. The Judge was elected
by extending courtsey to the dead
whose names were taken from the grave
yard in this town, and used lbs voters
the fort, the coal-mines, the poor-house
and the Jail were all visited, and their
tenants, by coWtsey, were allowed to
vote in those memorable times. The
persons who were conspicuous III those
transactions are now the loudcst in
their talk about extending toartSey in
this matter.
We take the case Of Mr.. Lawrence
as we find il, and as we should take
that of any other gentleman. Personal
friendship, great wealth, rare accom-
plishmcnts. marked talents. and nothing
else can swerve us from what We co.,
cieve to be the line Of duty. We have
ascertaned the facts, and OH these we
shall fcarlessly act. We owe a duty
to the party as the editor Of one Of It's
journals and we mean to discharge
that duty fully and honestly. The man
who would shrink from this because
any case under consider .tion happened
to be Of an UNI leasant nature to him, in
consequence Of the wealth, position, &c.
OF his opponent, would be unworthy OF
the cause which he espouscd. The
strongest possible evidence, Mr.. Law
rence's own solemn oath, before God
and man, that he was resident Of
New York on the | lth of last JULY taxi
en- not as Il matter Of form, but in com
pIance with law, and tor the purpose
of transactlng important business which
could not be done without that oath,-
has convinced us that Mr.. Lawrence
has 10 right to vote in tins State, this
year. Which is TO be most relied on
the indistinct acts Of Mr.. Lawrence,
or his own solemn oath ? We think
his oath because, il we know anything
of the character OF William Beach Law
renee, we are sure that no earthly i'll
ducemcnt could have been held out,
however lTBc, NiliCi "puiu HuNt
prompted him to swear that he aas
resden, Of New York OH the lth Of July
las, if such had not been the fact. Nc,
he would not have taken such an oath.
even as a matter OF form, as some OF
the d. mocratic party term ii, because
he fully comprehends the moral and re-
ligious obligation of an oarh,-and he
well knows that an oath is binding be-
fore God and man and that a mans
conscience can make no distinction in
the nature OF oa,hs, and that he cannot
make mental reservation when he
takes one. An oath has but one mean
ing. and I is susceptible Of no qualliica-
ton and no explanation. Ii speaks for
itself in its own positive aud strong and
solemn language.