Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-03-27

prntcr. the President o. the Convention
in which the writer goes over the
ground, showing, that the nomination
was not sought by him, and that he new
or suspected such result until he
heard the nomination. in the Convenliou..
This is unqucsiionably all correct MIR
Lawrence then goes on TO cast rciiec-
ton on the Town Clerk for not placing
his name on the Voting List. In re-
gard to this he says,
On proper representation to them
The Board oi Canvasstrs Of this town
directed my name. which the Clerk had
uuaccouniably 'miiled-an error which
| mot learn ever before occurred, in
the ease oi II ircchodcr, who also paid
personal taX-to be inserted Oh the
list ol voters, &c.
This remark plainly shows that Mr..
Lawrence il not AT all familiar with the
simplest forms and customs OF Rhode
Island men. II is not the duty Of the
Town Clerk TO ascertain who ought or
who ought not to be on the Voting list
it is simply his duty To place names
there when any one requests TO have
them there. And although Mr.. Law
renee cannot learn that such an 'onls-
sion was ever made before, we can H..
form him that il 10 often the case. There
was a similar one at the last meeting of
the Board Of Canvassers. We allulc
TO Thomas Redcll, Esq, who has b Ell
resident of this town for the last two
years and who has owned real estate
and paid taxes during that time yet
his name was never on the Voting ist
until the last meeting OF the Canvasscrs.
Mr. Lawrence contends that the de-
cislon of the Board of Canvassers, at
their last meeting, in his case, involved
the matter of The Bond which he be-
came surety upon, in July last in New
YORK, when he swore that he resided at
49S Broadway, - inasmuch ae he stated
to the Board tlat he had signed such
an instrument. Mr. Lawrence also says
that lac gave an exp anailon, Ms he un-
derstands il, between residence for
business purposes and legal domicilr.
We were not present AT the meeting of
the Board, and do not know wh,l Mr..
Lawrence or any other gentleman sta
ted. TO sustain his position, Mr.. Law
renee publishes Il letter from Mr.. Bur
dick President of the Eoard, who says
that Mr.. Lawrence swore 10 all the ma
teria facts relative 10 the Bond, at the
last meeting OF the Board and that the
Board decided the question with Il full
knowledge of all the facts. A letter is
also published, from Mr.. Turncr, tahiug
the same view OF the case.
In Il postscript TO his letter Mr.. Law
renee speaks of the publication Of the
Bond in Il paper in this town, in Il most
offensive form )" in speaking of The re-
marks which have been made by the
Journal and News, in regard TO the
case, he maniicSts good deal Of not
very pleasant feeling. Now what MIR.
Lawrence means by "ollcnsive form "
We know not. Wepublished tha, Bond
accompanied by such remarks as were
naturally called forth by such an in
strument, under such circumstan-
ccs. In that article we cast no rcner-
tons upon Mr.. Lawrence, we made no
charge against him but we commented
fairly and honorably upon his own act,
aud gave our candid views in regard
to the moral and legal solemnily aud
efficacy of an oath. No argument has
vet been offered TO change our views
upon tha, subject, and consequently VIC
still adhere to the same opinion which
VIC then expressed. The difference be-
tween Mr.. Lawrence and ourselves is
this He contends that the oath which
he took in New York merely regarded
his residence for business purposes and
nothing more. We contend that the
oath speaks for itself, and mus! be taxi
en- as it reads, and that it is not suscep-
tibe OF any explanation or qualification.
A man always swears TO what he means,
hence the use Of oaths. In ordinary
conversation, men often speak hastily,
and without that caution and precision
which an oath exacts from them.
We should suppose that if the con
struction which Mr.. Lawrence puts on
the oath which he took in July last, was
correct, which We do not admit the
swearing no TO hi, residence would
be unnecessary, because it it was ONLY
for busness purposes, nothing but the
place of business would be named ; it il
was no, intended that man should
| swear TO his actual. bona fide domicilc,
his real resi- dence, his true hon Z, why
i. he required to name his res idenee in
the oath, :, why is not the requirement
simply Tor his p ace OF business, where
he may be found during business
hours 7
In the New York Directory for hi,
year, we find the following entry -
Lawrence, VIM. b., lawyer, ~ Wa |,
house 49S Broadway.
The residence of Mr.. Law renee, by