Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1853-11-10
AeRAlD OF THE TIME S,
THURSDAY Nov. 10th, 1859.


GS~The Bill which ha. Jua passed
the General Assembly provides tina, the
present eleclers shall decide by ballot,
OH The 2lst Of this month whether or not
the delegates who we're chosen on the
2slh OF June last. shall meet in Ccnven
hon 'or the PURPOSE Of amending the
Constitution oi this State, SO lar an TO
abolish The registry tax, extend the
time Tor Registering, and dislric,lng the
CUES and large towns for the choice Of
members Of the General Assembly. A
Democrat asserted in tie Assembly tha,
u The Convention was called, notwith.
standing the Bill only makes provision
Tor Certain specific amendments, still.
The Convention would have the rover
10 make other alterations, which means
nat 'hey would have the power % make
new Constitution, admitting foreign
ers Oh equal terms with native citizens,
and generally to do oil other and
wicked things which may conduce 10
perpe,uate the power in the hands oiihe
Democrats in Rhode Island.
There are certain features OF this Bill
which are quite pIausible,a land which are
well calculated to deceive honest and
well disposed men who are not iumiliar
with all the clap trap operations of pro-
fesscd FoIiucians Of The Democratic
school. The only true and safe course
ior The conservative men OF Rhode Is-
land TO pursue is TO vote against the
proposed Convention, because If il is
once allowed to assemble, no one can
tell when the door is once opened how
Tar the "assembled wisdom" OF the
State may go, or where the progressive
movements will end II is not sale 10
uifc with this matter, and prudence
dictates that our only sale course is to
be firm and true 10 the Constitution as
1t is, and to work diligently to prevent
the calling together Of the delegates in
Convention. The .reemen have but
jus, spoken loudly and lorcihly against
this movement, and ye, The Democratic
General Assembly boldly insults them
by ordering them to reconsider their de-
Iiberately expressed opinion. Answer
this outrage by giving 5000 majority
against a Convention.
nTAre the staid and que, people of
Newport County, who have ever been
peculiarly characterised Tor their mark
cd devotion to the good old form OF
Rhode Island government, disposed TO
be inactive n, All important crisis like
this, when they are threatened with the
destruction OF all that is left ofthe true
Rhode Island principle OF government 2
Are they prepared 10 see every man vo-
ting without any qualification except a
brief residence within { cir territory,
when that even can be sworn to at the
ballot box, by perjured men, in an
emergency, againstt tthe fact z Are they
prepared 10 let foreigners vote without
real estate qualification Z Are they
prepared TO say ,hnt the judiciary shall
be elective, and thus pave the way to
make all our Courts rotten and corrupt
in short time 2 These ara grave
questions. and OF deep Import to the
people of this State. There is the same
reason existing now for voting down
the proposed Convention, as there was
in June last and, we think that the
reason is stronger, because the men
who are at tie head of this movement
plainly show by their conduct in again
agtatlDg this matter SO soon after the
people have loudly expressed them
selves ngairAl Convention, that they
are regardless Of the will of the people,
and that they are determined, il possi-
BILE, 10 carry on, their wicked scheme, at
all hazards and in any manner, legal or
otherwise.
Voters mus, not be deceived by the
cunning prelext OF the Bill calling the
Convention ; i! specifies what ,s to be
done by the Convention, it is ,rue,-bu,
this is merely a dclusion-a veil to be-
guile the people and induce them to
vote for q Convention our word Tor il,
If this body can once assemble, the
most desperate efforts will be made TO
incorporate into the Constitution all the
obnoxious features Of ultra locotocoism,
and then we shall all speedily realize
that demoralsng state OF things which
the conservative men of,he State have
been predicting Tor some years pact
ICa Con ,titution is framed, all who can
vote under IL, foreigners and all, with
three or six months residence as the
only qualification, will be allowed to
vote on the question OF its adopton,-
and. OF course, II would be adopted
The bars, when once down, can never
be replaced therefore, the only safe
course is for conservative men, both
Whips and Democrats, 10 vote against
calling together the Convention. Vote
NO, and you will do your duty well,
and never regret il. The Constitution
ol Rhode Island is broad enough Tor al