The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-20

its progress had been like one Of those
diseases which have spread from one end
OF the world to the other. How in our
own land and Europe restrictions had
dropped away until with manhood was
acknowledged the right To vote. This
must continue and progress would de-
mand that the vote should be given
women when they demanded IL and there
was no reason why Intelligent women
should not have the right to the ballot.
Moro marked than ever before In our
state has been the recent increase of pop
ulation but we have found our strength
and the stability Of our government Is now
understood as 10 was not at one time
Though these foreigners may for IA time
carry other flags they carry our own
with them and they are willing To defend
IL. Their descendants will carry but one
flag and one Of the fortunate things has
been our great power Of assimilation.
The descendants of the new comers
know no other Institutions no other
laws than ours. We meet them in busi-
ness and we meet them In other walks OF
life and We influence each other. We are
becoming homogeneous people, notwith-
standing the diversified types. The only
danger is the ease with which men un-
familiar with our language become
naturaliZed for men who knew nothing of
our institutions or laws or the language
In which the latter were apt 90 become u
selfseeking faction in the hands Of self
seeking leader. Some wise restriction on
immigration was needed but just what
the restriction must be was question the
next century must settle.
The next topic take up was constitu
tiOnal agitation and the better feelings
that IL left behind were referred to Mt some
length. That there was cause for the
agitation candor compels us to admit.
Some of the wrongs were SO severe that
we wonder how men could endure them so
long.
Under the Charter.
The constitution of the United States
had guaranteed Republican form of
government and Republican ideas had
been grated on the Old charter. Under
the latter the Legislature was omnipotent
and the judiciary was IN no sense CO.
ordinate branch of the government. How
the Legislature assumed this power OF do
ing many things belonging to the
judiciary was dwelt upon and the good
work OF Chief Justice Ames and OF that
great Rhode Island lawyer, Thomas III.
Jenckes even long after the adoption OF
the constitution We're dwelt upon at
length. Tho Assembly had been declared
the best Court of ChaDcery in the world.
IL amended court r cords and divided
property and set aside decisions.
There could be no doubt Rhodeg Island
bad long needed charter. No one could
begin in an action in our courts without
~
costs and even being freeholder did not
give the right incidental thereto as one
had TO be voted into the select circle
A Tribute to DOrr.
To the honesty and sincerity of pur-
poses of Thomas Wilson Dorr the speaker
paid IA tribute. lie said justice had not
been done this leader in constitutional
agitation who was not a demagogue but
one who had everything to gain by up-
holding the land holding class, for he was
lawyer of good rcpute, an able man,
and one who previous To his acceptance
of the governorship under the peoples
constitution had held places of honor.
The state could not coDdone treason but
history and public opinion often mol
pressed charges when the honesty of the
reformer was acknowledged. DORIS mis-
take was in not submitting To the legal
government, but he had many difficult
ties, and fearing that the promises for a
new constitution would not be kept and
having been chosen under the peoples
constitution, he saw no way TO keep
faith with those that elected him but 20
act as governor.
AT this time, too, patience had become
weary and hope deferred had made the
hearts of many sick. The importance of
the position taken by President Tyler in
settling the Dorr trouble was spoken Of,
and the absence of that magnanimous
war regretted. Dorr had been of much
service, for he worked with grateful
purpose and secured "a beneficial result.
The Laws of Married Women.
Next was considered the changes in the
laws In regard 20 married women, from
the time when all her property was i'm
control of her husband and he was re-
sponsible for all her torts and her ante |
nuptial debts, To the most recent statute |
by which she has full control of her prop
erty and her husband is no longer re-
sponsible for even her debts before mar
riagc Some very happy comments were
made upon the old ideas of the property
of married women and the reason for |
those ideas were clearly defined.
The difficulties in the way OF establish |
log free schools in hi STATE anI com.
parison made between the slowness of the |
start and the splendid results of the schools |
of our own day were we'll brought out,
high tribute being paid to the work OF |
Henry Barnard, the first superintendent |
of rublic instruction.
1hs evolution OF the law i'm regard To |
Imprisonment for death was detailed, and |
Judge Stiness asked how the imprison- |
inent of debtor in order TO make his |
friends pay debt could be justified. He |
also applauded the abolition of capital |
punishment. In conclusion Judge Sti- |
ness snid: The society itself is its most |
instructive annalist. Without turning to |
its records then, IL is enough il we can |
take as the inspiration Of this anniver- |
sary the purpose To make its future COM |
pare we'll with its past, and TO strengthen |
and support it as 10 stands for the honor |
and history of the state. AS citizens we |
may look with loyal satisfaction upon the |
progress which the state has made in |
matters which most deeply concern the |
people. Slow in starting il has sped for |
ward 10 the line of the foremost; habitu- |
ally conservative, IL has in some cases |
adopted almost radical reforms. But its |
changes have been from restriction To /
liberty; from antiquatcd notions TO mod |
ern reason; from denial of privilege TO
of right.
And although as members Of this so.
ciaty we give attention To matters of his |
tory, we should not he 50 devoted tO the |
past as To forget our duty to the present !
and TO the future. Looking not alone 10 our /
own things, but also 20 Things of Others, |
IL is our part To speed the day when equal |
Justice under equal laws and liberal |
recognition of natural and political /
y n hal l.n bc ..T oil