The sun., 1909-05-02

by sending fleets and armies to America
to confiscate our property, and spread IRE.
sword and desolatio throughout Our coun-
try, In order 10 compel us 10 submit 10 the
most debasing and detestable tyranny:
whereby we are Obliged by necessity. and
1t becomes our highes, duty. TO use every
means with which God and nature have
furnished us, in support Of pur inviolable
rights and privileges. TO oppose that power
which is exerted only for our destruction.
Be Il therefore enacted by the General
Assembly, and by the authority thereof
Il IS enacted. that an act entitled An act
for the more enectually securing TO his
Majesty the allegiance Of his subjects in
this his colony and dominion Of Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations be.
and the same hereby Is repealed.
And be it furthe enacted by this General
Assembly and by tho authority thereof
1t Il enacted. that in all commiss 'ons for
offices, Civil and Military. and in all writs
and processes in law. whether Original,
judicial or eNecutorr. civil or criminal
whereon The name and authority of the said
King Is made use Of the same shall be
o q nit ed. and in the room thereof the name
and authorit y OF the Governor and Company
Of this Colony shall be substituted in the
following words. to wit: The Governor
and Company Of the English Colony Of
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
That all such commissions, writs and
psocesses shall be otherwise OF the same
ferm and terms as they heretofore were;
that the Courts Of Law be no longer en-
titled nor considered as the Kings Courts,
and that no instrument In writing. Of any
nature or kind. whether public or private,
shall, In the date thereof. mention the year
Of said Kings reign.
Provided, nevertheless. that nothing in
this act contained shall render void or
vitlate any commission. writ. process or
instrument heretofore made or executed.
on account OF the name and authority OF
the said King being therein inserted.
This act. while not specifically decara-
ton Of independence In the strict defini-
ton OF the term. constitutes an ahJuration
OF fealty to Great Britain. With full
understanding that its adoption must be
interpreted as an act OF rebellion. the
upper house Of the General Assembly
was unanimous for IT, while in the House
OF Deputies only >six members voted
against II
Rhode Island had previously committed
acts Of rebellion against the British au-
thorities In her waters occurred one Of
the most fragrant Of the early attacks
upon the ruling power.
This was in July. l789, when the British
armed sloop Liberty brought into New
port two Connecticut vessels charged
with illicit trading. On the evening OF
July IA the sloops captain when on the
" harf at Newport was forced to order all
OF his men, with the exception OF the first
officer, ashore, after which the citizens
took charge OF the Liberty. ran her on
the rocks and souttled her and burned
her small boats. The two Connecticut
vessels promptly made their escape and
Gov. Wanton's offer OF a reward for the
apprehension OF the men who had de-
stroyed the Kings property Was never
claiped.
The Rhode Island merchants too en-
tered into the same agreement in force
in other Colonies to abstain from import
ing goods upon which Great Britain had
imposed the obnoxious duties, and three
months after the Boston tea party OF
December i773. the citizens OF Providence
engaged in a similar diversion.
The Providence tea party was free from
the secrecy and disguises which charao-
terized that OF Boston. On March 1. 177l,
the town crier paraded the streets Of